Rural Bus Services

HC Deb 18 June 1984 vol 62 cc11-2

13. Mr. Dobson

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to encourage the provision of rural bus services.

Mr. Ridley

I am giving weight to the need to improve rural transport in my current review of policy on road passenger transport. I hope to make an announcement shortly.

Mr. Dobson

Does the Secretary of State recognise that he will have an awful lot of encouraging to do if he is to return the number of bus-passenger miles in rural bus services to the 1979 levels, bearing in mind that the National Bus Company alone has reduced its bus-passenger miles by more than 90 million a year?

Mr. Ridley

The hon. Gentleman is wrong. It is the passengers who have reduced the number of bus-passenger miles, not the National Bus Company.