The UK government is set to introduce new legislation that will give more local authorities in England the power to take control of bus services, allowing them to decide routes, timetables, and fares. The legislation, laid before Parliament on Monday by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, is part of a broader effort to revolutionize bus services across the country and save vital routes that have been cut in recent years.
The proposed changes will allow all local authorities to implement a franchising system, similar to the one already in place in London. Under this system, bus operators will bid to run services for a fixed fee, while the local authority will oversee key aspects like routes and timetables. The move is seen as a step towards reversing decades of deregulation in the bus industry, which began in the 1980s and led to widespread privatization of council-run bus companies.
Long-Term Decline of Bus Services
Buses are the most widely used form of public transport in Great Britain, but services have been in long-term decline. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this trend, with a significant drop in passenger numbers and profitability. According to the Department for Transport, bus passenger journeys in England increased by 19.4% to 3.4 billion in the year ending March 2023, but this remains far below pre-pandemic levels, when journeys totaled 4.1 billion in March 2020.
Until the 1980s, most bus services in England were operated by publicly owned companies, many run by local councils. However, deregulation in 1986 allowed for the privatization of bus services outside London. While Transport for London (TfL) continues to operate a franchising model, where routes and fares are centrally controlled, most bus services across the rest of England have been privately operated for decades.
Expanding Franchising Powers
Currently, only areas with metro mayors have the power to introduce franchising for bus services. The proposed legislation will extend this power to all local authorities, giving them the ability to directly control bus services, bringing an end to decades of failed deregulation, according to Haigh.
“Local leaders will finally have the powers to provide services that deliver for passengers,” Haigh said, promising a “bus revolution” that will allow local governments to better respond to community needs and stabilize essential services.
However, some industry figures have called for additional guarantees, including minimum service level commitments to ensure that services are not cut or disrupted. With routes and timetables frequently slashed in recent years, there are concerns that franchising alone may not be enough to prevent further service declines.
Labour’s Vision and Criticism
The Labour Party, which has long called for reforms to the bus sector, has pledged to extend powers for all local transport authorities to run their own bus services, and potentially introduce publicly owned bus companies. However, shadow transport secretary Helen Whately questioned how the plan would be funded and whether local authorities would have to raise taxes or cut other services to pay for it.
Whately also argued that franchising alone would not improve service availability. “It won’t make a blind bit of difference for passengers. It won’t increase the number of services,” she said. Instead, Whately called for the extension of the £2 bus fare cap, a popular policy introduced by the Conservative government that has been extended until December 2023.
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Support for Local Control
The proposed changes have been met with cautious optimism by local government leaders and transport advocacy groups. Adam Hug, a Labour councillor and transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association, described the move as a “brilliant day for buses” as more control is handed back to local transport authorities. However, Hug also warned that the changes would not provide an “overnight fix” for the bus network, noting that it would take time to fully implement the new franchising systems.
Silviya Barrett, director of policy and research at Campaign for Better Transport, also welcomed the move, arguing that local control could lead to “a more reliable bus network for all.” However, Barrett called for a minimum service level guarantee and long-term, ring-fenced funding to ensure that all communities, especially rural and underserved areas, continue to have access to quality bus services.
Impact on Disabled Passengers
Emma Vogelmann, head of policy at Transport for All, emphasized the crucial role that bus services play for disabled people, describing buses as a “lifeline” for many. Vogelmann called for any new reforms to ensure that accessibility remains a key focus, ensuring that all members of the community, including disabled passengers, can benefit from improved bus services.
As the government prepares to introduce the “Better Buses Bill” later this parliamentary session, the hope is that these reforms will help reverse the decline of bus services and create a more efficient and accessible public transport network across England.
