1. Buses and the Buses Bill
Andrew Dobbie
National Office, Water, Environment and Transport

2. Stops on the route The nightmare of Deregulation...
...followed by the disaster of Austerity
North and South, and across nations
The Buses Bill: new opportunities?
Saving your buses

3. The nightmare of deregulation...
In 1986, buses outside London were deregulated.
Any operator could run any route it fancied, with no ability to require routes that were unprofitable to be serviced.
Life got very hard for municipal companies.

4. So how did that work out?
Bus use

5. Most English bus journeys now in London

6. But it’s very variable

7. The disaster of austerity

8. LA funding sharply down

9. England
Bus use up in the South, down in the North

10. Even worse in Wales and Scotland

11. Again- municipality works
Over five years to 2015:
South East Scotland: 1% rise in ridership
Strathclyde and SW: 21% fall
Lothian buses is the biggest municipal company in the UK; most Glasgow buses are run by First group.

12. Buses bill: new hope?
Enable mayoral authorities to franchise bus services
Enable regional ticketing and pricing schemes
Ban councils from setting up municipal bus companies

13. Lobbying to improve the Bill
Remove prohibition of municipals
Ensure unions are statutory consultees
Provide for continuity of service.

14. Saving your buses
Local campaigning: Talk to your councillors, in your constituency parties, to your mayoral candidates.

15. Questions and debate