§ Miss Geraldine SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assistance he is providing for pensioners using public transport. [148961]
§ Mr. HillIn total local authorities in England spend over £440 million on concessionary travel on public transport each year. That includes travel by young and disabled people, as well as by pensioners. The Local Government Finance Settlement 2001–02 takes account of local authorities responsibilities in this area. It includes an extra £54 million a year which has been made available to cover the costs of the statutory half-fare scheme for pensioners and disabled people on buses under the Transport Act 2000.
§ Miss Geraldine SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate how many new rural bus services have been established since 2 May 1997. [148968]
§ Mr. HillThe data collected on the number of local bus service registrations do not specifically identify rural areas.
However, our survey of local authorities on the use made of the new Rural Bus Subsidy Grant introduced in 1998 shows that 1,800 new or enhanced services were being supported in 1999–2000 by the grant.