Salmond must protect bus passengers from SNP budget cut (Alison McInnes)

Alison McInnes <info@alisonmcinnes.co.uk>

Salmond must protect bus passengers from SNP budget cut

June 19, 2008 3:53 PM

Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson Alison McInnes MSP demanded the First Minister ensure that bus passengers don't pay the price for the SNP's inadequate funding for concessionary travel scheme.

Mrs McInnes made the call after the issue was raised at First Minister's Questions today.

Commenting, Mrs McInnes said:

"The Scottish Government's concessionary fares reimbursement budget for the next three years is widely acknowledged to be inadequate to cover operator claims. Concessionary travel reimbursement is a benefit to passengers, not the bus industry. The First Minister must ensure that passengers do not suffer a poorer service because of the budget squeeze.

"As the budget stands, from next year operators will be providing concessionary travel but they are unlikely to receive full reimbursement. The most likely consequence of this is further fares increases for paying passengers."

The Transport Minister confirmed the budget cut to the Concessionary Travel Scheme in a Parliamentary Answer, the text of which is below.

S3W-13191 - Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab) (Date Lodged Monday, May 19, 2008): To ask the Scottish Executive what the national concessionary fares budget is in each financial year in the period 2008 to 2011 and what these annual amounts are expressed in real terms.

Answered by Stewart Stevenson (Monday, June 09, 2008): The budget allocation for concessionary fares for the next three years is £181.4 million in 2008-09, £187.4 million in 2009-10 and £189.4 million in 2010-11. Expressed in real terms these allocations equate to £181.4 million in 2008-09, £182.4 million in 2009-10 and £179.4 million in 2010-11.