West Yorkshire to bring bus services under public control (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 8 months ago by Jho@feddit.uk to c/yorkshire@feddit.uk

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My TL;DR:

Bus services in West Yorkshire will be brought under public control, as it becomes the third major region of the north to reverse four decades of deregulation.

West Yorkshire follows Greater Manchester and Liverpool in deciding to return to a franchised system, where private operators must win contracts to run routes and timetables decided by the local authority, which also sets fares and takes revenues.

Under devolution, metro mayors have had the right to take buses under local control since the 2017 Bus Services Act, although the legal and political processes required remain arduous.

The region’s mayor, Tracy Brabin, who was elected in 2021 on a pledge to bring buses under public control, is also hoping to bring a wider mass transit system to Leeds and Bradford, two of the worst served cities for public transport in Europe, which will also include a tram.

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[-] HumanPenguin@feddit.uk 4 points 8 months ago

The problem is the 2017 law dose not resolve the main issue.

It is not just that privatisation led to companies running only profitable routs. But that governments still expect bus companies and all public transport to be self funding.

So while national gov is forcing local govs into bankruptcy. The funding to improve service will never happen.

Our economy requires people to travel. The Internet has just increased its dependence on the lowest paid having to travel the most.

The only way co2 reduction from transport can happen. Is for governments to recognise both the need to invest in public transport. And for the corperations to recognise there survival relies on that cost.

this post was submitted on 14 Mar 2024

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