Bus firms denounce call to put them under council control

BUS operators have hit back at the latest calls for them to be brought under the control of North East councils.

Politicians have renewed their campaign this week for local authorities to be given new powers over the region’s privately-run bus network after stumping up more than £1 million a week to keep it afloat during the coronavirus crisis.

Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon complained the bus industry had become almost entirely publicfunded but elected representatives continued to have minimal say over services.

However, Go North East boss Martijn Gilbert insists the levels of public funding for buses are a shortterm crisis measure only and giving councils greater control would “add unnecessary delays and complexity.”

Previous plans for Nexus, which operates the Metro, to be given power 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.

Bus companies have previously labelled the plans “a one-way ticket to higher taxes.”

Mr Gilbert, speaking on behalf of the region’s operators as chair of NEbus, said: “Bus operators, like all modes of transport, have faced the unique challenge of needing to continue to operate but with heavily reduced demand and income during this crisis, so have not been able to fully reduce costs.

“The Government accordingly put support arrangements in place, just like they have for other modes such as the Metro and many other business areas.

“Transport, and specifically buses, are no different in this respect, so it is disappointing to learn this at a time when the industry has been working so closely alongside partners such as Nexus to optimise service levels and our drivers and other teams have been working very hard in difficult circumstances to deliver essential journeys supporting the transport of key workers to hospitals, care homes, essential retail and more in a very efficient way.”

Passenger numbers have collapsed to less than 10% of normal levels during the pandemic but the seven local councils in the North East and

North of Tyne combined authority areas have continued to fund concessionary fares and secured routes at normal £70 million-a-year levels, despite the drastic reduction in journeys.

The government has also provided grant funding to support bus operators.

Mr Gilbert added: “The current arrangements are envisaged as short term while we are in the depths of this crisis.

“The priority for bus operators remains to work closely with local authorities on a pathway back to delivering bus services with the record levels of investment, air quality benefits and customer satisfaction scores which bus passengers experienced in the North East before this crisis hit.”