Powys Bus Services threatened by Welsh Government's tardiness (Kirsty Williams AM )

Cymraeg
English

Kirsty Williams AM <info@kirstywilliams.org.uk>

Powys Bus Services threatened by Welsh Government's tardiness

March 18, 2009 12:00 AM

With yet another funding announcement left outstanding by the Minister for Transport, Kirsty Williams AM for Brecon and Radnorshire, has called upon the Welsh Government to avoid a repeat of last year's shocking 3 month delay on the Local Transport Services Grant (LTSG) for 2008-09.

Following the Community Transport Concessionary Fares Initiative debacle, which kept service providers in the dark as to the future of the scheme right up until the last minute, the Government is now treating local authority transport departments with the same contempt by refusing to make an announcement on the LTSG.

Kirsty said: "A large percentage of bus services in my constituency are funded by this grant and with just two weeks to go until funding runs out the council is being left with no choice but to either gamble and continue services on the hope that funding will continue at its current level or to stop services altogether.

"Powys' community transport schemes remain under threat as long as the LTSG is uncertain - they receive at least 10% of the grant which is a huge make up of their funding. The schemes futures were already on a knife edge over the concessionary fares debacle and they once again face difficulty should the LTSG be late or reduced.

"Surely the Minister does not want a repeat of last year's debacle, when the LTSG was not announced until July. The Welsh Government's inefficiency is leaving the future of transport in Powys uncertain.

"Vital but expensive rural bus services are likely to be hit first if funding is cut, this impacts hugely upon the residents of isolated rural areas where they are so dependent upon public transport.

"It is time the Deputy First Minister makes a move and announces the future of the LTSG so as not to leave vital bus services across Powys hanging in the balance."

Notes:

Bus passengers and community transport users benefited from £10.4m of funding allocated to the Local Transport Services Grant in February 2007-08, but this years sum has not yet been allocated and in uncertain economic times is leaving service providers worried about their future.

Local Transport Services Grant - The Local transport Services Grant provides funding for Local Authorities to finance a range of transport initiatives. The grant can be used to enhance existing transport schemes, introduce new services, funding the implementation of new community transport services and capital works

Around 40% of Powys County Council's local bus service budget comes from the Grant, which is an essential contribution to financing the county's public transport network.