Peak hour levy planned to cut losses
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A SURCHARGE of 5p on peak hour bus services in West Sussex is being considered following a meeting last week of the County Council's joint planning, roads and transportation sub-committee.
The meeting was held to discuss an estimated £750,000 loss this year by the National Bus Company subsidiaries in the area. The council has allocated £310,000 for subsidies this year.
The council heard a variety of solutions to the problems proposed by the county surveyor and county planning officer. These included: • Southdown should be asked to apply for an immediate 15 per cent increase in fares. But fares for journeys •up to one mile should not be increased; fares for journeys between one and two miles should be half the general increase; a fare surcharge of 5p to be levied for peak period travel; concession fares for children over five to be abolished.
• Service cuts should be planned to save £100,000 on Southdown services, £28,000 On London Country services, £3,600 on Alder Valley services.
• Evening services and Sunday services losing more than 25 per cent should be taken off.
• All bus services should be out by 10 or 20 per cent.
• The number of school buses in use should be cut down by staggering school starting times.
• £60,000 should be made available for revenue support with a further £90,000 available in reserve.
Bus company officials said at the meeting that they were opposed to the levy idea. It would mean rises this year of 267 per cent for some schoolchildren in the area.
The committee has also decided not to back any more Post Bus services in its area fallowing news that the one service now operating had a deficit of £400. The committee agreed to pay this deficit, however.
Plans for other services would mean a further £1,500 deficit which the council was not prepared to consider. The county surveyor, Mr William Harrison told the meeting: "It is a significant shift in the attitude of the Post Office. They say that they are not prepared to take any risk of incurring any losses on your behalf. Payment must be agreed before they do it."