TORY-SNP UNHOLY ALLIANCE BOLSTERED BY BUS VOTE

Jim Hume, MSP for the South of Scotland, has pointed to this week's vote on de-regulating bus services as further proof of the Tory-SNP unholy alliance.

Jim Hume said:-

"Despite vocal criticism of bus de-regulation, the SNP voted for a Tory amendment that supported de-regulating buses. This is the latest evidence of SNP and Tory MSPs abandoning core principles to bolster their unholy coalition in the Scottish Parliament.

The MSP continued:-

"This is an incredible u-turn by the SNP. Senior Nationalists are on record supporting re-regulation of buses. In opposition, Kenny MacAskill, now Justice Secretary, had a Members' Bill calling for re-regulation. The SNP's 2003 manifesto contained scathing criticism of de-regulation, 'Tory de-regulation of buses has not been a success' and promised that 'an SNP Executive would legislate for Bus Regulation'.

"The SNP are so desperate not to lose their parliamentary lapdogs that they've abandoned one of their key principles."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Kenny MacAskill proposed a members' bill on 12 July 2002 entitled: 'Bus Re-regulation (Scotland) Bill: A Bill to ensure the regulated provision of bus services in Scotland'

The SNP included a firm and unequivocal commitment to re-regulate Scotland's buses in their 2003 manifesto, p.22:

"Tory de-regulation of buses has not been a success and neither has New Labour's attempts to deal with the situation in Parliament. Services are inadequate, especially in rural areas, while in urban areas 'bus wars' have been allowed to develop in which the most popular 'commuter' routes are flooded with buses at the expense of services on less profitable routes. The SNP will bring forward legislation to allow the regulation of buses and ensure that service provision matches need and is of high quality to make public transport an attractive, reliable, and affordable option."

The policy was affirmed again in the party's October 2006 conference motion:

"The SNP recognises the failures of bus deregulation across Scotland and reiterates its support for re-regulation of Scotland's buses. Since deregulation, passenger numbers have fallen and many essential services on less profitable routes have been cut.

"A system of re-regulation will aim to simplify ticketing, halt the system of several companies competing for passengers on the same route and increase overall passenger numbers.

"The SNP calls for an integrated public transport system for all modes of public transport in Scotland which will reverse the trends of deregulation - ultimately providing a world-leading and affordable transport system for Scotland's people and tourists alike."

The text of the Conservative motion is below:

As a S3M-2121.1 Alex Johnstone: Bus Transport-As an amendment to motion (S3M-2121) in the name of Des McNulty, leave out from "considers" to end and insert "notes that statutory quality partnerships and quality contracts introduced by the previous administration have failed to produce any meaningful results; notes in contrast that voluntary partnerships between bus operators and local authorities are flourishing and delivering an excellent service to passengers across Scotland; congratulates Perth-based Stagecoach and Aberdeen-based First Group on their unparalleled global success, achieved in the de-regulated bus environment; further congratulates Lothian Buses on being named the best bus company in the United Kingdom for 2007 and notes the success that this company has achieved since the de-regulation of municipal bus companies under the provisions of the Transport (Scotland) Act 1989; expresses concern about the sharp increase in fares throughout Scotland caused by increasing fuel prices and therefore calls on the Scottish Government to review the operation and funding of the Bus Services Operators Grant in consultation with the industry; calls on ministers to seek a review of the Competition Commission's stance on the level of communication that can occur between public transport operators on issues such as timetabling which would assist greater integration with other forms of public transport and to review penalty clauses in rail and ferry contracts that inhibit multi-modal travel; notes that Labour and Liberal Democrat ministers in the previous administration chose not to grant eligibility to people with learning disabilities and other disabled people in receipt of the lower rate of disability allowance when they created the National Concessionary Fares Scheme, and supports the review that may lead to improvements in the scheme as drawn up by Labour and Liberal Democrat ministers."