Written question asked by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 14 April 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 19 April 1999. It was answered by Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour) on Monday, 19 April 1999 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, in respect of the £50 million allocated in the 1998 Budget for rural bus services, how much has been spent, how much has been allocated but not yet spent, and how many extra bus journeys have run as a consequence of this extra money. - Including figures.

Answer: Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in respect of the £50 million allocated in the 1998 Budget for rural bus services, how much has been spent, how much has been allocated but not yet spent, and how many extra bus journeys have run as a consequence of this extra money. [81264] Dr. Reid: Of the £50 million a year for rural transport in the United Kingdom announced in the 1998 Budget, £37.5 million a year was allocated for rural bus services in England. Final figures for actual spend in 1998-99 are not yet available but local authorities have previously estimated that they would spend £25 million in that financial year, reflecting the fact that less than a full year was available for spend. Results from an interim survey of local authorities shows that by the end of 1998-99 over 550 new services are being operated as a result of the new finance, with a further 740 services improved in frequency or coverage. We are undertaking with local authorities a fuller survey of the results of the new funding. Data on the precise number of additional bus journeys is not available.

Secondary information