- Conference
- 2011 Water, Environment & Transport Service Group
- Date
- 1 March 2011
- Decision
- Carried
Conference welcomes the launch on 1 February 2011of Campaign for Better Transport’s new campaign ‘Save our Buses’.
The campaign has been initiated due to the increasing number of local authorities who are looking to save money by reducing the number of socially necessary and school bus services they support because of cuts to government funding.
Once again, as statistics show that women use buses far more than men, these draconian funding cuts will have a greater effect on women –
·Women who catch the bus for work
·Women who take their children to school on the bus
·Young women in education
·Women in rural areas where it would seem the greatest cuts will take place
·Older women who can no longer drive (women statistically out-live men)
·Women with caring responsibilities taking family members for medical appointments
·Women who rely on the bus for social interaction
Clearly this government does not understand the social and economic detriment, nor the climatic impact these cuts will have.
There will also be a loss of some jobs for our members working in bus companies and transport departments at local authorities.
Conference asks:
I)The WE&T Service Group Executive to lobby politicians and the government in campaigning to protect bus services and members jobs and
II)Liaise with the National Women’s Committee, as well as regional women’s committees in their efforts to lobby politicians and the government in campaigning to protect bus services and members jobs.