December 17 2024
The Confederation of Passenger Transport, which represents the bus and coach industry, today welcomed the priority given to upgrading local transport services in the Government’s Bus Services Bill.
However, the CPT warned that local authority control over bus services is no silver bullet – and that different models for oversight of buses will be suitable for different parts of the country.
Bus and coach operators emphasised that adequate funding for socially important routes, and measures to tackle traffic congestion, are critical in making buses attractive for passengers across England.
Graham Vidler, Chief Executive of CPT, said: “More than 11 million people travel by bus every day. We are pleased that the Government understands the importance of buses in connecting communities and in kickstarting economic growth.
“Bus operators share the goal of delivering frequent, reliable and affordable buses. However, local authority control won’t guarantee success.
“This bill gives councils a choice of different ways to work with bus companies. Some may decide to introduce Manchester-style franchising, while others will choose alternative models to build on the success of commercial bus services which are flourishing in large parts of the country.
“But to truly put bus passengers first, the Government needs to use next year’s Spending Review to back its ambitions with hard cash. That means adequate funding to support socially important bus routes across England, ending a postcode lottery of provision.
“It is also vital that measures are taken to tackle traffic congestion – including providing bus lanes and bus priority schemes – to allow buses to move more quickly, making them more attractive to the public and cheaper to run.”