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Dept for Transport

Answer

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has had regarding the punctuality and reliability of First Group's buses. [206832] Charlotte Atkins: In the current year the Department centrally has received at least 16 letters directly from members of the public, and one from an hon. Member on behalf of a constituent, about the punctuality or reliability of bus services operated by First subsidiary companies. The matter has also been raised in debates in this House, notably by my hon. Friend, the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Stringer) Official Report, 17 May 2004, column 794 and my hon. Friend, the Member for Pudsey (Mr. Truswell) Official Report, 1 April 2004, column 1841 in relation to First subsidiaries in their constituencies. Complaints about bus services are also received by the traffic area offices of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency. In this context a service is unreliable if it fails to appear at all, and unpunctual if it runs unacceptably early or late compared to the registered timetable. The Department is concerned about standards of bus punctuality in general. There are many causes, some within and some outside the operator's control. The Bus Partnership Forum, representing operators, central and local government, has recently approved new measures to encourage operators and local authorities to work together to improve punctuality standards, in particular through Bus Punctuality Improvement Partnerships.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

206832; 428 c1650-1W;428 c1648-9W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Complaints Bus services Standards FirstGroup

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk