§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has undertaken of passenger numbers on bus services following deregulation in(a) Greater London and (b) Metropolitan districts outside London.
§ Mr. FreemanBetween 1985–86 and 1990–91 bus patronage in London increased by some 4 per cent. reflecting a general increase in demand for all forms of public transport in the conurbation.
Outside London, over the five-year period bus patronage declined at an average rate of 4 per cent. per year (19 per cent. in total) broadly in line with long-term trends since the 1960s. In the Metropolitan areas the overall decline was some 26 per cent., the bulk of which occurred in 1986–87 reflecting the changes in the subsidy regime from the previous low fare/high subsidy policies and the substantial reorganisation of services which occurred around the time of deregulation.