(28 Feb 2014, 1:26 pm)Chris wrote Not banging on, merely thinking out loud. The gist of which, was that main corridor routes could easily live without it, but your marginal routes would still need it. Instead of giving everyone a reduced rate universally, why not concentrate it to those areas/networks that need it?

I think saying it's just operators getting their own money back is perhaps no longer strictly the case (hence the change of name from 'rebate'), a bit like saying road tax funds the upkeep of the roads....

It still comes from the public purse, regardless of how it was raised. The recent headline figure is something like 44% of operators income comes via Government (in whatever guise).

For the record, in my eyes neither BSOG nor Concessionary travel are subsidies.

I appreciate the initial link was specific to Scottish funding (hence being in this thread), rather than the local thread - but look at the 21.
It is one of the most recognisable services in the GNE fleet and possibly one of the most profitable.

The company have received Government money in the forms of:
Green bus fund - to help fund the purchases of new vehicles, saving fuel costs.
BSOG - smart card technology, fuel concessions and possibly AVL equipment too.
Concessionary fares.

As you said, the main routes may not justify these handouts.
The 21 is raking it in, in the form of passenger revenue AND in the form of Government money.
Yet, passengers have a poorer frequency than in years gone by and fork out more for ever increasing fares.

Or am I missing something so obvious here?