Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Tom Blenkinsop (Labour). It was answered on Thursday, 19 April 2012 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Bus Fares

Question: In my constituency, bus fares have jumped by a minimum of 10p since the Government subsidy cut. A basic return journey from Saltburn to Guisborough is now £5.10 for an eight-mile journey. Will the Minister explain why on ConservativeHome this week, a Lib Dem special adviser argued for means-testing free bus passes, as well increasing the age at which a pensioner would receive that bus pass? Are we to take it that this is now Government policy?

Answer: I have no idea what the hon. Gentleman is referring to. This is not Government policy and it is not Lib Dem policy either. I am sorry that he seeks to make a political point about something as serious as bus fares. I hope he will take some comfort from the answer I gave, which was that bus fares have fallen in real terms by 4%—unlike under the previous Government, when between 1997 and 2009, bus fares increased by 24%.

Secondary information