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Here's the policies of two candidates for Mayor of Greater Manchester in respect to bus services - both seem very familiar.

Andy Burnham - Labour - http://www.burnhamformayor.co.uk/ourmanifesto

Quote:For the last 30 years, the public of Greater Manchester have been badly served by the bus companies. They have suffered a bus service run in the private rather than public interest.

Across Greater Manchester, there are 22 different bus operators with 140 different types of ticket available. Busy, lucrative routes like Oxford Road in Manchester see buses of varying standards nose to tail. Other more isolated estates receive no service at all. There is no Oyster-card style scheme because no common standards can be imposed on the operators. Single journeys can cost £3 or more - double the £1.50 cost in London.

All of this means that, for many, buses are neither reliable, convenient nor affordable enough to make them a realistic alternative to the car. Only eight per cent of people in Greater Manchester now use the bus to get to work.

The new Mayor will be given powers over bus services across Greater Manchester, including over fares, routes, frequency and ticketing.

We will use these new powers to make our bus services more affordable, more reliable and more accessible to disabled people and families with pushchairs.

Sean Anstee - Conservative - http://www.seananstee.com/transport

Quote:I will bring Greater Manchester’s buses under the Mayor’s control, subject to legislation. At the moment the routes, timetables and fares for our buses are decided by the bus companies. I will ensure, subject to legislation that Transport for Greater Manchester plans the right services for our needs, using data on where and when people want to travel. These will be run by the private operators, selected through open competition to ensure the best value.

I'm not sure what the other candidates policies are though?

(21/03/2017 17:45)urmstonian Wrote: [ -> ]Here's the policies of two candidates for Mayor of Greater Manchester in respect to bus services - both seem very familiar.

Andy Burnham - Labour - http://www.burnhamformayor.co.uk/ourmanifesto


Sean Anstee - Conservative - http://www.seananstee.com/transport

I'm not sure what the other candidates policies are though?

The conservative one will means more of the same, they only accept profit. Open competition my arse, I would be surprised if Capita also happened to be a bus company.

(21/03/2017 18:21)acocker96 Wrote: [ -> ]The conservative one will means more of the same, they only accept profit. Open competition my arse, I would be surprised if Capita also happened to be a bus company.

This could get silly! Without profit there would only be the old sheds of GM buses which thankfully have been replaced by much more modern buses. Just get real if you want a bus service that doesn't make a profit and runs quite well under present legislation it ain't going to happen. Bus companies should be allowed to cross subsidise services so more rural areas could be served a lot better and the companies could provide 'feeder' services for the main arterial routes. That way they could make a profit and provide much more comprehensive services. There has never been a nationalised industry that has been run well because as soon as funding gets tight they are starved of investment and go downhill all the way. It is very sad but true.

(21/03/2017 18:48)rod_259 Wrote: [ -> ]This could get silly! Without profit there would only be the old sheds of GM buses which thankfully have been replaced by much more modern buses. Just get real if you want a bus service that doesn't make a profit and runs quite well under present legislation it ain't going to happen. Bus companies should be allowed to cross subsidise services so more rural areas could be served a lot better and the companies could provide 'feeder' services for the main arterial routes. That way they could make a profit and provide much more comprehensive services. There has never been a nationalised industry that has been run well because as soon as funding gets tight they are starved of investment and go downhill all the way. It is very sad but true.

Do you have any memory of bus operations prior to 1986 when privatisation was introduced by the Thatcher government? Up till that point the GMPTE and MPTE ran very modern fleets with a policy of retiring vehicles more than 14 years old. The thinking behind deregulation was in order to halt the decline in passenger numbers and improve services the private sector should take control, which is and always has been the mantra of the Conservative party. As we all know, the reality was something else.

As for your suggestion that bus companies should be allowed to cross subsidise services to more rural areas that is a none starter for two reasons. Firstly, it is illegal under current legislation and secondly, why on earth would a commercial company want to reduce its profits by running uneconomic services? You only have to look at what has happened in the shire counties over the past two years when subsidies were withdrawn as a consequence of central government austerity measures.

Greater Manchester Metro Mayor candidates go head-to-head in the Granada Reports debate - http://www.itv.com/news/granada/update/2...ts-debate/

The first few minutes is on buses and public transport.

Thanks Knutsfordian, will watch with interest.

The Bus Services Bill passed both Houses of Parliament yesterday (The Lords withdrew their amendments) and the Bill will receive Royal Ascent tomorrow.

(28/04/2017 15:23)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]That's the positive side - the negative is that Enabling legislation/Guidance notes will be delayed by the General Election. Add that to the likely legal objections from Operator/s and its unlikely anything will be implemented before the next Mayoral Elections in 2020.

Enabling legislation is in the form of Statutory Instruments. They don't go through Parliament, rather a Minister authorises them. I am not sure what SI would be required, but doubt the new Mayor would be ready to implement a new scheme in the next 5 weeks!