HC Deb 18 May 1992 vol 208 cc7-8
7. Mr. Ancram

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effect bus deregulation has had on route coverage.

Mr. MacGregor

The deregulation and privatisation of bus services has resulted in a 19 per cent. increase in bus mileage with many new services to areas not previously served by buses. Operator costs have been reduced by more than a third and local authority subsidies have been halved.

Mr. Ancram

While I welcome my right hon. Friend's reply as a further sign of the success of the Government's bus deregulation policy, is he aware that in certain rural areas the improvement in bus services has not been totally commensurate with the figures that he has given? Has his Department any plans to encourage private operators to consider new initiatives, such as dual service systems like post buses, to provide much-needed bus services in rural areas?

Mr. MacGregor

As my hon. Friend knows, my constituency consists of large rural areas similar to those that he has described. For some years we have experimented with post buses, community buses and so on. There are particular problems in far-flung rural areas where there is increased car ownership, because the minority who do not have cars are left behind. That is why one needs innovative rural transport schemes of the sort that my hon. Friend suggests. The Department provides up to £1 million a year to the Rural Development Commission to encourage such schemes.

Mr. Roy Hughes

What good is deregulation when buses have to pay heavy tolls to cross the Severn bridge to go into Wales? Is not that highly detrimental to the Welsh tourist trade? Besides which, such tolls are no encouragement to people to use public transport, a policy which the Government espouse from time to time.

Mr. MacGregor

My hon. Friend has already dealt with the question of tolls, which has nothing to do with deregulation. The key to assisting the tourist industry in Wales and elsewhere is for the second Severn crossing to be built as quickly as possible. The increase in tolls will help to do that.

Mr. Harry Greenway

Is my right hon. Friend aware that Hoppa buses are not suitable for disabled people because access to them is difficult? Will he encourage the private companies that use Hoppa buses to undertake an investigation to see whether better access for such people can be arranged?

Mr. MacGregor

I know of my hon. Friend's interest in this and the point that he has made has already been expressed to me by a number of people since I became Secretary of State. I, too, have a particular interest in assisting disabled people. We are currently considering this issue in exactly the way in which my hon. Friend suggests.