Sheffield bor ows for buses
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• In order to save fare increase , Sheffield transport committee has decided to borrow money for the purchase of new buse . Normally new buses are bought from the ren wals fund, but the city's public transport grou is heading for a £500,000 deficit by the end f the year.
Chairman of the committee. Cllr. Roy Thwaites. explained: One should never take the easy way out by applying r a fares increase when there is money avail ble somewhere in the accounts that can b used. The city treasurer has suggested as a tern porary measure that we should purchase ehicles out of loans. We shall not lose anyth ng by this method because of current inflati nary tend encies."
At March 31 the renewals fund stood at £648,196, while at its last meeting the committee decided to borrow £323,673 with which to buy 55 double-deck and five single-deck buses.
Conservative opposition members of the council are claiming that a deeper reason underlies the decision to avoid higher fares. It is suggested that if a rise were applied for, the Traffic Commissioners would be unlikely to grant it unless the whole cost of concessionary fares was being paid out of the rates, instead of only £50.000 out of an estimated total of £315,000 a Year as at present.