Low fares rise ?
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MEMBERS of the West Midlands PTE are due to consider next month what action to take on future fares policy. They have to take account of Government policy towards reducing transport supplementary grants, making the prospect of severe increases inevitable.
At present fares in the PTE area are some of the lowest in the country. A survey by a local paper last week showed that a five-mile journey on Midland Red cost 31p, on London Transport or the Glasgow or Manchester PTEs 20p, and on West Midlands buses only 8p. Fare levels in the West Midlands have been frozen since January, 1972, One possibility being considered by councillors is a 2p across-the-board increase from January 1 and an increase in the cost of the Travelcard bus season ticket from £4 to £5.
Such measures are unlikely to do much to offset an expected deficit by the West Midlands PIE in 1975-76 of at least £15.7m, which is expected to rise to £21m in the following year.
CultSir Stan Yapp, leader of the West Midlands Council, said last week: "I do feel that, despite the quite appalling national economic situation, the Government's policy on fares is short-sighted.