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Let's look at these bus statistics

23rd April 1976, Page 38
23rd April 1976
Page 38
Page 38, 23rd April 1976 — Let's look at these bus statistics
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

1 refer to Mr Richard Worth's letter in your issue of April 16. It has been said that statistics are often used for support rather than illumination, and I think that never has this been illustrated so clearly as in that letter.

Mr Worth bases the whole of his comments on the fact that the number of passengers to be affected by the proposed service withdrawals is no more than 75. This figure is one which appears to have emanated from Oxfordshire County Council and may or may not represent the number of people travelling from the hamlets and small villages which are to lose their services completely. Not only does this figure fail to take into account those passengers who normally board the vehicles en route but it also ignores bus travelling residents from other communities which will continue to be served by, albeit, a lower level of public transport. Included among these latter are significant numbers of scholars travelling in urban and semi-urban areas such as Bicester and Wantage.

think that this shows how misleading the figure of 75 is when taken out of context.

Oxford-South Midland, the principal NBC operating subsidiary in Oxfordshire, does not wish to receive a subsidy for running empty buses ; it never has and never will.

Indeed, for months we have been seeking to reach agreement with Oxfordshire County Council about a number of service changes which would obviate the need for subsidy— changes which any responsible operator motivated not only by the desire to see expenditure equate with income but also passenger usage with optimum vehicle utilisation, would take. The sum required to maintain these services was, for this company, £250,000—the 030,000 quoted includes Midland Red's requirements for North Oxfordshire. The revisions we are proposing will save this amount.

If Mr Worth wants to introduce journeys which will pick up only on those sections of routes which we relinquish then we will not object. Indeed, if he wants to run feeder services into our network we will co-operate with him to the full and he has been made fully aware of this. However, we would have to consider whether or not to object if he sought a licence to operate over any section of any route we wish to maintain, as to over-bus that route would be to weaken its viability to the advantage of no one—least of all the village communities.

As regards the Oxford Park and Ride Scheme Mr Worth's figure of 45p per car subsidy is so wide of the mark as to be almost laughable. The actual subsidy is about third of this, but one must surely take into account the vast improvement to the environment of Oxford which Park and Ride has been instrumental in effecting.

Finally, the NBC has accepted, since its inception in January 1969, that subsidies are not its by right. Indeed, grant aid is only sought to maintain loss-making but socially essential services. However, it is important that the distinction between the commercially viable and the socially necessary services is clearly appreciated.

DAVID MEREDITH, General Manager, City of Oxford Motor Services Ltd.

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Locations: Oxford

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