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Bus holds key to
getting Britain's youth back to work and delivering economic growth
BUSES could help cut youth
unemployment and deliver a £1.4 billion boost to the UK economy
under proposals contained in a new report published by Greener
Journeys today.
The Government should invest in a package of measures including a
concessionary bus travel scheme for apprentices, tax incentives for
buying bus season tickets, and support for the expansion of bus
priority measures.
The policy proposals are included in the:- 'Bus 2020: A Manifesto'
for the next Parliament published by Greener Journeys. Research
shows the £150 million investment cost of the three measures would
be paid for nine times over through the resulting economic benefits,
with a further £110 million boost in extra jobs and wider labour
market benefits.
The call for greater focus on maximising the potential of buses
comes as latest figures show that, despite more recent positive
economic indicators, youth unemployment remains at more than 20%,
with 1.71 million 18 to 24 year olds economically inactive1.
New Greener Journeys research, conducted by the University of Leeds,
reveals that young people are more reliant than any other
demographic group on bus services. For the vast majority of
unemployed 18 to 24 years olds the bus is the ONLY form of transport
available and they depend on it:-
► 82% of unemployed 18 to 24 year olds have no access to a car and
strongly rely on public transport
► 24% of unemployed 18 to 24 year olds have been prevented in some way
from securing a job because of the lack of a suitable bus service in
their area
► 67% of unemployed 18 to 24 year olds think they would be less likely
to get a job if there was no bus service
► 34% of unemployed 18 to 24 year olds indicate that they believe they
would be more likely to get a job if there were a more suitable bus
service
Claire Haigh, Chief Executive of Greener Journeys commented:-
"Everyone is talking about how the economy is beginning to grow
again but some young people are being left behind. We need to give
our young people the best chance to get a job and gain valuable
experience and qualifications that will ensure they can play a
productive part in our economy, both now and in the future. To do
that, they need to be able to use affordable public transport.
Buses must be part of the solution. Buses are the backbone of
Britain and every pound invested in buses is an investment in the
future of Britain's communities, high streets and city centres,
young people and our future prosperity. We urge the Government to
implement the proposals put forward in our manifesto to ensure that
Britain effectively harnesses the potential of the bus and deliver
benefits to all."
Norman Baker MP, Transport Minister, said:- "The policy
proposals put forward in Bus 2020 by Greener Journeys will be a
welcomed contribution to the debate.
Buses enable people of all ages to get to work, particularly young
people, who are more reliant than any other demographic on bus
services. We will continue to work with the bus industry to
ensure it remains an affordable and reliable form of transport for
the young people of Britain."
The key policy proposals from Bus 2020
include:-
► A concessionary bus travel scheme for apprentices to help reduce
unemployment:
► The scheme would offer a 50% discount on bus fares to apprentices
► It would cost the Government around £28 million but would deliver
£33.4 million in gross benefits
► Annual net benefits would be worth £6 million and the extra jobs
created would be worth £8 million
► A new tax incentive – the Bus Bonus – to help get Britain's people
to work and promote a modal shift:-
► The scheme would offer a 34% tax and national insurance saving on
season tickets to employees at a workplace with 10 or more staff.
► Employees could buy a season ticket for bus travel before income
tax and national insurance were deducted from their salary.
► It would cost the Government £48 million in income tax and
national insurance revenue.
► Annual net benefits would be worth £72 million and the extra jobs
created would be worth £25 million.
► Additional Government support for bus lanes and other priority
measures should be expanded to help deliver greener growth:-
► The cost of such additional
support is estimated at £77.5 million in 2020/21, but would deliver
annual gross benefits of £1.4 billion.
► Annual net economic benefits, to users and non-users, are at just
over £1.3 billion in 2020/21.
► £75.3 million in wider economic benefits would be created in the
labour market in 2020/21. |
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LIVERPOOL
CELEBRATES INCLUSIVE CHURCH
A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN for a
church that is welcoming and open to all celebrates its 10th
anniversary this weekend with a day of special events in Liverpool.
