Bus men unite to fight
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• The Bus and Coach Council and the National Federation of Bus Users have united to slam EEC moves to abolish zeroVAT rating on bus fares.
The BCC says the proposals will lead to increased fares, "dealing a serious blow to bus passengers and bus operators, at a time when the industry is doing its utmost to make the recent deregulation of buses work successfully".
NFBU secretary Michael Dearing is also urging the Government to reject the scheme which he says will affect the least well off in society which relies on buses and cannot afford increased fares.
He says several bargain facilities, such as area Travelcards and through and return-fare schemes, have already been scrapped with the opening of routes to private operators.
"A government committed to keeping down inflation should surely realise the impact this unwanted tax will have On many poorer families wholly dependent on public transport." If zero rating is abolished, the BCC says it will press for bus fares to be given a 'social rate of less than 6.5% instead of the proposed 4.5 to 9.5% rate. This would be an acceptable compromise for member states and would not cause any loss to the community budget, it says.