Better Buses Bill
“A Bill will be introduced to allow local leaders to take
control of their local bus services.”
- The Better Buses Bill delivers the Government's manifesto
commitment to reform the bus system by delivering new powers for
local leaders to franchise local bus services and lifting the
restriction on the creation of new publicly owned bus operators.
- This legislation will help bring an end to the postcode
lottery of bus services and will give local communities
throughout England the power to take back control of their bus
services. It will give local leaders the tools they need to
deliver better bus networks, at pace, reflecting the needs of the
local communities that rely on them.
What does the Bill do?
- A modern transport network is vital to kickstarting economic
growth. Buses are the lifeblood of our communities, connecting us
to opportunities, providing access to services, improving air
quality and tackling climate change. However, it is widely
accepted that the current system is not working for
passengers.
- The Better Buses Bill will deliver improved services up and
down the country, and support local leaders to create the
transport networks that are right for their
communities.
- The Bill will put power over services back in the hands of
the communities that depend on them, and will provide the powers
necessary to deliver the Government's 5-point plan to build
better bus networks across England:
-
allowing every community to take back control of
their buses by removing barriers that currently
limit bus franchising powers only to metro mayors.
-
accelerating the bus franchising process by
supporting local leaders to deliver better buses, faster.
-
supporting public ownership by removing the
ban on publicly owned bus companies and building on the
success of award-winning public bus services still in
operation.
-
stepping in to safeguard local bus networks
by providing more accountability over bus operators and
ensuring standards are raised wherever you live across the
country.
-
empowering local transport authorities and reforming
funding by giving local leaders more control and
flexibility over bus funding and allowing them to plan ahead
to deliver their local transport priorities.
Territorial extent and application
- The Bill is expected to extend to England and Wales, and
apply to England.
Key facts
- Buses are the most commonly used mode of public transport in
Britain and are disproportionately used by those on lower
incomes. Buses connect people to jobs and customers to
businesses, and provide access to education and essential
services. According to the 2022 National Travel Survey, 25 per
cent of bus journeys in England outside London were to get to
school, and 22 per cent were to get to work.
- Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous
and sustainable communities. A University of Leeds study
estimates that bus commuters add around £64 billion annually to
the economy. They are vital for the 35-40 per cent of households
in places like Hull and Newcastle that do not have access to a
car or van, according to the 2021 Census.
- Services in England outside London have been on a downward
trend for decades with Department for Transport statistics
showing 2 billion fewer annual bus journeys in 2023 than in 1985,
almost 300 million fewer miles driven by buses in 2023 than in
2010 and 6,000 fewer buses on the road between 2010 and 2023.
- Greater Manchester and London bus services, where bus
franchising is in place, generally out-perform the rest of the
country. Early reporting from Greater Manchester's Bee Network
has shown increases in reliability (74 per cent between January
and March 2024 compared to 62 per cent from the same period prior
to franchising) and patronage (5 per cent increases between
comparative periods from before and after franchised services
were introduced).
