Dear Editor

The members of the House of Lords Select Committee on the Rural Economy, who came to Herefordshire to learn about rural living, will have collected many good ideas to take back to London.

One in particular stands out – the rural bus service. Ms Asghar-Sandys suggested smaller minibuses, a system used in many countries, particularly Turkey.

Their Dolmus (meaning ‘full’) are unsubsidised, 15 seaters, privately run with fixed prices, routes and timetables. They are high frequency with cheap fares and drivers are incentivised to run full. They provide a low cost connection for very remote villages.

Michael Donovan

Ross-on-Wye