Welsh Government announces aim to re-regulate buses
A unified transport system to be introduced according to announcement today
The Welsh Government has announced the aim of re-regulating Wales’ bus networks today.
They have proposed a franchising model that aims to deliver one network, one timetable and one ticket for passengers across the country.
The government will introduce a law to franchise all bus services across the region.
This is distinctly different from English and Scottish systems in which this kind of change is implemented by local authorities.
The Welsh Government also intends to lift the ban on local authorities setting up new publicly owned bus companies.
Pressure on England and Scotland to follow
Campaigners for travel reform have said that what Wales is doing to get rid of Margaret Thatcher’s bus deregulation reforms is visionary and puts real pressure on England and Scotland to follow.
Matthew Topham, Better Buses Campaigner at We Own It said: “Wales is leading the way on buses, putting passengers first after 35 years of Thatcher’s failed policies. Now we’re calling on England and Scotland to follow their example.”
“Wales is giving the green light to buses that work for passengers, while Scotland is still on amber and England is firmly stuck on red - though Metro Mayors like Andy Burnham are showing that they want to set off!"
“This visionary legislation would set a precedent that will empower bus passengers, campaigners, councils and metro mayors to demand better services that focus on the needs of local communities, not a few profit-hungry companies."
“We’re calling on Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon to match the Welsh Government’s ambition. Bus networks must be regulated in the public interest as default, with the barriers to publicly owned buses swept away.”
We Own It is a group that campaigns for public ownership across all public services. We Own It runs Better Buses Campaigns in the City Regions around Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Leeds. These campaigns have successfully pushed Metro Mayors in all these regions to use their powers to investigate and implement bus franchising, also known as public control.
The tide is turning
Campaigners say that the tide is turning after 35 years of privatisation, as mayors in Greater Manchester, Liverpool and West Yorkshire have also committed to public control of buses, and South Yorkshire and Cambridgeshire are taking steps toward it. Combined with the Welsh government’s move, campaigners say it is clear that bus privatisation is losing favour across the UK and this is reflected in public opinion.
63% of people believe the process for implementing London-style public control of buses should be easier through levelling up transport schemes, according to recent polling by Survation for We Own It.
We Own It conducted a survey on 2,034 Residents 18+ living in the UK on their views about the Governments travel reform plan.
This demonstrates plans to move towards a London-style transport system to connect people to opportunity' across the country.