The North East wants to follow Greater Manchester’s lead in taking control of its bus services away from private companies and back into public hands.
In a crucial decision on Wednesday, a judge ruled in favour of mayor Andy Burham’s plans to create a London-style franchising system in which private operators will have to bid to run services – with fares, timetables and routes set by local authorities instead.
Bus firms Stagecoach and Rotala had claimed the scheme was “irrational” as they brought a judicial review against it, but it has now been deemed lawful.
