'We are already moving ahead with bus report'

ENVIRONMENT could take a report on the bus service to the States as early as next month, according to the department's minister.

Tribal Consulting, in its Fundamental Spending Review, said the current bus contract needed to be examined and it suggested the £2.25m. spent each year subsidising the service should be reduced or withdrawn.

But Deputy Peter Sirett (pictured) said that, while he agreed with the report, it had highlighted moves that were already being made.

'To a large extent, it is only really saying what we are all doing,' he said.

'From our point of view they have gone into some detail about the bus service but we will be bringing a report to the States, probably next month, about the work we have been doing on the service.'

He said Environment had conducted a full review of the service, including looking at the level of subsidy.

'We have been looking at how we can provide the service in the future, which is something we have been doing for some time now,' he said.

'We have been looking at the whole provision of the service, how it operates, the routes and even the buses themselves.'

Tribal Consulting said there was significant scope to reduce the cost of the service and increase income.

It suggested more than £3.6m. could be saved over the five years of the Fundamental Spending Review proposals.