Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new buses have been purchased for public use in Northern Ireland over the past three years.
§ Mr. AtkinsI am advised by the managing director of Ulsterbus Ltd./Citybus Ltd. that the companies purchased 246 new buses over the past three years. None of the other operators of stage carriage services in Northern Ireland purchased any new buses in that period.
Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many public service buses have been found unroadworthy following inspection carried out by the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland over the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe information requested has been recorded only since September 1992, since when 114 buses have been examined of which 15 were found to be unroadworthy.