February 9: Stop choking the life out of public transport

From: ME Wright, Grove Road, Harrogate.

MICHAEL Dugher’s message on the UK’s woeful and expensive bus services (The Yorkshire Post, February 4) crosses party lines with passengers.

Endless coalition chants of “competition” as the only answer ring increasingly hollow.

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In North Yorkshire this involves rival operators competing under their own rules.

That’s not quite the sainted playing fields of Eton.

Services are “competed” out of existence and rural communities increasingly left stranded as more Westminster cuts bring about cuts in subsidies too.

Cannot Messrs Cameron, Clegg and Co grasp that efficient and affordable public transport underpins both the nation’s business and social activities?

It is far too important to be left in the sole charge of those whose raison d’être does not extend beyond the chasing of bonuses and dividends.

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Whilst painting the buses green, with ‘Pro Rege et Lege’ on the side would be rather too parochial, what about ‘Transport for Leeds’ – and the surrounding area – with powers comparable to those of the similarly-designated system down south?