Mayor should control buses, says think tank
...AND AIM TO DOUBLE PASSENGER NUMBERS
A NEW report by an economic think tank says Greater Manchester’s bus services should be brought back under public control.
And it calls on the government to launch a fund so other cities and regions can follow our lead.
The Centre for Cities report criticises the current deregulated bus system, saying it has failed to deliver on promises of better services and increased choice for passengers.
Instead, said the think tank, Greater Manchester should move towards a Londonstyle bus franchising system where a mayor and elected bodies would control routes and fares then pay private operators a flat fee to run the vehicles.
The report even recommends ALL other metro mayors and council leaders should now begin the process of bringing local bus networks under their control.
The government, said the report, should provide a £50m fund to help them assess a move towards a franchised system.
Greater Manchester is currently consulting on bringing the region’s bus network back into public control, making it the first place in the country to use new powers over buses.
Centre for Cities said government had already given regional mayors powers to make changes, but most ‘have been slow’ to use them so far.
“Greater Manchester is currently furthest in the process of moving towards franchising, but a decision will not be made until 2020,” the report said.
Centre for Cities chief executive, Andrew Carter, said: “Bus deregulation promised to give passengers more choice and lower fares but it has failed.
“At a time when more people should be switching from cars to public transport to tackle congestion and air pollution, bus numbers are decreasing in almost every city.
“To reverse this trend, metro mayors should use the powers that they already possess and franchise their local bus networks.
“They should also set themselves an ambitious target to double the number of passengers using buses, in the way that London did.” The report was sponsored by public transport provider Abellio.
Currently in Greater Manchester, individual bus operators decide their own routes, timetables, tickets and standards.
In areas they don’t run, the public sector pays to fill in the gaps in the market where it can, so vital services for the public can be maintained.
Council leaders agreed in October to push ahead with the franchising plans and a period of public consultation ends in the new year.