Minister, Council and Bus Operators Pressed on Lack of Rural Transport Provision

8.49.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 22nd Jul 2004

Norman Lamb has written to Transport Secretary Alistair Darling following a number of withdrawals of subsidised bus services in North Norfolk. Mr Lamb has also taken up concerns over the withdrawal of individual services with bus companies and Norfolk County Council.

"North Norfolk is a rural constituency which is greatly disadvantaged because of poor provision of public transport in the area," said Mr Lamb. "A large number of bus services stop early in the evening and do not run at all on Sundays, and in a lot of cases, Saturdays as well. Many unemployed and elderly constituents visit my office and tell my staff that they are unable to get to local services because of the lack of buses in their area."

Mr Lamb has written to the Head of Passenger Transport Gordon Hanning, and Sanders buses regarding the withdrawal of the no. 44 bus service through Ingworth and other North Norfolk villages. Norman Lamb has asked the County Council to provide an update on Council discussions with Sanders on improving efficiency.

"In light of the decision by First to terminate prematurely their contract to provide bus routes into the Fakenham area, it does seem to me that perhaps there is a way of securing greater commitment from private companies in return for the grant of public subsidy. I have asked the County Council if it has any discretion in terms of negotiating extra conditions in return

for the award of a subsidy to run a particular route, and also whether it is worth exploring with local companies a charter of reliability and service as a quid pro quo for the public money they receive," said Mr Lamb.