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Bus fares should be cheap enough to tempt people out of their cars

Sheffield Green Party Cllr Bernard Little comments : “Sheffield Greens welcome amendments to the law that allow for Quality Contract Schemes. This SYPTE initiative would give local authorities a real opportunity to move ahead with plans to improve services and reduce fares. The current government has done little to make buses an attractive option. Fares must be cheap enough to tempt people out of their cars.
In the UK in the past decade the cost of motoring has fallen by 13% in real terms whilst bus fares have risen by 17%. Funding for buses is poor compared to many of our European neighbours. A recent survey showed that 53% of people would take the bus to work if the service was better. Cutting bus fares is a surefire way of easing congestion and pollution on roads in South Yorkshire. Quality Contracts offer a real chance to make this happen.”
Notes :

Figure of 53% taken from Department of Transport report, which can be found at

http://www.dft. gov.uk/pgr/ statistics/ datatablespublic ations/trsnstats att/earlierrepor ts/attitudestobu stravel

Topics: Bernard Little, City Wide, Transport