PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release

Thursday 3 August 2017

Responding to a government decision that community transport operators bidding for local authority bus service contracts may require a PSV (Public Service Vehicle) operator licence*, Rural Services Network assistant director Andy Dean said:

“This is a concern for the community transport sector which is a valued provider of important local bus services in rural areas across the country.

“The government should do its upmost so existing valued community transport services continue to be provided – rather than fall victim to any unintended consequences of this or any other policy change."

Media contact:

Graham Biggs MBE
RSN chef executive
T: 01588 674 922
M: 07966 790197
E: [email protected]
W: www.rsnonline.org.uk

Editor's notes:

1) The government decision is contained in a letter sent to the Community Transport Association on Monday, 31 July. A copy of the letter and the Community Transport Association's response to it can be seen at https://ctablog.org/2017/08/01/cta-letter-to-under-secretary-of-state-for-transport-jesse-norman-mp/.

Our Key Messages:

Public Sector Funding
Central Government has historically and systematically underfunded rural areas giving them less grant per head than urban areas – despite the fact that it costs more to provide the services. Rural residents earn less on average than those?in urban areas and therefore pay more Council Tax for fewer local government services. Government policy, implicitly, is that council services in rural areas are more reliant on funding through council tax than their urban counterparts. We demand fairer funding for all public services serving rural areas.

Barriers to Access
Rural residents and businesses face multiple barriers in terms of access to key services, including transport and broadband. Yet councils providing services to rural residents receive less money from government, pay disproportionately more for fewer services and typically earn less than people in urban areas. As a result rural residents suffer multiple disadvantages.

Future of Rural Areas
Rural communities contribute a great deal to the national economy but are facing threats to their future. This is due to a combination of chronic underfunding, demographic challenges, diminishing resources, with the needs of rural areas being systematically overlooked. Without action conditions in rural areas will deteriorate further. It is in the national interest that we all work together to revitalise this fundamental national asset.

Health and Wellbeing
Despite its idyllic image, rural communities often experience difficulties in accessing health and support services. This is becoming increasingly difficult as specialist services are centralised to remain resilient and poor transport links reduce access. There are recruitment and retention issues amongst medical staff in rural areas. Rural residents are therefore vulnerable to isolation and poorer health outcomes in the long term.