Tory budget cuts in transport will hit Swindon residents (Swindon Liberal Democrats)

Swindon Liberal Democrats <info@swindonlibdems.org>

Tory budget cuts in transport will hit Swindon residents

February 16, 2005 11:07 AM

Liberal Democrats have hit out at the proposed Tory cuts to public transport services that are set to be agreed at the Council Budget meeting on Monday 21st February. Two rural bus route subsidies costing £38,000 will be axed; whilst £200,000 will be cut from the money local bus companies receive to support concessionary fares.

Lib Dem Transport spokesman, Cllr Stan Pajak " These service cuts show a complete incompetence in Transport policy by the Tories. They come just weeks after a damming report on the public transport provision in the borough placed Swindon as the worst council inspected in the whole country .

The Conservative budget cuts to front-line services include:

1. Reduce Bus Company subsidy by £200,000

2. Reducing support to three so called 'uneconomic' bus routes - save £38,000

3. Stop free parking for disabled badge holders in three of the boroughs car parks - save £40,000

Cllr Pajak continued: "The massive concessionary fares funding cut can only result in two possible outcomes - either cuts to underused routes or a forced increases to fares. The Tories are putting local bus companies in an impossible position

"This is completely contrary to Government and Council policy of trying to encourage the use of public transport. Inevitably such moves affect pensioners, those on lower incomes or people without access to a car."

The Government Office of the South West gave the Borough Council a damning analysis of its transport competence: 'we are very disappointed that you have only delivered half of your transport schemes types as planned. Your explanations for divergences and plans to get back on track lack detailed information on causes and solutions. We therefore have little confidence that you have the capacity to deliver your planned programme in the future. You have spent 75% of your planned programme in 2003/04. Explanations for this imply that you do not have the capacity to spend what you are given.'

Stan Pajak concluded by saying:

"I would have thought it physically impossible to do worse than rock bottom in transport policy ratings, but the Tories are doing their very best to achieve it.

"I will be voting against these Tory cuts, and will encourage other political colleagues to do the same."