An historic move to bring the Liverpool City Region's buses back into public control has been made.
Members of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority have given their backing to proposals to adopt a franchise model that would put control of services, fares and timetables back in local hands.
The move will represent the biggest change to the public transport network in the city since the 1980s.
The franchise system would still involve services being run by private operators, but would allow city region leaders to set fares, timetables and routes.
READ MORE: Move to bring Liverpool City Region buses back under public control confirmed
The plan is part of Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham’s plan to introduce a “London-style” transport network.
He told the combined authority meeting this afternoon that the opportunity to fix the “broken, fragmented and too expensive” bus system was one of the main reasons he stood to be Metro Mayor.
Mayor Rotheram added that the plan is a “once in a lifetime opportunity to reverse the disastrous decision to deregulate services outside of the capital” and members needed to “grasp the opportunity devolution has afforded us for generations to come.”
John Fogarty, executive director of corporate services, said the move represented a “significant milestone” as buses are the “most important strand of the transport network.”
He said that the plan is about “how communities link to each other and key public services.”
Mr Fogarty said there are still “significant risks involved with franchising” and the pandemic has emphasised this.
Questioned by Cllr Graham Morgan, leader of Knowsley Council, on the how transition to the new system will be funded, Mr Fogarty said there will be further work done on affordability, but major capital costs could be funded by borrowing.
These would be paid back by future bus revenues.
The Metro Mayor said if a London-style public transport network is to be achieved, London-style subsidies will be needed from the UK Government.
Matt Goggins, assistant director for bus, admits that franchising “isn’t the direction” that providers Arriva and Stagecoach would want to go in but he hopes to continue to work with the current operators to benefit customers.
The decision to adopt a franchise model will be subject to an audit of the proposed scheme and a full public consultation.
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said that franchising would allow passengers to enjoy cheaper, quicker and more reliable services and was now identified as the preferred option to deliver a bus network designed around the needs of local people, not private shareholders.
Speaking after the decision he said: “Good public transport is the hallmark of any modern, successful city region and buses are its backbone. Hundreds of thousands of people rely on our region’s buses every single day. They are a lifeline for connecting people in our communities with each other and opportunity.
“But too many feel left behind by a system that simply does not work for them. In too many places, public transport is too confusing, too unreliable, and too expensive. Liverpool City Centre can sometimes feel as far away as London.
“Today we have taken a massive step towards putting that right. Thanks to devolution we have the power to roll back the 1980s and reverse four decades of disastrous deregulation. We’re taking back control of our bus network and running it in the interests of local people – not private shareholders.
"This vote is the culmination of years of hard work, but it is only one step towards our achieving my vision for a London-style transport network. I want to make travelling round our region cheaper, quicker, greener and more reliable – and to simplify ticketing under a tap-and-go system that means you’ll always pay the cheapest fare.
“Our region should not have to settle for a second-class service. This is a massive step towards building the transport network our 1.6m citizens deserve.”
The report taken before today’s Combined Authority summarises the Outline Business Case. It finds that bus franchising is the most favourable option in most aspects and would help deliver the region’s broader ambitions.
Bus franchising would allow the Combined Authority to specify the bus network, set fares and control fare policy.
Franchising would also give the authority control over when and where buses operate in the interests of users - rather than leaving service and network decisions to private operators, who currently have the power to withdraw bus routes.
In addition, the authority could take greater control over the bus fleet – helping it to achieve the city region’s net-zero carbon ambitions.
Today’s decision triggers the next stage of the process, which includes additional work to complete the bus franchise business case and an independent assessment, before launching a public consultation.
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