HC Deb 03 June 1981 vol 5 c368W
18. Mr. Flannery

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will initiate a study to establish the correlation between reductions in fares and other charges and consequent changes in patterns of passenger use.

Mr. Fowler

The Transport and Road Research Laboratory has already carried out considerable work in this field indicating that spending 10 per cent. more on subsidy creates only 2 to 3 per cent. extra use. It attracts few people out of cars; much of the benefit leaks away into higher operating costs; and the main net effect is that existing bus passengers travel more often.

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