§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the costs to district councils of the operation of the Transport Act 1986; what information he has about regional variations in these costs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. David Mitchell[pursuant to the reply, 21 November 1986, c. 362]: All local authorities that incur expenditure on public transport including district councils, will benefit from the improved value for money, through the competitive tendering requirement, which the Act is already providing. Those benefits can be passed on to passengers or ratepayers. Setting up public transport companies has caused some district councils costs which do not show any pattern of regional variation; but the 153W benefits overall of establishing transport undertakings at arm's length and on a competitive commercial basis will outweigh those costs.