Commenting on today's Campaign for Better Transport report on bus cuts ‘Buses in Crisis: A report on bus funding across England and Wales’, pteg Support Unit Director,  Jonathan Bray said:

'This report shows that PTEs have a better overall record of protecting their local bus services than rural counties and urban districts elsewhere. This despite our areas seeing bigger cuts in CLG funding than rural areas. However, as the cuts worsen protecting lifeline social bus services will become more difficult even for pro-bus local transport authorities like the PTEs.'

'Despite the London-based media's obsession with trains, cars and planes it's buses that dominate public transport provision outside the capital. They are key to getting the workless into work, young people to education and training, and patients to medical appointments.  Cutting off communities through a Beeching on the buses means more worklessness, a less skilled workforce, and higher costs for the NHS costing Government far more than it saves in the long run. Either the CLG eases off on the cutbacks or we need a dedicated funding stream for local government on buses. If not there's a bleak future ahead for Britain's main form of public transport and the low income households that rely on it.'

ENDS

For more contact Jonathan Bray on 0113 251 7445 / 0781 804 1485

Notes for editors

pteg represents the six Passenger Transport Executives which between them serve over 11 million people in the six largest urban areas outside London (West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, West Midlands, Tyne and Wear, Merseyside).

Half of all bus use outside London is in the PTE areas.