Lothian's Sin loss
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EDINBURGH'S bus services are likely to run at a loss of more than £6m this year, and the figure will have to be written off in future years from the rates.
Delays in introducing the city's increased parking charges for motorists have also resulted in a £500,000 loss on the transportation account for Lothian Region.
This picture of mounting losses emerged last week at a meeting of the Lothian finance committee, which had already been warned that a deficit of about Om on this year's council spending would have to be met on next year's rating calculations.
Secretary of State George Younger has warned that if he considers Lothian to have overspent this financial year he would reduce the rates support grant to the region, not only retrospectively for 1980, but for next year as well.
The declared policy of the controlling Labour council is that to encourage the public to use the buses they will not raise the present fares which were set in 1976.
A bus loss of £5,558 had already been predicted, but due to the rising costs of servicing, repairs and maintenance, plus high interest rates, that deficit is now expected to be more than £4m.