Council hanging on to Halton Transport

HALTON Council’s leader has revealed that the local authority has turned down bids from private companies to buy the Halton Transport municipal bus company.

Cllr Rob Polhill said there has been ‘interest’ in the publiclyowned firms in recent years but none has convinced spending chiefs it would be the right move for the area.

The rumour mill has been turning in recent weeks as the council’s executive board met in a session barred to press and public to discuss Halton Transport.

Cllr Polhill told the Weekly News the purpose of the meeting was to work out whether the local authority would part with the asset for the right price but that this remains to be seen.

He said Halton Transport is one of just 11 municipal bus companies in the country – a rarity since legislation banned the setting up of such firms.

If Halton Transport were sold to the private sector, bringing it back under public control would therefore be very difficult, he said.

There is also uncertainty over how Halton Transport could fit into Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram’s vision for an ‘integrated public transport system’ and his proposals to bring bus companies under public control, meaning any privatisation of Halton Transport could set it at odds with Mr Rotheram’s plans.

Cllr Polhill said the firm ‘washes its face’ in terms of balancing the books at the moment and passengers use Halton Transport’s Merseyside routes.

He said: “There’s been in interest in it over the last couple of years but it’s not for sale, there’s no-one buying it, we’ve never really gone for it.

“There’s quite a few bus companies who have looked at it but we keep plodding on.

“The rules are quite tight for franchises, you’re not allowed to start a municipal bus company but if you’ve got one you can keep it. It’s a competitive market but it’s nice to have your own bus company.”