HC Deb 16 May 1988 vol 133 cc355-6W
16. Mr. Ingram

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy towards the setting of fare levels for public transport services.

Mr. David Mitchell

The setting of fares is a matter for the operators or, in the case of bus services supported by local authorities, for those authorities.

26. Mr. Jim Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to promote reductions in bus fares; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Mitchell

Bus fares are a matter for the operators concerned. The competition successfully introduced by deregulation has reduced operators' costs, which should help contain increases in fares.

27. Mr. Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest information on the level of public transport fares in passenger transport authority areas.

Mr. David Mitchell

As I stated in reply to the hon. Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Evans) on 12 May, the average fare per journey for adult single local bus tickets in the financial year 1986–87 was some 33p in the metropolitan areas. Comparable data for rail fares in the metropolitan areas are not available.

31. Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest information about fare levels for local bus services

Mr. David Mitchell

I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on Thursday 12 May to the hon. Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Evans) at columns236–7.

39. Mr. Doran

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to promote reductions in rail fares; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. David Mitchell

Within the overall framework of objectives the Government have set it, it is for British Rail to decide what level of fares to charge for its services. I would not normally expect it to reduce fares unless it improved its financial performance. Our general policies on subsidies for rail services are set out in the Government's observations on the third report of the Transport Select Committee (House of Commons Paper 420, Annex C).

43. Mr. McFall

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest information about trends in public transport fares.

Mr. David Mitchell

The latest available data on fares on local buses are given in table 2.35 of Department of Transport statistics bulletin (88)29: "Bus and Coach Statistics Great Britain 1986–87" and for trains they are given in the last columns of tables 6 and 7 of Department of Transport statistics bulletin (88)13: "Quarterly Transport Statistics". Copies of both publications are in the Library of the House.