Bus fare rise is back on the timetable

A BID to ease the recession for Oldham families by scrapping a 10p bus fare rise for schoolchildren has failed.

Labour members of Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority — the new name for GMPTA from today — attempted to halt the 10p rise in concessionary fares to 80p from April 1.

But they were defeated by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition which now controls the authority.

Over-60s travel free on all off-peak buses, trains and trams in Greater Manchester and will only pay the new 80p concessionary fares if they travel before 9.30am.

But those behind the Labour revolt say they are concerned about families with schoolchildren.

If they live closer than three miles from their school, they have to pay the full concessionary fare.

Greater Manchester’s 10 council leaders ordered the ITA to raise the concessionary fare to help balance its annual budget.

But transport authority member and former Oldham Council leader David Jones proposed that the money needed to balance the annual budget should be found from reserves.

He said: “This increase, during the present economic situation, would make things very difficult for a number of families who have seen their incomes reduce.

“People are having to take pay cuts and there are large scale redundancies.

“It is wrong to think about increasing the burden on them.

“Figures show that for every 10p increase, we get a million fewer bus journeys. That would have a serious effect on the social mobility of our young people.”

Councillor Jones, who is Oldham’s Labour member on the ITA, said he was appalled that Oldham Lib-Dem councillors Richard Knowles and John Dillon voted in favour of the increase.

He described the rise as “shameful” at a time when families and pensioners were feeling the pinch from higher fuel bills.

The ITA subsidises bus routes which operators will not run because they are not profitable, and the cost of subsidies has gone up by more than 12 per cent because of fuel costs.

Conservative chairman, Councillor Matt Colledge, said a decision to increase the fare to 80p was discussed two years ago, and had been deferred as long as possible. “This is not something which any of us wants to do but our hands are tied,” he said.

He promised to reduce the fares again if a review of subsidised routes identified any other savings.

Phil Woolas MP, for Oldham East and Saddleworth, criticised the increase which he said will undermine Labour Government initiatives to increase the use of public transport.

He is campaigning for a cut in concessionary fares to 50p which, he said, would be good for the environment as well as helping families and pensioners.