Transport for Greater Manchester – the authority whose devolution prompted the Bus Services Bill – was swift to welcome its enactment as an Act saying the “new law could ring changes for buses in Greater Manchester.”
Adding that “Transport leaders in Greater Manchester have welcomed Royal Assent of the Bus Services Bill, the new legislation will allow the elected Mayor of Greater Manchester to make significant changes to the way bus services are managed,” before setting out the benefits of franchising, and fall in patronage since 1985.
In contrast, the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) confirmed its “on-going support” for the new partnership measures that will see “operators able to continue to operate in a commercial market thereby providing the best possible service to passengers.”
Says CPT CEO Simon Posner: “Passengers and taxpayers outside London are well served by the commercial market. It has stemmed the decline in patronage and given bus operators the flexibility to respond to passenger needs and aspirations.
“The Act offers exciting opportunities for operators and local authorities to take decisive steps that make buses the obvious way to get around.”
He adds that the industry “remains concerned” about the powers for local authorities, in certain circumstances, to introduce local bus franchising but “welcomes the very robust and transparent assessment process specified by the Act.”
The CPT says it will continue to work constructively and collaboratively with all stakeholders during the coming months as the Act is brought into force via secondary legislation.
This covers aspects such as data sharing by operators, mandatory disabled awareness training and next-stop announcements.
Read the Act here
