§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 13 May, column 458, if he will publish a table showing the minimum and maximum as well as the average weekly costs of travel to work by British Railways, the National Bus Company and London Transport Underground, and also showing the total costs of travel to work by car, assuming engine capacity of 1500 cc.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have been asked to reply.
It is not practical to give actual figures for minimum and maximum costs. The previous reply gave typical weekly costs derived from the monthly season ticket rates for the public transport modes.
The maximum costs are mostly likely to arise when travellers purchase full rate individual journey tickets and the minimum average cost will be obtained by the judicious purchase of tickets to suit individual work period patterns. Annual season tickets can help to reduce costs if purchased immediately before a substantial fare increase.
Total costs of travel by car will be three to four times greater than the running costs given in the previous reply. The cost will vary according to the efficiency of the car and driver, the amount of congestion encountered and the parking fees charged.