§ 30. Mr. Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey)If he will make a statement on the distribution of the rural bus partnership fund in England. [39536]
§ The Minister of Transport (Dr. Gavin Strang)On 28 April, I announced proposals for distribution to English local authorities of an additional £37.5 million for local bus services. That followed the announcement by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the Budget, of another £150 million over the next three years to improve rural public transport.
§ Mr. WyattGiven that one in five people in rural areas do not have a car and that a quarter of parishes in England were denied bus services under Conservative Governments, what guarantees can my right hon. Friend give for safeguarding that new investment, so that it goes towards new and additional bus services rather than existing ones?
§ Dr. StrangI am grateful for that question. We certainly shall issue guidance to local authorities to ensure 557 that we get value for money. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said, we want new bus services to be established. As a result of the previous Administration's policies, no fewer than a quarter of rural parishes in England have no bus services, not even on one day of the week, as my hon. Friend pointed out. In the remaining 75 per cent. of parishes, we want better services, such as the introduction of a seven-day service where there is only a five-day service. We want new services to be established with that huge amount of additional money.
§ Mr. Desmond Swayne (New Forest, West)Given that every time a motorist fills his tank, according to the Automobile Association, of the £20 that he may spend £16 goes to the Government in tax revenue, surely the motorist will not get a fair deal by being recompensed in the bus services that will be paid for by a mere £50 million spread throughout the kingdom over five years. How much more money can we expect?
§ Dr. StrangI do not think that the hon. Gentleman realises what a quantum change this is in the level of subsidy available for rural bus services. Is he aware that many authorities will receive £1 million extra this year, next year and the year after that? Is he aware that that extra money more than doubles the amount that some local authorities currently have? Of course the car is vital in rural areas, but we want to restore some of the bus services that were lost under the Tories.
§ Mr. David Borrow (South Ribble)On Friday night, I attended a meeting of the parish council at Longton to discuss rural transport. One of the issues raised was the difficulty experienced by local residents in attending the hospital in Chorley and the administrative centre in Leyland, where there is a jobcentre and so on. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that, in giving guidance to local authorities, consideration is given not only to the network of public transport, but to access to public facilities such as hospitals and administrative centres, which should be a priority in creating any new bus services?
§ Dr. StrangMy hon. Friend makes an important point about precisely the sort of issue that we will be concerned about in setting out guidance. It is important also that there should be bus services to hospitals and other important centres seven days a week in as many areas as possible. I also think it important, particularly for young people, to re-establish Saturday bus services into small towns.