Bus Transport

I thank the Labour Party for allocating this time to a debate on bus transport. At a time when everyone is struggling with the impact of spiralling fuel prices, people must have access to effective alternatives to car travel. Seventy per cent of public transport journeys are made by bus, so let us ensure that the people who already use buses not only continue to do so, but are rewarded by better, faster and more reliable journeys and that more people are attracted to using them for some of their journeys.

In recent years, the most effective and lasting improvements to the bus network have come from partnership working between the industry, local authorities, RTPs and Government. The Labour motion acknowledges that policy levers exist to help bring about that partnership working, but they need to be implemented more effectively. The climate of co-operation and close working must continue to be actively fostered. RTPs in particular can be pivotal in improving bus networks.

Providing first-class bus services involves a package of measures and is as much about what happens off the bus as on it. Improvements that are rightly expected from the industry-such as modern buses, value-for-money fares, consistency and reliability-must be supported by public investment in infrastructure, whether measures to ensure that buses do not get caught up in congestion or schemes such as park and ride. Congestion causes operators to use 10 per cent more buses than should be needed to maintain timetables, which is an unnecessary cost.

Rural areas rely heavily on bus services but are more susceptible to cuts in services as costs rise. Therefore, it is important that established community transport and demand-responsive transport schemes throughout the country be supported and protected. I agree that the concessionary fares scheme should be extended to claimants of the lower rate of disability living allowance, but it is also unfair that its full benefits are not felt in rural areas because community transport services are not currently eligible to take part in it.

Stewart Stevenson: The member may recall that I secured a members' business debate on that subject in the previous session of Parliament, so she will know of my interest in it. I take the opportunity to assure her that we will include the matter in our consideration of the scheme.

Alison McInnes: I welcome that statement, because the issue needs to be resolved. Extending eligibility will cost more, which is why it is important to flag it up now, ahead of the review, to ensure that next year's budget is constructed to support the changes.

The Government said that it would work with the industry to take forward the bus action plan and some of the minister's comments in his speech were supportive of the industry, but he has failed to grasp opportunities to make a real difference. Significantly, at a time when the industry is struggling with the high cost of fuel, the Government chose not to pass on the Westminster-funded fuel duty rebate. Therefore, £7.5 million that should have gone directly to operators to help keep bus fares down was siphoned off to pay for other SNP promises. As a result, bus passengers across the network have had to cough up for higher fares. The minister's hypocrisy is breathtaking. He condemns the failure of the Westminster Government to respond to the increase in the price of oil while his own Government has refused to deliver a rebate from which bus passengers in England benefit.

The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change told Parliament this morning that he is working with the industry to create a more environmentally focused grant. Although he is moving on with that, would it not have been fairer to keep the original scheme in place until he had developed his ideas? Is not the reality that the minister needed to raid this budget and did not care to consider the consequences?

Let us be ambitious for bus and coach travel. We have world class home-grown bus operators in FirstBus, Stagecoach and Lothian Buses, besides many good local independent operators. There are exciting developments around, such as FirstBus's ftr, Stagecoach's bio-bus in Kilmarnock and wi-fi on the Fife to Edinburgh corridor.

Innovation and investment from bus companies must be matched by vision and investment from Government.

I move amendment S3M-2121.3, to insert at end:

"recognises that, in rural areas, buses are often the only alternative to car use and that rural areas therefore suffer disproportionately from bus fare increases or reduced bus services; considers that the review of the National Concessionary Travel Scheme should extend eligibility to older and disabled people using community transport in rural areas, and believes that the provision of efficient and affordable bus services must be supported with the necessary infrastructure on both local and trunk roads, including expanded park-and-ride schemes, bus passenger priority measures and accurate and accessible timetable information."