Councils urge SBG
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inquiry
• The Scottish Bus Group came under fire at a public inquiry in Edinburgh on June 10 when 77 local authorities appealed against the decisions taken at Scottish Traffic Commissioners hearings earlier in the year granting increased fares to the Group. Mr Ian Macdonald QC was appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland to hear the appeal and will report.
For the appellants, Mr R. C. Hay claimed that there was something seriously wrong with the management and policies of the Group whose bus fare increases had outstripped general increases in recent years. To achieve a 10 per cent increase in revenue they had sought and had been given increases of as much as 44 per cent in some cases. There were widespread anomalies in the fares structure. The activities of the Group in recent years had been inflationary and their fares were one prime cause of inflation. He asked that the Minister examine the powers and duties of the Group and of the Scottish Traffic Commissioners in relation to its dealings with public transport.
For the Group, Mr J. P. H. Mackay QC said that the £3.5m which the fare increases aimed to provide was actually below the increased costs which the Group had to face. These increased costs were due to wage increases. He claimed there was no reason to order an inquiry into either the management of the Group or the actions of the Traffic Commissioners.