A while back the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) commissioned KPMG to undertake a study into the factors that influence demand for bus travel, and a very informative piece of work it was too.
Now the Urban Transport Group (UTG) has added its voice to the debate with the publication of a report ‘What’s Driving Bus Patronage Change?’ and this too is a valuable contribution.
‘Worth a read’
I was pleased to see that there was no knee-jerk assumption in this report that the root cause of the decline in bus patronage was deregulation, but a recognition that there are many complex economic and social factors at play which influence whether individuals will travel by bus or not.
We all know what they are and they don’t need repetition here, but safe to say that the UTG’s report is worth a read, and set alongside KPMG’s own report there is no shortage of information and data as to what influences bus patronage.
Perhaps if members of the Transport Select Committee read these reports they would soon realise there is little need to hold inquiries into the workings of the bus market.
Who will be CEO?
Meanwhile, I see that the recruitment process is well underway for the appointment of a new CPT Chief Executive, a new External Relations Manager and a new Policy and Public Affairs Manager.
I’ll be intrigued to see who is finally appointed. There is something of an “out with the old and in with the new” feel about all of this and I hope that the recruitment process attracts a strong field of candidates.
There certainly needs to be if the CPT’s ambition to be a more vocal and influential voice with government is to bear fruit. In two or three years’ time from now I wonder what aspects of government policy will have been influenced by the CPT in a way it would not otherwise have been.
Franchising opportunities?
Last week saw the annual UK Bus Summit, now in its fifth year.
We had an announcement by Buses Minister Nusrat Ghani on the government’s further funding of low emission buses, and of a planned partnership between the government and Greener Journeys to reflect the role played by the bus industry to tackle loneliness and social exclusion.
All very important stuff, but I’m not sure we need a bus summit for these announcements to be made and, while I’m perfectly supportive of events like this I do wonder what real “added value” they deliver.
Mind you, I was a little taken aback to hear the new top man at Arriva, Iain Jago, tell the conference that franchising can offer opportunities in certain circumstances.
I thought the industry was dead set against franchising (at least outside of London).
Has Arriva broken ranks or is this the first sign of a softening of attitudes among the big five?
I would like to now in what circumstances Mr Jago thinks franchising offers opportunities.
