The new transport secretary has confirmed that every local area will be able to take control of its buses through franchising or public ownership.
Louise Haigh met Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham on Thursday to discuss how the region’s bus franchise, the first in the country outside London, can be replicated nationwide.
Image: Transport for Greater Manchester
Hailing the start of a ‘bus revolution’, the Department for Transport (DfT) pledged to remove the barriers that had seen Greater Manchester endure a ‘six-year slog’ to deliver local control of bus services.
It said its plan would see an end to the ‘failed’ system of deregulation.
Ms Haigh said: ‘Change starts now. This new Government will give local leaders the tools they need to deliver better buses up and down the country.’
The plan forms part of a wider goal to develop a long-term transport strategy, which would allow ‘local people to take back control of their buses, trams and trains’.
The Confederation of Passenger Transport said the industry fully support the DfT's objectives.
CEO Graham Vidler said: ‘We look forward to working hand in hand with the Government to deliver change which benefits passengers across the whole country and drives swifter progress towards the UK’s climate targets.’
This article first appeared on localgov.co.uk.
