Bus Franchising in Greater Manchester

[Brickmill]

RE: Bus Franchising in Greater Manchester

(19/01/2018 17:56)Barney Wrote:  I don't understand your comment.

The comment is correct - and its worrying that people close to the Mayor's office thought otherwise. Having said that, we only have the MEN's word for it, so it could just be propoganda lies. The basic story doesn't make sense anyway. It says that a "tenner" is to be levied on each GM household to raise £3-4 million. Except there are 1.2 million households in GM. I assume it is talking about 2018/9 only, so there will be no "buses" to pay for! OK, the basic groundwork of pulling together evidence to advise the Mayor on Bus Reform does involve spending money, but not £15 x 1.2 million households that the MEN is implying. Whatever, is recommended - and don't forget there is a public consultation later this year - is unlikely to be delivered before at least the 2020/21 Council tax year. Consequently, there should be no question of Police/Fire/Waste Disposal type levy before then.

However, your original point holds; people in this country seem quite happy to subsidise the relatively well off in their travel choices, but there is a hoo-ha whenever there is the slightest whiff of it being spent on those who have less of a choice in the first place.