Protesting bus passengers wore masks of napping politicians as they demanded the region’s leaders bring buses back under public control. The protesters gathered outside a West of England Combined Authority meeting on Friday (March 17) saying politicians were “asleep at the wheel”.
The masks included Bristol mayor Marvin Rees, West of England metro mayor Dan Norris, South Gloucestershire Council leader Toby Savage, and Bath and North East Somerset Council leader Kevin Guy. Campaigners called on the political leaders to explore bus franchising.
All other Labour-led combined authorities are already exploring bus franchising as a solution to fix long-standing problems with struggling bus networks. Transport for London has also used bus franchising for decades, with passengers receiving much better quality service in the capital than elsewhere in the country.
