HC Deb 03 June 1981 vol 5 c374W
48. Mr. Cockeram

asked the Secretary of Slate for Transport what recent assessments his Department has made of the link between subsidies to public transport and passenger loadings.

Mr. Fowler

The recent Transport and Road Research Laboratory studies are brought together in "The Demand for Public Transport", a copy of which is in the Library. The evidence is that an extra 10 per cent. of costs covered by subsidy generates only 2–3 per cent. extra patronage, and most of this is existing bus passengers travelling more frequently.