Birmingham Council votes to take back control of buses

A motion has been passed by the Birmingham City Council to take back public control of buses.

The council supports bus franchising and calls on the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the West Midlands Mayor to expedite its current franchising assessment and implement franchising as soon as possible. Franchising will allow Transport for the West Midlands (TfWM) to specify routes and frequencies, as well as have more control over fares.

The council also calls for the government to pass legislation to allow English councils to set up municipal bus companies on the model of Nottingham City Transport. It has resolved to write to the Secretary of State for Transport to lobby for a funding model that helps move to cheaper £1 single bus fares.

“We share TfWM’s goal of a seamless, integrated transport network that serves customers and communities across our region” – National Express West Midlands

In response to the motion, a spokesperson from National Express West Midlands, said: “We share TfWM’s goal of a seamless, integrated transport network that serves customers and communities across our region. We will continue to work in partnership to provide efficient and great value bus services.”

“The current ‘commercial’ bus network is entirely propped up by public money, but inefficiently; so a much better framework is required to provide certainty for customers and operators alike” – Ian Mack, Chief Executive of Birmingham-based The Green Bus

Ian Mack, Chief Executive of Birmingham-based The Green Bus, told B&CB: “In terms of the ownership point, our view is that it will be useful to have government able to act as an operator of last resort, in the same way as the railways. Although LNER is owned by central government, for example, it offers an excellent service on the East Coast Main Line. The same could work for buses. The critical trick is to ensure that the operator is run at arm’s length from its owner, rather like Reading Buses.

“We support franchising too. The current ‘commercial’ bus network is entirely propped up by public money, but inefficiently; so a much better framework is required to provide certainty for customers and operators alike.”

He notes the sums of cash being paid out to keep the bus network going in the West Midlands and elsewhere. “If you’re spending that kind of money, then start with a sustainable model that puts customers first. We say franchising is the only way of achieving that in the UK at the moment.”