§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effect the deregulation has had on the levels of bus patronage.
§ Mr. PortilloBetween 1985–86 and 1988–89, there was a 10 per cent. fall in the number of passengers carried on local bus services outside London, in line with the long-term historic decline. However, real costs per vehicle mile fell by 30 per cent. over the same period, enabling operators to increase mileage by 18 per cent., reversing the long-term trend of declining service levels.