Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) has added to calls for the Chancellor to extend the bus fare cap in England, with a decision on its future expected to be announced in the Budget on 30 October.
A continuation of the subsidised scheme, which is due to end on 31 December, is among the recommendations made by CBT in its “wish list”.
Despite the government warning that cuts to public services need to be made to solve the Treasury’s £22 billion “black hole”, CBT believes that keeping public transport affordable will help boost economic growth.
Aside from requesting investment in public transport infrastructure, the charity wants the government to create a single funding pot for local transport authorities.
It says: “To ensure local authorities can deliver improved bus services through the Better Buses Bill, we are calling for an enhanced funding package for local transport authorities with additional funding for authorities that have received less in recent years.
“We also want to see all bus-related funding for local authorities transferred from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to the Department for Transport, and ensure it is ringfenced for bus services.”
CBT also wants an end to the freeze on fuel duty which has been in place since 2011, saying that ending the temporary 5p cut could raise £2.6 billion a year and that reinstating the annual inflation-linked rise could produce £1.6 billion annually.
It adds: “We want to see a pay-per-mile charge for zero emission vehicles in lieu of fuel duty. It should be cheaper to drive a zero-emission vehicle than a more polluting vehicle, but we think it is fair that zero emission vehicle drivers should pay a share.”
Conversely, Welsh members of the RHA repeated that body’s call for the fuel duty freeze to remain as operators from the haulage and coach sectors gathered with ministers and MSs at the Welsh Parliament yesterday.
Michael Gough, RHA Board Director for Wales, says: “I urge all members of this Senedd to speak to the Treasury at Westminster to keep the freeze on fuel duty. A rise would only speed up business failures.”
RHA is recommending a a 15ppl “essential user rebate” for operators in the haulage and coach sectors which it represents.
