CONDUCT OF BUS COMPANIES

Early day motion 596, tabled 13 January 2010 by Linda Riordan (Labour). Signed by 32 members.

That this House welcomes the findings of the Office of Fair Trading report on bus competition; agrees with its main conclusion that limited bus competition is resulting in private operators charging higher prices and providing a lower quality of services for passengers; notes that established bus companies in towns like Halifax eliminate competition by acting aggressively towards small bus companies; condemns private operators who are only interested in making money and are not interested in the needs of passengers and local communities; recognises that the de-regulated bus system brought in by the Conservative government in the 1980s with the aim of increasing competition and lowering fares has failed miserably; welcomes action from this Government to increase bus accountability; calls for more to be done to ensure that profit-driven private bus monopolies are eradicated; and further calls on the Government to make a commitment to restoring a fully regulated bus system at the earliest opportunity.

Signatures by party: Labour 23, Liberal Democrat 7, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1.