Rising bus fares blamed on grant cut

Published on Tuesday 7 February 2012 00:00

BUS fares will rise and services will be cut around the country because of changes to a government grant scheme which could slash some bus company revenues by as much as 40 per cent, according to an industry group.

Last month, the Scottish Government announced changes to the Bus Service Operators Grant, designed to “encourage fuel efficiency and redistribute benefits, principally to rural areas”.

But the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) said the changes amounted to a 20 per cent cut in the grant, which will mean fare rises and service cuts.Scottish bus companies have already blamed the changes for fare increases.

CPT director for Scotland George Mair said: “We tried to get the government to change their tack on the cut and the change to the mechanism but clearly they weren’t of a mind to heed our thoughts.”

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Gavin1979

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:07 AM

Council owned the same council that owns the trams the same council that wants a big wheel and the same council that has not got a clue secretly it's not about how many busses that can send to destinations its about how much money they can claw back to put towards the trams

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B K

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 08:56 PM

The main cause of rising fares is the disgraceful monopoly that the First group have on trains and buses. In the interest of fairness no company should be allowed to own both. Also their reprehensible practice of not giving change should be made illegal.No newsagent or supermarket would get away with grabbing and keeping your change, so why is this bunch f modern day highway robbers allowed to do it? Their English services give change, so why are their Scottish ones not compelled to do so?

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Tintock Pete

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 11:51 AM

If they don't pay their way then axe them. Why should it be any different for them when the rest of us have to bite the bullet?

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The Lord

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 11:15 AM

Dan Park's fault.

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