Students benefit from school busing to go to school, but they do not benefit from public transit because in our area there is public transit only in the city of Drummondville, and the municipality does not have sufficient funds to have the buses go to every part of the city.

Whilst I appreciate the importance of ensuring that groups such as disabled people, schoolchildren and trainees are also eligible for reduced cost public transport, it would be ridiculous to undo the good work the National Assembly has done for pensioners in Wales by preventing pensioners enjoying concessionary travel under this regulation.

It is also a European issue, how can the local public transport service improve the mobility of all citizens, including those who, not being car-owners, have no alternative to it, schoolchildren, large families, pensioners, disabled people, people on limited incomes?

Aside from the rightful decision by the President to send her condolences to the families of the victims, perhaps, Mr President, it would be helpful if that communication from the President urged all the authorities responsible for transport in the European Union once again to step up the application of legislation and the monitoring of safety conditions for the transport of both school children and pensioners, who have frequently been victims of such tragedies.

That agreement provided with respect to busing that there be one school transportation system, and, as far as I know, that stands; that there would be a reduction in the number of school boards from 27 to 10, and, as far as I know, that stands; and that the majority of these boards would be interdenominational school boards.

- - - 1 - SERVICES FREE FROM AUTHORISATION REQUIREMENT Before After ------ ----- a) A few occasional services a) Almost all occasional services, namely : - closed door tours - services already free from - outward journey laden and return authorisation (see facing journey unladen column) - certain services - services carrying various groups of passengers on round trips - one-way services carrying groups of passengers between Member States - services organised for special occasions (conférences, etc.). b) - b) Shuttle services with accomodation (defined as at least 2 nights stay) ; these services may also stop at a maximum of 3 places en route passengers able to return on any subsequent service. Shuttle services with accomodation may carry a ...[+++] certain percentage of travel only passengers c) - c) Most special regular services (services carrying workers, school-children, military personnel + frontier urban transport), provided they are subject to a contract between organiser and carrier. d) Transport by non-profit making d) Transport by non-profit organisations subject to a variety of making organisations of national rules and provisions of their own members in their bilateral agreements own vehicules subject to certification - - - 2 - AUTHORISATION PROCEDURES Before After ------ ----- a) Applications for almost all services a) Applications for regular and to be examined except in light of shuttle services without effects on existing markets (all accomodation to be allowed transport modes) and taking account unless proposed service of whether operators already in market would threaten existing could organise such a service regular coach services or themselves comparable rail service or is aimed exclusively at the most lucrative existing services. b) Countries where passengers are b) Countries where passengers picked up or set down and transit are picked up or set down countries may oppose a request for may oppose a request for authorisation authorisation c) No time-limit ...