Rev Bob Callaghan, the National Coordinator of Inclusive Church,
will lead a programme at St Bride's Anglican Church, Percy Street,
on Sunday, 15 September 2013, known in the Church of England as Inclusive
Church Sunday.
He will celebrate the Holy Communion Service at 10am with special
prayers and hymns to mark the occasion.
At 3.30pm Bob will lead an afternoon workshop called:- 'What
does it really mean to be inclusive and welcoming?'
He will also lead the Open Table monthly service for Liverpool's
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, their
family and friends, from 6pm.
Everyone is welcome to attend any or all of these events.
Inclusive Church raises awareness about the ways that people feel
excluded by the Church, especially because of their gender, race,
sexual orientation, disability, or mental well-being.
Rev. Guy Elsmore, Rector of St Bride's Church, said:- "The
heart of Christianity is welcome for everyone, and a celebration of
the rich diversity and giftedness of all God's people.
We are honoured and delighted to welcome Bob Callaghan to St
Bride's, and look forward to his encouragement and challenge to
deepen the inclusivity of our community."
Rev. Bob Callaghan said:- "I am really excited about being in
Liverpool to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Inclusive Church. St
Bride's is one of our 200 registered inclusive churches and is a
brilliant example of what an inclusive church should be like."
Everton FC and the Royal are
urging men to take advantage of AAA screening
EVERTON legend Derek Temple and staff at the
Royal are encouraging men aged 65 and over across Cheshire and
Merseyside to take part in a national screening programme for
potentially fatal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs).
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is where the wall of the aorta (the
main blood vessel that supplies blood to the body) becomes weak in
the abdomen or belly. It can then expand causing a weak spot or
aneurysm, which if left unchecked can burst causing massive internal
bleeding and is fatal in 98% of cases.
The condition is most common in men aged 65 and above and the Royal
is hosting a range of screening events across the region, including
one held at Goodison Park on 12 September, that was attended by
former Everton footballer Derek Temple who played for the club
between 1957 and 1967.
Robert Fisher, consultant vascular surgeon at the Royal and director
of the Cheshire and Merseyside AAA screening programme, said:-
"This screening programme is so important because people may have
an abdominal aortic aneurysm without knowing about it until it
bursts and sadly, by then, it's usually too late.
Men are 6 times more likely to have an AAA than women and the risk
increases with age, so this screening program is directed at men in
their 65th year, but older men can refer themselves to the
programme.
Our trained staff perform a quick and painless ultrasound
scan which will determine whether you have an abdominal aortic
aneurysm and if so how large it is. You get your result straight
away, but a copy is also sent to your GP.
A small aneurysm does not pose a serious threat to health, but it is
still important to know about it so that we can monitor it regularly
to see if it gets bigger.
Large aneurysms are rare, but can be very
serious and if we find that you have one we may want to book you in
for surgery to prevent it from bursting.
I am convinced that this screening program will save lives across
Merseyside and Cheshire and hopefully reassure men against the
threat of an aneurysm."
Derek Temple, said:- "I am only too pleased to get involved
with this initiative. If a partnership involving Everton in the
Community and NHS Trust can raise awareness and potentially save
lives then there more support it receives the better."
The most common symptom of a ruptured aortic aneurysm is sudden and
severe pain in the abdomen. If you suspect that you or someone else
has had a ruptured aneurysm, call 999 immediately and ask for an
ambulance.
The Royal is the only hospital in Cheshire and Merseyside accredited
to carry out the screening, monitoring and preventative surgery as
part of a national programme of screening and research.
The Royal aims to screen 12,000 local men aged 65 and over a year.
Further NHS screening events are being held in GP practices across
the region and invitations are being sent to men aged 65 and those
over 65 living in Cheshire and Merseyside can book a screening
appointment by calling:- 0151 706 4767 or you can also send an
email.
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