Chris Pitts, Sheffield bus drivers LONDON is not the only part of the coun try public transport is a burning political issue. South Yorkshire's cheap fares policy, in operation for over six years is under attack.
Following the Law Lord's ruling against the Greater London Council's subsidy to London Transport, lawyers have advised that our subsidy, collected on the rates, is also probably illegal. Although the county council has not yet announced course of action it will adopt, it has started a campaign to defend cheap fares.
Ten of South Yorkshire's brown and cream double deck buses will be driving down the Mi to Downing Street on 1 March. As wels a delegation busworkers CHIC representatives of the labour movement and community groups, they will be carrying a petition signatures expressing sup port for the cheap fares polithere has been three week campaign hardly surprisingly. cheap fares policy given county cheapest fares in Britain, unchanged since 1975. with an average fare of 7p (working out at 9p for four Intest.
As a result, the number ot passencers carried has risen every year, the frebeen improved, and new FOULES been troduced. The benefits are and so are the savings in other areas of council spending- The elderly disabled, and people or mobility they could only dream or elsewhere There is less traffic Broad accidents, for inner-city car parks, and so on. Bus users and car both GIVETS Sheffield is one of the easiest city centres to park in anywhere in the contry.
Atlast year's local elections, cheap fares were the main blank of Labour's campaign platform, the sogan Aren tthe best bus service and cheapest fares in Britain worth 50p.a family).
Labour's already large majority was increased VOTETS overwhelmingly backed cheap fares it the subsidy is ruled illegal, and has to be remov ed altogether, fares could rise this year by 500 pe cent, and by staggering 1,270 per cent according to Transport Exfigures. There would also have to be a frequency of buses; the threat to jobs is massive. This perhaps the gloomiest prediction, but in the context of the coun cil's policy of eventually phasing out fares altogether, any rise would be a serious setback.
To many people, free sun inflation will seems crazy, but soon reduce the real value of the fare: to such a level that it wil be cheaner not to collect them. There is already one free service operating circular route around the city centre for shoppers.
The campaign petition has been a big success, with people queuing up in the shopping centres to sign it. It is being taken around factories, clubs and community original target of 100,000 signatures was March whether to bow to the courts or fares policy. Despite the tactic dazzie or penon: badges and car-stickers, it that they preparing for the former rather then the course of action, relying instead upon the election Labour government which will reverse the legal We have to insist that ine campaion be broaden ed and strengthened taking it into the soutr Yorkshire labour move ment. should organising meetings with shop stewards committees and in canteens, explaining that workers will take the equivalent of a t4 a week cut least if the cheap fares are scrapped. We need to organise and mobilise the labour movement the policy, and behind the county council Finally, we have to en sure that the busworkers union, the Transport and General Workers Union, puts its weight behind the use each region fighting on its own.
It is a scandal that the South Yorkshire lobby is organised for March while London Transport's day strike is on 10 March need the weight of the TWU and the Labour Party national paign, to turn around this автостасу and living standards.
It is only through this approach that can make sure that it is us, and not the judges or Michael who decide WHET transport policy we will have.