New Buses Bill to deliver a better deal for the public

[whole diary]

[grahame]

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

From:Department for Transport and Andrew Jones MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) First published:11 February 2016Part of:Bus services: grants and funding, Local transport and Road network and traffic

New Buses Bill to deliver a better deal for the public

Reforms are set to make bus travel more passenger-friendly and give councils more freedom to improve services.

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^▸ (United Kingdom) 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^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services)-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 the areas, paving the way for Oyster-style schemes.

[Rhydgaled]

Local authorities will be given new powers

Note my bold, this hasn't been implemented yet and from a quick glance I don't see any indication of when. And will this apply to all local authorities or only selected ones? I ask because I have a feeling WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) were having trouble getting these powers devolved to them, but I could be mistake.

Passengers want to see Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services)-style ticketing, better information on fares before they travel and live updates about when their bus is going to arrive at their stop.

I don't care about two of those things, I'd much rather have a frequent bus service which runs late enough into the evening, doesn't make serious detours and has good legroom if I need to be on the bus for much more than an hour. Being able to get fare information online wouldn't be a bad idea though.

Not sure it will be of any help in places like Oxfordshire where the council has decided they aren't going to subsidise bus services anymore...

[Zoe]

Local authorities will be given new powers

Note my bold, this hasn't been implemented yet and from a quick glance I don't see any indication of when. And will this apply to all local authorities or only selected ones? I ask because I have a feeling WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) were having trouble getting these powers devolved to them, but I could be mistake.

I believe the plan is for some authorities to be given bus franchising powers as part of the devolution deals under the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act.  The government can't currently include buses in any deal since the Transport Act 1985 prevents it so that is why they are going to introduce the Buses Bill.  Cornwall is one authority which is planned to be given bus franchsing powers as part of a devolution deal (which will also include integration of health and social services) but this is of course subject the Buses Bill passing.

The situation in Wales does of course depend on what ends up in the Wales Bill.

[JayMac]

Doesn't go far enough.

Local Authorities should have the same powers as Greater London to tender bus contracts. These should be fixed term tightly specified concessions rather than franchises.

[grahame]

Passengers want to see Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services)-style ticketing, better information on fares before they travel and live updates about when their bus is going to arrive at their stop.

I don't care about two of those things, I'd much rather have a frequent bus service which runs late enough into the evening, doesn't make serious detours and has good legroom if I need to be on the bus for much more than an hour. Being able to get fare information online wouldn't be a bad idea though.

The various elements aren't "either / or" though - indeed you could argue that if you get better ticketing AND services that connect AND information AND evening services that the improvements will work together and you'll encourage more people to know about and use the buses. Better than having an evening bus on Thurdays only that leaves five minutes before the train arrives ... and you know about only if you read issue 645 of the local paper, spotted it in the parish news on Facebook, or saw the notice at the youth club.

Not sure it will be of any help in places like Oxfordshire where the council has decided they aren't going to subsidise bus services anymore...

For those that have already gone, fair comment.   For those of us currently in a consultation about services to run after next year's council elections, it may ...

[ellendune]

Doesn't go far enough.

Local Authorities should have the same powers as Greater London to tender bus contracts. These should be fixed term tightly specified concessions rather than franchises.

No surely not London needs it because it's such a special place because...  ...um... ..no wait I will remember...

...because it needs all the money... ...because the important people live there.   

[Rhydgaled]

Doesn't go far enough.

Local Authorities should have the same powers as Greater London to tender bus contracts. These should be fixed term tightly specified concessions rather than franchises.

What's the difference between concessions, management contracts, franchises and standard subsidised bus contracts? The latter of these generally let the operators keep the revenue, but in at least one case the ITT^▸ (Invitation to Tender) requested a price for the tendering authority to take the revenue. So I thought that might be the difference between a franchise (operator keeps fares revenue) and a concession (authority keeps fares revenue) but apparently Merseyrail is a concession where the operator keeps fares revenue.

ITT = Invitation To Tender

I believe the plan is for some authorities to be given bus franchising powers as part of the devolution deals under the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act.  The government can't currently include buses in any deal since the Transport Act 1985 prevents it so that is why they are going to introduce the Buses Bill.  Cornwall is one authority which is planned to be given bus franchsing powers as part of a devolution deal (which will also include integration of health and social services) but this is of course subject the Buses Bill passing.

I remember reading something about Cornwall getting increased powers before, which is why I asked the question as that story sounds like not all councils are going to get the devolution deal.

[caliwag]

I would wonder if this isn't a precursor to a range of branch line closures...when people and groups object, Daft can point to the new bus powers, where, of course, Local authorities can be blamed if there is no improvement...Am I being too cynical?

[Bmblbzzz]

I'd think that's probably taking cynicism too far as well as overestimating the joined-up thinking of central government. But devolving bus franchising to local government does shift the responsibility/blame in addition to the spending/saving decisions away from Westminster. No buses? Not our fault, complain to your local council not your MP^▸ (Member of Parliament).

[grahame]

I'd think that's probably taking cynicism too far as well as overestimating the joined-up thinking of central government. But devolving bus franchising to local government does shift the responsibility/blame in addition to the spending/saving decisions away from Westminster. No buses? Not our fault, complain to your local council not your MP^▸ (Member of Parliament).

Arranging what buses run to / from / through in Chippenham is probably best worked out by the knowledgable people of Chippenham.   Likewise for Trowbridge and Marlborough.   But you're not going to have experts in each of the towns, nor dis-associated pragmatists so everyone will want THEIR best routes and much of the joined up consideration will fly out the window.   I do suspect that the district or unitary area is best for these things.

Unfortunately, the unitary level seems intent on divesting itself of such tasks it should logically be undertaking.  The 30 (isn) hand held speed cameras in Wiltshire they use to look after are  being gifted to individual communities / areas, for example - meaning that instead of a single central maintenance contract and expert there will need to be 30 in the future. So (alas) the though of getting central engagement in the process in some areas is rowing against the tide.  And at the moment there's a great fear of the unknown, and so a reluctance to embrace it / engage with it, along the lines of "better the devil you know".  Sadly, the current devil we know is the one of a downward spiral, where services are cut to meet a budget, and replacement / alternative specified purely with the remaining current customers in mind without looking to tuning neighbouring services or looking at other potential custom.

When I get off the (last) train at 20:38 at Melksham, I walk up Station Approach.   As I do so, I see the bus to the Town Centre, Melksham Forest, Queensway, Bowerhill and Sells Green speed by.  It doesn't take a genius to say "it should run 5 minutes later, stop and wait, and be advertised" - and I look forward in hope to the day when some genius with local transport responsibility moves it back 5 minutes.  I fear, though, that we'll see that bus withdrawn because not enough people use it before anyone one in authority asks why.

[Bmblbzzz]

I agree that local districts/regions/whatever they will be called are usually the best level at which to arrange local transport links (though defining those districts, regions, etc will often give rise to controversy). It was really the financial responsibility I was thinking of, that I feel Dft and Central gov is trying to shed; simply put, they'd rather someone else carried the can and took the blame for the hard decisions.

[Tim]

Doesn't go far enough.

Local Authorities should have the same powers as Greater London to tender bus contracts. These should be fixed term tightly specified concessions rather than franchises.

Absolutely.  And not just for buses.

[grahame]

Further information from the Minister https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-case-for-the-buses-bill

I am going to be coming back and quoting / commenting on sections of that in due course ...