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Public Transport

I will not bore the House by going through the entire list of local authorities that responded to our questionnaire to let us know their shortfall, but Shropshire is one of them. As well as providing us with financial information, some local authorities took the opportunity to vent their spleen. Bournemouth borough council said:"““Again this government grabs the head lines giving out concessionary fares but do not fund it leaving councils to pick up the mess and move on.””" Medway council commented:"““Local authorities are being forced to carry the burden for a government policy.””" That sentiment was also expressed by Worthing borough council. I have already cited the comments of Barnsley council, which is similarly dissatisfied. What has been the effect on the worst-affected local councils? Council funding of local bus services has had to be reduced. A number of councils have had to withdraw subsidy from socially necessary bus services that they paid for previously, so pensioners have a pass, but no bus to catch. In many rural areas, as my hon. Friends the Members for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) and for Macclesfield (Sir Nicholas Winterton) pointed out, there were no services anyway. To be fair, pensioners can use those passes further afield, but services such as dial-a-ride are under threat. The north-east passenger transport authority has had to cut concessions to young people and students. A large number of councils, such as Basildon, Cherwell, High Peak, Medway, Chelmsford and Canterbury, which had previously offered enhancements to the statutory minimum such as extended hours or companion tickets for carers, have been forced to withdraw those benefits and revert to the statutory minimum.