£600,000 from £6.5m public transport budget (From The Northern Echo)

£600,000 from £6.5m public transport budget

8:52am Tuesday 27th July 2010 in

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COUNCIL chiefs in North Yorkshire say they have no choice but to make cuts in public transport and children’s services.

North Yorkshire County Council yesterday announced a proposal to cut £600,000 from its £6.5m public transport budget.

Proposed cuts to the children’s and young people’s service budget were also announced, with officials warning of the need to find savings of more than £14m in the next three years.

The proposals were immediately criticised by opposition councillors who said rural residents will be hit the hardest.

The council said it had lost nearly £11m in Government grants for the year 2010-11.

Further savings of £100m will need to be found over the next four years, councillors fear.

The transport changes, which would be introduced in April next year, involve withdrawing funding support for bus journeys that operate on Sundays and bank holidays and for journeys that operate after 7pm on weekdays.

Officials say some evening and Sunday services could be saved if bus operators agree to run them on a commercial basis.

However, these routes are likely to be in urban areas such as Scarborough, Harrogate and Selby.

The council is also seeking views on a proposal to standardise the hours of operation of concessionary fares across the county.

This means that passes in all areas of the county would only be valid between 9.30am and 11pm.

Under plans to reduce the home-to-school transport budget by £1.6m, the council is proposing to remove the entitlement of pupils at faith schools to free transport and introduce charges for young people over 16 with special educational needs.

Music tuition for small groups with higher-thanaverage costs could be cancelled and the subsidy to the county orchestra, band and choir could also be ended.

The strategy also proposes ending the subsidy to the council’s outdoor education centres.

Cynthia Welbourn, children’s and young persons’ service director, said: “While we are doing a great deal to absorb as much of the saving as possible within the organisation, our low cost base makes it impossible for us to absorb the lot.”

However, Stuart Parsons, Liberal Democrat councillor for Richmond, said he was absolutely appalled at the proposals.

“Once again it will be those who live in rural areas who will be hit the hardest,” he said.