Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - Public Transport (Rural Areas)
The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change (Stewart Stevenson): Since 1998, the rural transport fund has provided substantial resources to local authorities to help to introduce new or improved public transport services, and to community transport projects in rural areas where there are no public transport services or where such services are very limited. In total, almost £70 million has been made available.
The RTF ends on 31 March. From 1 April, we will provide local government with record levels of funding over the period to 2011. Local authorities will be responsible for arranging local transport services, including rural transport services, in line with local needs and spending priorities, from the substantial resources made available to them.
Jim Hume: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's report "OECD Rural Policy Reviews: Scotland, UK - Assessment and Recommendations", which was launched yesterday, highlighted the discrepancy in funding in Scotland and observed that the Highlands and Islands have been favoured with public spending, whereas in the south of Scotland social exclusion is "a particularly serious problem". Transport is part of that problem.
The south west of Scotland transport partnership in Dumfries and Galloway proposes to increase fares by more than 60 per cent. The daily fare on a bus route that people use for work will increase from £5 to £8, which is unaffordable. Will the minister say what the Government will do to address social exclusion, particularly in the context of transport and the SWESTRANS issue?
Stewart Stevenson: I recently met SWESTRANS to discuss a range of subjects to do with transport in the south-west. The issue to which the member referred was not raised with me, so I concluded that the partnership is happy with its relationship with its local council, from whom it derives funding. SWESTRANS should be able to draw on the additional funding that has been made available to Dumfries and Galloway Council to deliver services in response to local needs.
