SBG subsidy vetoed
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COUNCILLORS in Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council have refused to pay the Scottish Bus Group any increase in its Lim support.
SBG asked for an extra £114,000; that was lowered to £90,000 and finally to £40,000.
The drop did not impress members of the roads committee who were upset when they heard that part of the original claim had included "extortionate" costs for maintenance.
So, in a move that is guaranteed to lead to an increase in bus fares, they decided to recommend no rise in the subsidy for 1985/86.
The committee heard that SBG had guaranteed no fares rises if it .vas given an extra four per cent.
The last fares increase was in 1983 and members were told that if no subsidy rise was given then — depending when implemented — generally the cost of tickets would go up by about three per cent.
Concern was expressed at the way the group request had started at £114,000 and gone down to £40,000. "Why did they ask for £114,000 to start with?" said one councillor. Another said he thought the fares increase of three per cent would be acceptable.
Members agreed to reject the request but monitor the situation with the Scottish Bus Group.
• Public transport fares in Strathclyde are to be frozen in 1985/86, thanks to a rise in patronage.
The region is spending £2.8m on the fares freeze as part of a £52m support package for bus and rail services in the region.
It originally planned to spend £5.3m on the fares freeze, but subsequent information that an advertising campaign had boosted traffic last year suggests that a fares reduction could have been achieved instead.