Alan Whitehead

Labour Party | Southampton Test

“CONSERVATIVES ARE AGAINST IMPROVING BUS SERVICES IN HAMPSHIRE” SAYS WHITEHEAD

Labour MP for Southampton Test, Dr Alan Whitehead MP, expressed dismay yesterday in the Commons at the decision of Tory MPs to block the Local Transport Bill currently before Parliament. The Bill contains provisions intended to give local council’s greater control over the bus companies in their area in order to provide a better service for passengers.

In a question to Transport Minister Rosie Winterton MP Dr Whitehead pointed out that the Hampshire-based group PUSH (Partnership for Urban South Hampshire) counts amongst its members many Conservative Local Authorities. The group is in favour of ‘integrated transport arrangements’ which would give Hampshire councils, such as Southampton City Council, greater freedom to work with bus companies to deliver transport systems suited to local needs.

However Conservative MPs in Westminster plan to vote against such initiatives in the Local Transport Bill. Dr Whitehead asked the Minister:

“Does she share my concern that the Conservative party appears to wish to vote against the entire Bill and thus to deny those authorities the opportunity to provide the sort of integrated transport system that I believe south Hampshire urgently needs?”

The Minister responded:

“I know from my visits around the country that politicians from all parties say that they would like to have greater powers in order to sit down with bus operators and make progress on schemes of exactly the type that he is talking about. He will know that the Bill gives areas the ability to examine their governance arrangements and to decide whether they want to establish integrated transport authorities. He rightly says that the Conservative party does not seem to be in touch even with its own local councillors on this issue, all I can say is that perhaps Conservative Members need to get out a little bit more.”

Speaking after the debate Dr Whitehead commented:

“I am delighted that the Government is taking the issue of local control of local transport systems seriously. Only when local authorities have a closer partnership with service providers will we have a system which truly meets the needs of local people in Southampton.”

On the subject of Westminster Conservatives obstructing these proposals Dr Whitehead added:

“I am also pleased that the Minister is aware of the Conservative Party’s plans to prevent these essential improvements to the way our local bus services are run in Hampshire. If the Tory Party cannot even communicate effectively with its own councillors it is clearly unfit to run either the country or the city of Southampton.”