Buses Bill announcement

[northwichcat]

Bus travel is to be made more passenger-friendly as councils will be given more freedom to improve services, under measures set out today (11 February 2016).

Roads Minister Andrew Jones said reforms will help deliver better journeys across the country, as he delivered a keynote speech at the UK Bus Summit.

Under the changes in the Buses Bill, councils will be given the choice to franchise services and enter into new partnerships with providers.

Roads Minister Andrew Jones said:

Good bus services can help communities thrive and grow and we want to make journeys better so everyone has the choice to leave their car at home.

Passengers want to see Oyster-style ticketing, better information on fares before they travel and live updates about when their bus is going to arrive at their stop.

All companies will have to share information about routes, fares and timetables — paving the way for programmers to develop new apps passengers can use to plan their journeys.

Councils will not have to use the new powers and they may decide they are happy with the arrangements already in place. The reforms are designed to give them new tools to drive up standards in the interests of residents.

Local authorities will be given new powers to enter into stronger partnerships with bus companies, and agree minimum standards for services, improving reliability and punctuality.

They could make sure buses run more regularly, to avoid several being timetabled to arrive at once.

The new partnerships will also be given the power to set standards for local buses and introduce standard ticketing rules over wider areas, paving the way for Oyster-style schemes.

The government will also honour its devolution deal commitment to provide local authorities with bus franchising powers — like those used in London.

A Buses Bill to implement these changes will go before Parliament later this year.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-buses-bill-to-deliver-a-better-deal-for-the-public

They've also released a document entitled Value For Money For Tendered Bus Services: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa.../Value_for_Money_of_Tendered_Bus_Services.pdf

Tendered bus services are said to being in £2.10 for every £1 spent in non-Metropolitan areas and £3.20 per £1 spent in Metropolitan areas (outside London) and £2.50 for every £1 spent in London. Presumably the low bus fares in London compared to other Metropolitan areas is partly why it's lower in London than other cities.

 

[WatcherZero]

Without seeing detail they seem to have kept to their devolution pledges whilst at the same time offering additional softer options to try and persaude transport authorities not to use the nuclear option.

 

[the101]

It's hardly anything that wasn't expected, but credit to Mr Jones: At least he could be bothered to turn up to this one.

If the figures quoted above regarding value per £1 spent are from an organisation called Greener Journeys, then they should be treated with caution as no evidence is ever presented by its spokeswoman as to how they are arrived at.

 

[KendalKing]

None of this makes any sense, why give local authorities new powers to improve bus services, when there are so many local authorities, which are currently cutting bus services.

 

[Diplodicus]

Why? So central government can say "it's not our fault". They disconnect funding from outcomes.

 

[Busaholic]

It'll all end in tears..... the passengers', that is.

 

[overthewater]

OR the councils will not take up any aspects of this bill.

 

[wellwhatitis]

So, after 30 years of experimentation and the gradual erosion of many local bus networks, they are offering re-regulation, just without the money...

You couldn't make it up.

 

[overthewater]

So, after 30 years of experimentation and the gradual erosion of many local bus networks, they are offering re-regulation, just without the money...

You couldn't make it up.

Look at Lothian buses, there get no money and its doing pretty well.

 

[radamfi]

Look at Lothian buses, there get no money and its doing pretty well.

So that's 500,000 people who are sorted. What about the other 53 million in England (outside London), Scotland and Wales?

 

[overthewater]

So that's 500,000 people who are sorted. What about the other 53 million in England (outside London), Scotland and Wales?

Places like Manchester, Leeds, etc could all operate like Lothian buses, problem sorted. Much a profit but keep all the profits.

 

[Busaholic]

Off topic, but it's an example of the same kind of lack of real thought. In Penzance, where almost all WCs have closed because of council cuts, local shops are 'being given the opportunity to open their toilets to the general public'. I guess when the library goes the local paper shop will be given the opportunity to let people go and read their papers free of charge too.

 

[Deerfold]

Places like Manchester, Leeds, etc could all operate like Lothian buses, problem sorted. Much a profit but keep all the profits.

And they used to. But putting it back like that would cost a fortune.

 

[Goldfish62]

It'll all end in tears..... the passengers', that is.

It already has across huge swathes of the country.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

So, after 30 years of experimentation and the gradual erosion of many local bus networks, they are offering re-regulation, just without the money...

