In his letter to this newspaper last week (January 7), Brian Baker, of the North Ryedale Public Transport Group, asked the prospective parliamentary candidates what policies they would want to see implemented to improve the bus services in this constituency.

The present Government’s policy of giving subsidies to private bus companies to carry out services has failed, especially in rural areas where some villages are down to one bus a week.

Private bus companies can only offer services which generate a profit. If they do not generate a profit, services are cut, reduced or rerouted.

My own view is that there should be a National Bus Company, fully financed by the taxpayer.

Profits generated in the urban areas would be used to help provide a full service in the rural areas. The bus services should be integrated with a renationalised railway service to ensure a comprehensive national public transport system which offers a service based on public need not private profit.

Alan Avery, Prospective Parliamentary candidate for the Labour Party for the Thirsk and Malton constituency, Pickering