More bus services in England could soon come under local council control, thanks to new legislation set to be introduced in Parliament.
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has framed the changes as part of a “bus revolution” aimed at protecting vital routes.
Under the proposed law, local authorities will have the option to adopt a franchising model, which would give them the power to determine bus routes, schedules, and fares, while private operators would bid to run these services for a set fee.
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This move follows recent efforts in Manchester, where some bus routes have already returned to local authority control. However, critics, including those within the transport industry, have raised concerns about the potential need for minimum service guarantees.
Cuts to routes and timetables have hit some areas hard in recent years, leading to disruptions and frustrations among passengers.
Silviya Barrett, from Campaign for Better Transport, emphasized the need for guaranteed minimum services and long-term funding to ensure that people in all areas have reliable access to bus services.
For some, like Sandra from Macclesfield, bus service cuts have complicated daily life. She said that her local buses run so infrequently that even attending a 45-minute evening class could take up most of her day. Her experience reflects a broader issue: people won’t be encouraged to use buses unless services become more convenient and dependable.
The changes are part of a broader shift back toward public control of bus services. Until deregulation in 1986, most local bus services in England were publicly owned and operated by councils. Outside of London, deregulation led to the privatization of these services.
However, in London, franchising remained, with Transport for London controlling routes, fares, and schedules, while private companies competed to run services under these terms.
Last year, Greater Manchester became the first city outside London to reintroduce public control over its bus network, launching the “Bee Network,” which has had mixed success due to initial delays.
Labour has expressed support for further public control, with the party promising to empower all local authorities to manage their bus services and lift existing restrictions on new publicly owned bus operators.
However, as Adam Hug of the Local Government Association pointed out, this won’t be a quick fix for England’s bus network, and the rollout will vary across regions.
The decline in bus services has been ongoing for years, compounded by a sharp drop in passenger numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic. While passenger numbers have since recovered somewhat, they remain below pre-pandemic levels.
The number of journeys in England rose to 3.4 billion in the year ending in March 2023, but this is still down from 4.1 billion in the 12 months leading up to March 2020.
Funding for these proposed changes remains a key question. Haigh blames deregulation for the decline in service quality and says this shift will empower local leaders to better serve passengers.
But shadow transport secretary Helen Whately has criticized the plans as financially unworkable, arguing that they won’t lead to more services and might require local authorities to either raise taxes or cut other services to pay for them.
The Conservative government has introduced a £2 fare cap on bus routes, a popular policy which has been extended until December.
However, it remains unclear whether this fare cap will continue beyond that. A “Better Buses Bill” is also expected later this parliamentary session to offer alternative measures for areas where franchising isn’t considered feasible.
Still, financial risks are a concern. Under most franchise agreements, local authorities bear the burden if passenger numbers fall short of expectations, potentially leaving council taxpayers to cover the losses.
According to Graham Vidler of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, the government will face tough decisions in the upcoming Budget about whether to continue its support for local authorities and bus services.
While the legislation offers a path toward more locally controlled bus networks, the financial viability of these services and how many councils will take up the new powers remain to be seen.
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