You couldn't make it up.

So what you're saying is there is no hope. If I interpret you correctly you're saying that deregulation has been a failure and regulation would be as well.

 

[SS4]

This is just another sneak attack on local authorities by Whitehall. When it inevitably fails because the funding isn't there to do so the local council can be blamed until the peasants see the light and vote Tory for their local town halls.

 

[Busaholic]

This is just another sneak attack on local authorities by Whitehall. When it inevitably fails because the funding isn't there to do so the local council can be blamed until the peasants see the light and vote Tory for their local town halls.

The peasants saw the light throughout Devon and Cornwall in the General Election, barring Exeter, and they've now been told that the Dawlish lash-job had better last another few decades cos there ain't gonna be a penny of government money on any alternatives. Let's see whether the peasants revolt!

 

[danorak]

This is just another sneak attack on local authorities by Whitehall. When it inevitably fails because the funding isn't there to do so the local council can be blamed until the peasants see the light and vote Tory for their local town halls.

As I understand it, no local authority is being placed under any obligation to do anything, they can carry on as now if they want. But places like Manchester & Tyne and Wear that have asked for franchising will be able to do so without going through the QCS process, which I don't think really worked for either side. The middle ground partnership options look like they could prove interesting, but are they really much different to the existing Nottingham or Sheffield models?

 

[Goldfish62]

Just a bit of a reality check.

The Buses Bill is not all about franchising. There's lot more in it, such as integrated ticketing and allowing cooperation between operators as well as with local authorities, which is currently severely restricted by the CMA. Surely these are good things?

 

[Busaholic]

Just a bit of a reality check.

The Buses Bill is not all about franchising. There's lot more in it, such as integrated ticketing and allowing cooperation between operators as well as with local authorities, which is currently severely restricted by the CMA. Surely these are good things?

Reading Buses magazine and Bus and Coach weekly these last few months I've not known one person either currently involved in the bus industry or those who used to be involved or those who've spent their careers writing about it who has more than a (grudging) good word for tiny aspects of the bill. Of course, by the tenets of this government this only proves that they were right to introduce the bill (shades of the late Nicholas Ridley). So, the odd bit that might be okay is a bit like mistaking the bathwater for the baby!

 

[radamfi]

Reading Buses magazine and Bus and Coach weekly these last few months I've not known one person either currently involved in the bus industry or those who used to be involved or those who've spent their careers writing about it who has more than a (grudging) good word for tiny aspects of the bill. Of course, by the tenets of this government this only proves that they were right to introduce the bill (shades of the late Nicholas Ridley). So, the odd bit that might be okay is a bit like mistaking the bathwater for the baby!

Obviously industry people will be against the Bill as it might mean that they won't be able to do whatever they want any more. I'm more interested in whether it is good for the passenger, and most importantly, the effect on patronage.

 

[Busaholic]

Obviously industry people will be against the Bill as it might mean that they won't be able to do whatever they want any more. I'm more interested in whether it is good for the passenger, and most importantly, the effect on patronage.

Most of the people whose thoughts I read, including in the letters pages, were people who had never been directly involved in running buses so there was no self-interest. I think you just have to ask yourself the question - why has the government introduced this bill? Is it in a genuine desire to improve the lot of bus passengers or is it a smokescreen to cover a further reduction in funding by central government?

 

[radamfi]

Most of the people whose thoughts I read, including in the letters pages, were people who had never been directly involved in running buses so there was no self-interest. I think you just have to ask yourself the question - why has the government introduced this bill? Is it in a genuine desire to improve the lot of bus passengers or is it a smokescreen to cover a further reduction in funding by central government?

Clearly, it is easy to see a negative potential outcome. However, it is not totally in the government's interest to see bus services being run down further. The government would benefit politically if cities outside London improve economically and improved transport can play a part in that.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

If integrated ticketing is part of it then they should also involve all TOCs and coach operators (that run service coaches - would assume that National Express is the only one)

 

[radamfi]

coach operators (that run service coaches - would assume that National Express is the only one)

There are other scheduled coach operators, for example Stagecoach/Megabus/Oxford Tube, Terravision and Oxford Bus Company.

I'm fairly comfortable with coach services not being integrated as coach deregulation has shown a positive benefit on fares and patronage, unlike bus deregulation. My only concern is the effect on train services but generally the two markets are sufficiently distinct.