Green Party

Norfolk’s Green Party councillors are urging the County Council to take advantage of new legislation and cut bus fares.

An amendment to the Local Transport Act of 2008 which came into force this month enables local governments to create Quality Contract Schemes. Such provisions allow authorities the power to instate London style quality control over service provision including fares, timings and routes.

Councillorr Andrew Boswell, leader of the Green Party County Councillors on Norfolk County Council said:

"Greens welcome amendments to the law that allow for Quality Contract Schemes. We must make sure buses are a financially viable alternative to cars. While such provisions give local authorities a fantastic opportunity to move ahead with plans to reduce fares, the current government has done little to make buses an attractive option.”

Adrian Ramsay, Green Party General Election candidate for Norwich South, added:

"Bus fares in Norwich have risen repeatedly in recent years. Studies show that over half the population would take the bus to work if the service was more reliable and more affordable. Cutting bus fares is a positive way to ease congestion and pollution on city roads. The QCSs present a real chance to make this happen and it would be wrong for Norfolk County Council to ignore that."

Councillor Boswell has written to the leader of the Conservative controlled council, Cllr Daniel Cox, urging that this opportunity to improve local bus services should be grasped.

The Green Party is poised to take control of Norwich City Council after the local government elections this year. If Norwich City Council were also to become a unitary authority, with the kind of responsibility for bus services which now rests with the county, the Greens would have no hesitation in seeking a Quality Contract Schemes system for the city.

But supporters of the scheme have warned that local authorities must act quickly after reports surfaced that a Conservative government would repeal the part of the act that allows for Quality Contract Schemes.

A spokesperson for the Campaign for Better Transport said:

"Shadow Transport minister Stephen Hammond wants to scrap Quality Contracts. We advise that Quality Contracts should be quickly approved, and that the Department should play an active role in encouraging and supporting local transport authorities who want to use these new powers. Currently bus services in the UK receive some of the lowest funding in Europe. A better funded and attractive bus system would do a good deal to lower carbon emissions and create more pleasant city environments."

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Satchell
Posts: 1

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Reply #1 on : Sat June 25, 2011, 16:14:47

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None can doubt the veracity of this atrcile.