Rural rides: what the customers think
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A SPOKESMAN for the National Bus Company has welcomed a report by the National Consumer Council entitled Rural Rides — Experiments in rural public transport — a consumer view.
Among the findings and conclusions of the 80-page report are that local transport services should closely meet users' needs even though these may not be the cheapest to provide, needs should be given an equal priority with costs, the use of existing services should continue to be explored, and local voluntary groups should be consulted through user co-operation.
The NCC also urges the Government to retain the new bus grant which, it says, is invaluable for postbuses and community buses where initial capital costs are high, as well as for continuing conventional services.
Some small local schemes are only "papering over the cracks" in rural transport and the number of people served by them are strictly limited. An infrequent community bus, however, still can be a life-line to non-driving people.
The NCC survey also complains that licensing regulations for self-help transport are complicated and often misunderstood. The report also raised questions about community bus safety standards now that the drivers no longer require psv licences.