Transport costs hit job searches — peer

Oldham peer Lord Davies has warned the coalition Government that unemployment will continue to rise, with the jobless struggling to find work amid soaring public transport costs.

Former MP Brian Davies urged a cut in fuel duty for buses to help struggling services and to keep the cost down for passengers — meaning job-hunting would be cheaper.

He said: “Two out of five jobseekers need to use public transport to try to find jobs and put that as the key priority in their ability to make themselves available to prospective employers.

“How will they look for these jobs when the services on which they depend are being cut?”

Speaking in a Lords transport debate Lord Davies, who represented Oldham Central and Royton for Labour until 1997, said government figures show there will be a 6.5 per cent rise in bus fares leading to a 6.7 per cent fall in usage.

He also pointed to the 20 per cent cut to bus service operators’ grants which will have a “devastating effect”.

Funding for local transport schemes has been slashed by 28 per cent over four years as part of the move to rebalance the economy, including £30 million next year across Greater Manchester.

Lord Davies added: “The Government emphasise the green agenda and the improvement in the carbon count.

“Is that why rail fares are to go up by 30 per cent over the four-year spending period?

“Does the Minister accept that the consequence of hiking up the cost of using public transport will be to force people to use cars more intensively?”