Don’t derail nation’s failing bus services Councils ought to run firms for people, not profits
IN the House of Commons 18 months ago Jeremy Corbyn challenged Theresa May about the shocking state of Britain’s buses. He was mocked by Tory MPs and commentators but back at my home in Wigan people cheered him on.
It showed a political system that is staggeringly out of touch with the things that matter.
Nearly 60% of all public transport journeys are made by bus. In many parts of the country buses are the only public transport there is.
But to listen to the Tories you’d think they don’t even exist.
We pay too much for shockingly bad buses. Fares have gone up by a whopping 60% in a decade.
And around 3,000 routes have been cancelled in that time.
This week I had an email from a 14year-old asking why the bus she needs to get to her nan’s house has been cancelled.
She wrote: “Over the past few
Earlier this week I found out that another MP has described me as a “f ****** handful”. I am taking it as a huge compliment
to me!
years I have had a lot to go through and going to my nan’s house has really boosted my confidence.” Now she can’t get there. Labour talked a lot about our rail policies at the last election but we should have been shouting louder about buses.
A decade of austerity has forced cuts in bus services upon councils. This must end. Labour councils like
Nottingham have produced very successful long-term plans for their bus network.
All councils should have the power to take control of bus services so they set the fares and the routes.
We should lift the ban on councils setting up their own bus companies so they can run them for people, not for profit.
We should aim for all new buses to be zero emissions by 2025. And in all of this, passengers should be in the driving seat in developing these plans.
I will be the Labour leader who speaks up for people, places and problems that for too long Westminster has ignored. It is time we listened to the concerns of the whole country and show that we have answers to the things that matter to people.
Those answers are already out there, whether it’s pioneering Labour councils or passenger groups led by people themselves.
The Tories do not understand this and they do not care. Labour must.
14-year-old asked why route to her nan’s house had ended
My passion for towns has become a meme on social media in the last few weeks but I founded the Centre for Towns with a serious purpose – to give power back to people who have been shut out of our national story. I will travel across Britain during the Labour leadership election to try to change this, and I’m coming to a town near you.