Franchise funding

[Rodney259]

Franchise funding
I have just read an on-line report in the Manchester Evening News about the Bee Network cost and income and expenditure. It shows that only 47% of income (£183m out of £390m) comes from fares. It has been hailed as a great success with cheaper fares and more buses but one wonders whether the private (strangely nearly all foreign owned) companies would have done better. Given the level of subsidy required it doesn't seem so wonderful to me and there must be serious doubts that this level of local, and national, taxpayer contributions can continue in the longer term given the downward spiral of public finances. Is it really money well spent? Also, interesting that it is foreign owned companies who have benefitted rather than UK ones.