If metro mayors deliver on their manifesto pledges, almost three-quarters of bus journeys in England will be on publicly-controlled bus networks

 
From left: Pete Bond, TfWM director of integrated transport services, West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker and Cllr Stephen Simpkins, leader of City of Wolverhampton Council and WMCA Board member

 
This autumn it will have been 10 years since George Osborne agreed that Greater Manchester could have bus franchising in return for signing up for a directly-elected mayor. It spawned the Bus Services Act 2017, which offers bus franchising powers to all of England’s combined authorities – but Greater Manchester is so far the only one to have implemented a bus franchising regime. The next 10 years will see a much more rapid transition to public control.

Last week saw the election of 10 metro mayors. Six were returned to office, one incumbent was defeated and three took up new positions in areas that have not previously had a combined authority – the East Midlands, the North East and York and North Yorkshire. Together they represent 25 million people – 44% of the population of England – and all but two of them have pledged to bring buses back under control (if they aren’t already).

The world has changed since the Bus Services Act was enacted. Greater Manchester has paved the way, providing a model and a methodology that other regions can replicate. The ‘Bee Network’ faced legal challenges from bus operators but they failed and this will inform the thinking of incumbent operators in areas which take steps to introduce franchising. Furthermore, Labour, expected to form the next government, has pledged to speed up the franchising process.

Progress could be rapid. Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram promised to introduce franchising before coming to office in 2017 – he now says that a fully franchised network will be in place by the end of 2027. West Yorkshire’s Tracy Brabin says that every bus in her region will be under public control by 2028, with the North East’s Kim McGuiness also pledging public control of buses before 2028.

South Yorkshire’s Oliver Coppard says that a decision on bringing buses back under public control will be taken within 12 months. Meanwhile, Richard Parker, who ousted Andy Street in the West Midlands, has pledged to make bus franchising an “immediate priority”.

If the six metro mayors elected last week fulfil their promises, 41% per cent of England’s population will be served by publicly-controlled bus networks, and 74% of all bus journeys will be made on them

Buses were never deregulated in London and Greater Manchester will achieve 100% public control next year when it completes the roll-out of the Bee Network. These two conurbations represent about 20% of England’s population and 57% of its bus journeys.

If the six metro mayors elected last week fulfil their promises, 41% per cent of England’s population will be served by publicly-controlled bus networks, and 74% of all bus journeys will be made on them. It will represent the most rapid and fundamental shift in the structure and control of England’s buses since deregulation in the mid-1980s.

Parker’s plan

The West Midlands, the largest conurbation outside of London in terms of population (2.9 million) and bus journeys (212 million in year ending March 2023), has joined the bus franchising revolution with the election of Labour’s Richard Parker.

Bus operators have faced increasing cost pressures at the same time as a slow recovery in fare income following the pandemic. This has meant higher subsidies. More than £75m has been spent by the West Midlands Combined Authority over 18 months on subsidies to avoid inflation-busting fare increases or dramatic cuts in the bus network.And with the support only in place until the end of the year, Transport for West Midlands, has already started talks with government and bus operators over further funding for 2025.

Our bus network is broken and that is why we want to take back control so that it serves the people, communities and businesses who rely on regular, affordable and reliable bus services

“This is unsustainable, our bus network is broken and that is why we want to take back control so that it serves the people, communities and businesses who rely on regular, affordable and reliable bus services,” said Parker this week. “I have directed our officers to put a report before the WMCA Board at the earliest opportunity to set out a roadmap for franchising the region’s bus services as quickly as possible – and get us ready to start that transition in 2025.

Faced with rising subsidies, the WMCA Board last year commissioned an assessment of future options for the network, and this work will explore how a franchised network could be delivered. Under the current legislation the process, including public consultation, means the transition could begin in early 2025. The first franchised services will be operating approximately two years after that.

Pete Bond, director of integrated network services for TfWM said: “We now have a bus network which requires a long-term subsidy and so the current approach, in which we tender a number of socially necessary services on a case-by-case basis, may no longer be fit for purpose.

“This work requested by the mayor will show if there are improved efficiencies and benefits from franchising, and if we can get better value for money for the taxpayer as well as shape the bus network by using funding in a more coordinated and efficient way. It will also highlight if further customer benefits can be made such as improved ticketing and fares and passenger information as well as further integration with tram and rail services.”

The report to the WMCA Board in July will set out the process in further detail along with the estimated set up and running costs.

The only thing that will slow down improvements is a lack of political will to pursue their ambitions to shift some journeys away from the car and towards more sustainable modes

CPT: ‘Use your funding’

The Confederation of Passenger Transport, which represents bus and coach operators, has written to the newly-elected mayors of nine combined authorities across the North and the Midlands. Regardless of any plans they may have to reform bus regulation, CPT is urging mayors to get on with delivering their bus service improvement plans using the capital funding that has already been allocated to them for local transport projects by government.

Graham Vidler, CEO of CPT commented: “For better buses our message is simple: please put bus first on the road by delivering your Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) including all of the bus priority measures outlined to keep buses out of congestion and deliver the 10% improvement in bus speeds that CPT has called for in its national manifesto for bus.”

Combined authorities have been given £20bn of funding for local transport through City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) or via a Local Transport Fund (LTF) allocation – in addition to £445.5m for BSIPs. Vidler argues that this is “more than enough” to deliver all of their aspirations for buses. He said: “The only thing that will slow down improvements is a lack of political will to pursue their ambitions to shift some journeys away from the car and towards more sustainable modes.”

 
This article appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.

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