Today, the Green Party's spring conference in Cardiff passed an emergency motion confirming its support for the Campaign for Better Transport's (CBT) "Save Our Buses" campaign.
The coalition government's drastic cuts in council funding are resulting in the scrapping of many bus services. A number of councils, including Darlington, Durham, and Suffolk, are withdrawing their entire subsidy to bus services due to lack of funds.
Alan Francis, Green Party spokesperson on transport, said: "In order to get more people to use public transport, we need to improve our bus services, rather than cutting funding. Many people depend on bus services, in order to access jobs, shops, education and health care. Those who cannot drive or cannot afford to run a car will be without transportation."
Earlier in February, the Campaign for Better Transport launched the ‘Save Our Buses' campaign. The Green Party backs the CBT's campaign and opposes cuts to bus services.
Notes
1) Darlington council has proposed to cut £100,000 from bus funding, and has already cut hours that bus passes can be used. Durham has proposed £1.3 million to be cut from bus funding. Suffolk has proposed a £2.6 million cut to funding for buses, which also includes removing concessionary bus passes to young people.
2) ‘Save Our Buses' campaign website is: www.bettertransport.org.uk
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Text of Emergency Motion:
The Coalition Government's drastic cuts in council funding are resulting in the scrapping of many bus services. Some councils are withdrawing all of their subsidy to bus services. To get more people using public transport we need improvements to bus services, not reductions. These cuts are mainly services to rural areas and at weekends and evenings. They are services that many people depend upon for access to jobs, shops, education and health care.
People will experience great difficult without those bus services. Those who can do so will be forced to drive more, increasing CO2 emissions. Those who can't drive or can't afford to run a car will be stranded.
Earlier this month the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) launched a 'Save Our Buses' campaign. The Green Party opposes the cuts to bus services and supports the 'Save Our Buses' campaign. Conference instructs GPEx to inform CBT of our support.
Proposed by: Alan Francis
Seconded by: Jonathan Essex + 13 others