Falling fuel prices means bus companies must lower fares, says Black Country MP
An MP in the Black Country has launched a petition calling for bus fares to be cut to reflect plummeting fuel prices.
Operators are coming under increasing pressure to pass on savings to their passengers.
Dwindling prices at forecourts across the Black Country have provided motorists with a welcome boost in recent weeks, but there has been no such relief for those on the buses.
Tom Watson, West Bromwich East MP, has launched a petition calling on operators to lower fares after he was told there were no current plans to do so.
It comes after Chancellor George Osborne told the Express & Star bus companies should cut their fares.
Hundreds of people added their names to the petition outside West Bromwich bus station on Saturday.
Bus companies including National Express West Midlands and Arriva put the price of a single adult fare up 10p to £2.20 at the start of the month.
Mr Watson said: "People in West Bromwich depend on their bus service and the big private bus companies should pass on their savings to their customers.
"I have written to the bus companies and I'm hoping they will respond.
"Last week they said there were no current plans to reduce fares but I'm hoping by coming together with this campaign we can tell them they need to.
"They have gone up in relation to fuel costs so they should come down too.
"People have been hit by the cost-of-living crisis, they are paying more for their food and they are paying more for their travel. Everybody should help Britain out of the economic downturn."
The Labour politician said the level of support he received in just a two-hour period showed passengers were desperate for a price cut.
He said: "We couldn't keep up, we were right outside the bus station and most people getting off the buses were queuing up to sign the petition.
"I haven't counted up the signatures yet but the office says there are hundreds on there. This is not going to go away, we will carry on.
"Public transport fares have shot up in the last few years because the price of fuel has risen but now that has got to stop.
"The direction has got to be downwards and the bus companies should lead the way on this," he said.
