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Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal DemocratsRepresenting Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Port Talbot, and Swansea |
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Labour’s wrong transport priorities threaten higher bus fares and fewer buses
April 2, 2012 11:54 AM
The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black has hit out at Welsh Labour Government funding cuts to bus companies across Wales, which he believes could threaten bus services in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend and will force fares to increase.
The 20% cut to bus fuel subsidies were announced without sufficient notice for bus companies to prepare and without consulting two key, publicly-funded organisations, Public Transport Users' Committee (PTUC) for Wales, which is tasked with giving ministers advice about "strategic issues" relating to public transport, and Bus Users UK Cymru, whose role includes advising ministers on "strategic and technical developments" relating to buses.
Mr. Black is particularly critical of the cut in subsidy as the Welsh Labour government is continuing to splash-out £1.6 million a year on an air link between Cardiff and Anglesey, which works out at £160 per passenger. This contrasts with the bus fuel subsidy, which comes in at £2 a head for the 114 million people using Welsh buses each year.
Commenting, Mr. Black said:
"We are now reaching the point where it will be cheaper for a family to get a taxi to the local shops, rather than get a bus.
"It is a scandal the Welsh Labour Government is happy to subsidise North-South flights to the tune of £1.6m a year, while at the same time it punishes the most vulnerable in our society by scaling back on bus subsidies.
"We know that money is tight at the moment, which makes it all the more unbelievable that the Labour government would continue to fund this unpopular air service while threatening local bus routes in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend.
"The Welsh Labour Government needs to spend public money more wisely. Welsh Liberal Democrats believe that rather than wasting over £1.6 million each year on an air service that only a handful of people use, the money should be used to support more sustainable transport methods that can benefit everybody."