Bus grant campaign
Page 12
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THE INDUSTRY has launched a new campaign to retain new bus grant, in the face of all-roUnd Government assaults on Labourcontrolled councils' subsidised fares policies.
The Association of Metropolitan Authorities public passenger transport sub-committee chairman Alex Waugh, and South Yorkshire's cheap fares promoter, warned last week that operators, passengers, and manufacturers are all having their interests damaged by Government policies.
"The AMA believes that the Government should restore new bus grant to help operators regularly to renew their bus fleets. Costs of new buses have not only increased with inflation, but expensive modifications have been introduced to comply with national and EEC laws," he said.
He described the plans to terminate grant in 1984 as "A further nail in the coffin of the traditional British bus service".
Mr Waugh was joined in this campaign by Confederation of British Road Passenger Transport director-general Denis Quin, who warned: "The alternatives to new bus grant are increased revenue support — which has been put in doubt by the recent House of Lords judgment — or a decreased quality of service."
Mr Quin added: "Moreover, other industries benefit from tax allowances on capital investment which are not available to bus operators," and stressed that the industry needs grant to complete a conversion of all its vehicles to one-man operation.
And Greater London Council transport committee chairman Dave Wetzel has put in a bid for the retention of the scheme, saying that the phased withdrawal of grant is adding ElOm to the bill for new buses in 1982/83.
According to Mr Wetzel, London's difficult operating conditions and its premature disposal of buses bought "off the peg" at the time bus grant was introduced in 1968 meant that the capital missed put.
Because of this, LT's ageing fleet will need to be renewed after 1984, and the burden will be borne by the ratepayer. "We think that this is totally unfair and believe the Government should bring in a replacement system of grants to allow buses to rank for subsidy just as new trains and road improvements do," he said.