§ 2.44 p.m.
§ LORD GARNSWORTHYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider the public transport services at Haverhill, West Suffolk, provide adequate lines of communication with other centres of population and, if not, what proposals they have for improvement.]
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, the provision of public transport for Haverhill is in the first place a matter for the local operators, and for the local authorities who have powers to assist essential services by rural bus grant. The Government will normally reimburse half the local authorities' expenditure. My right honourable friend is also conducting a pilot study in West Suffolk, including the Haverhill area, of local needs.
§ LORD GARNSWORTHYMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that Answer; but it does not really give much information. May I ask whether he considers that one bus a week in winter and two buses a week in summer to the county town of Bury St. Edmunds is providing anything approaching an adequate service?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, my information is that to Bury St. Edmunds there is a bus on Wednesday and Saturday, which is two a week each way. But this is really a matter for the local authorities. If they wish their people to have more buses they are in a position to implement that wish.
§ LORD GARNSWORTHYMy Lords, I should like to ask the Minister whether he is aware that owing to the unbalanced development as between industry and housing in Haverhill the domestic rate is already extremely high? Have the Government no interest at all in assisting this town to expand to the figure of 12,000—which was the figure indicated by his noble friend a few weeks ago as being roughly the target aimed at?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, I do not accept that the increase in population is going to depend on the local rail and bus services. There are already over 11,000 people in this town and Haverhill Urban District Council at the moment are spending about £1,178 on grant, half of which my right honourable friend meets. The West Suffolk County Council also subsidise the Haverhill bus services, so half the cost again is met.
§ LORD GARNSWORTHYMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether he considers that the inadequate transport services may account, partly at least, for the considerable number of people who leave Haverhill, finding it unsatisfactory?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, this is another matter that I think the transport studies which are going on at the moment will show up. We hope to have these studies completed in April or May this year—that is, in the next eight weeks—after which we shall be in a much better position to see what recommendations are made to the Government which will be a guideline for the country as a whole.
§ LORD GARNSWORTHYMy Lords, may I finally ask whether the noble Lord would draw the attention of the study group to the fact that to travel the 15 miles to Bury St. Edmunds by taxi costs nearly £3?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, I am sure they will be aware of that.
§ LORD WYNNE-JONESMy Lords, does the noble Lord mean that it is Government policy that as the population expands, more people should walk?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONNo, my Lords.