The UK woke up on 5 July to find that Labour had secured a significant majority in the general election, largely to the detriment of the Conservatives. For many coach and bus operators, this means a change of elected member for their constituency.
Some operators will know their MP personally – I have seen, for example, a couple of posts on social media over the last week or so promoting the fact that MPs had visited coach companies to talk about trade, development, and all things coach and bus. Others shy away from any political association at all, through either intention or circumstance.
Where the bus sector is concerned, political association and involvement is generally more prevalent, largely due to the significant number of discussions going on across the UK in relation to franchising.
Even before franchising became a hot topic, many operators worked hard to engage with elected members, with various intentions in mind, not least of which was the desire to influence and shape political conversations in relation to bus priority, bus subsidy, etc.
There is certainly something to be said for any business to be known to its elected member. To have a voice within the UK political system and to be able to significantly contribute views and opinions about future changes, it is important that a business is regarded as being engaged with local politics.
That is not to say that any effort to engage with elected members is always as productive as it could be. Relationships vary greatly. I can think of examples where I have had at least one call per month with an MP in an area that I have worked in, but I can also think of examples where the elected member never once engaged with any communication that we sent to him or her.
What is undeniable, though, is the fact that buses contribute a vast amount to the communities that they serve, and most politicians will be fully awake to that.
A number of them have repeatedly told me that buses come up in conversation during almost every question-and-answer session they hold within the community, and they like to be primed with the latest developments rather than on the back foot.
Many operators include local politicians on their press release distribution list and their mailshot database for service change bulletins.
An hour or two over a cup of coffee at a bus depot with an elected MP is time well spent in my experience. MPs almost always have outstanding queries from constituents in relation to bus services, and where the coach sector is concerned, it is vital that they understand the challenges faced by the industry and the possibilities available to it going into the future.
With such a significant number of changes in political leadership within various local authority areas this month, now is the perfect time to engage with your MP.
I have found that the best way to approach a potential meeting is to identify two or three key messages or concerns that you want to raise and focus on those points during the meeting. If you try to cover too much, none of the messages ‘land’ strongly enough.
No operator is too small to benefit from elected member engagement. Among operators of all sizes are employers, service providers, business rate payers, and voters!
Invite your MP in and talk to them about the issues affecting your business and our collective sector. Given the vast impact that coaches and buses have on voters and constituencies, they deserve to be talked about by every MP in the UK – regularly, and positively.
Adam Keen is Managing Director of Cardiff-based coach and bus operator Adventure Travel.
