SOUTH NORFOLK MP Richard Bacon has written to transport bosses at County Hall and asked about their plans to boost bus use in Norfolk, after a new report has found that bus passenger numbers across England are declining outside London.
Mr Bacon took action after the National Audit Office (NAO) and the Audit Commission issued a joint report into how bus services are delivered.
The report finds that continuing growth in bus use in London alone will lead to a 12 per cent increase in passenger numbers in the next five years, but that the use of buses outside the capital is declining. The report urges local authorities to look again at how they provide bus services and to increase the stability of timetables and routes.
Mr Bacon said: “There is much that local authorities and bus companies could do to increase the use of buses. For example, some constituents of mine on an evening out discovered a late-night bus service running from Norwich to South Norfolk, but found there was no timetable for the service available on the bus itself. Such a simple, low cost measure could go a long way to lifting passenger numbers.
“When compared to the cost and convenience of driving, especially in a rural area, buses are becoming less and less attractive. We need to look again at whether rural bus services are being delivered in the most efficient, cost effective and socially inclusive way possible. I urge officials at County Hall to consider the advice in this report very seriously”.
12 December 2005
See also:
NAO REPORT: Delivery Chain Analysis for Bus Services in England
PARLIAMENT: MP raises concerns over Norfolk's
bus use
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