‘We should be in control of region’s bus services’
COUNCIL CHIEF CALLS FOR OVERHAUL OF TRANSPORT
NORTH East leaders want to take full control of the region’s public transport system after the coronavirus crisis.
Council bosses are once again pushing for power over bus services to be taken away from privately owned companies and put into the hands of local authorities.
Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon complained on Tuesday that the region’s struggling bus network had become almost entirely funded by public cash during lockdown, with councils paying bus operators more than £1m a week but having minimal control over vital services.
Passenger numbers collapsed to less than 10% of normal levels during the pandemic, leaving operators in desperate need of bailouts to keep buses and trains running.
Previous plans for Nexus, which operates the Metro, to be given powers over bus services in Tyne and Wear were rejected in 2015 and the Government has so far refused to devolve transport powers to North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll.
After thanking bus companies and drivers for their efforts during the pandemic, Coun Gannon told the North East Joint Transport Committee that councils deserved a “substantial say” over lifeline local bus routes.
“It is no secret that the local authorities of the North East have long campaigned for an integrated public transport system for the region,” he added.
“As part of that we wanted to move and develop towards some kind of regulated service.
“We have tried to do that through the bus quality contract, which was unsuccessful, but we have always retained that ambition.
“It has been difficult over the past few months and it is absolutely right that we have continued to support the bus companies financially. Although it is privately operated, it is a vital part of our public services. That has taken about £70m of the resources from our combined local authorities.
“We have continued to fund the concessionary fare scheme despite the fact that elderly people have not been utilising bus services.
“The reason we did that is that bus services would not have operated without that.
“And Government grant has been made available, so we now find ourselves in a situation where bus operators are 100% publicly funded.
“For the short term, probably medium term, and I might even argue probably permanently, the old operating model for private bus companies owned by shareholders making profits is not going to be able to operate in the future.”
Coun Gannon criticised plans from Go North East to cancel some bus routes that have been essential for key workers to get to the area’s hospitals during the pandemic.
He told the committee that there had been a communications breakdown between the bus operator and councils over the “detrimental” plans, some of which have since been withdrawn.
Durham councillor Carl Marshall agreed that the current financial model for buses “isn’t working”.
He also said the changes arising from the Covid-19 crisis could help fast-track long-held dreams for a smart ticketing service, whereby a single ticket could be used across buses and trains across the region.
A report to the Joint Transport Committee states that local authorities should be responsible for commissioning all transport services serving local communities – encompassing buses, the Metro, the Shields Ferry, and local train services provided by Northern Rail.