Latest news with #BusServicesBill
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'Why fixing our broken bus system is one of my top priorities'
Fixing our broken bus system is one of my top priorities says David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire LET'S not sugar coat it: our bus system isn't working – and it hasn't for a long time. Across York and North Yorkshire, people tell me the same thing: they want to use the bus, but it's too unreliable, too infrequent, or simply doesn't turn up. If you live in a rural village, a coastal town, or even some of our suburbs, chances are the bus is no longer a realistic option. In North Yorkshire, the number of miles driven by local buses has dropped by more than 50 per cent since 2010 – the worst fall anywhere in the North. This isn't just a transport issue. It's a quality-of-life issue. It affects how people get to work, to school, to hospital appointments – or how they see friends and family. It cuts people off from opportunity, and it hits the most isolated the hardest. That's why I've made buses a top priority as Mayor. They are the backbone of our public transport system – more flexible than trains, more affordable than cars, and absolutely essential for many of our residents. We're developing a new Local Transport Plan to tackle the decline and set out a better future – but we're also acting now. I've brought bus operators together to improve what passengers experience today: simpler ticketing, safer journeys, and better connections between our park and ride hubs in York. And now, we've taken an important step forward. The passage of the Bus Services Bill at its second reading in Parliament this week is fantastic news for our communities. This Bill moves regions like ours one step closer to the powers we've long needed – enabling us to take greater control of our bus services, plan them around local needs, and ensure they deliver for passengers, not just shareholders. It also removes the outdated ban on publicly owned bus companies, giving us more options to build a system that works. We're exploring all options for York and North Yorkshire. If a franchised network is right for our region, it would give us more control over routes, fares and timetables, and the power to create an affordable, integrated transport network that actually gets people where they need to be, when they need to be there. For example, allowing us to better connect bus and rail services for smoother connections. We would also be able to set consistent high standards, such as improved bus fleets – low or zero emission vehicles that offer passengers charging facilities, audio and visual announcements, and more space for wheelchairs and pushchairs. One area I'm especially focused on is cross-border travel. Roads don't stop at regional boundaries, and too many people are let down when services don't connect across council borders. That's bad for everyday life – and bad for our regional economy. That's why I signed the White Rose Agreement with the Mayors of West and South Yorkshire earlier this year. We're working together to connect services across borders – with shared timetables, common standards, and a joined-up approach that puts passengers first. Hull and East Yorkshire are also set to join us, because they face the same issues and want to be part of the solution. This is what proper public transport should look like – simple, joined-up, and focused on the people who use it. Whether you live in York or Yeadon, Wigginton or Wakefield, Selby or Sheffield, you should be able to get where you need to go without relying on a car – and without stress. Without public transport that works, we can't achieve any of our ambitions for the region: we'd be building homes that leave people stranded, creating jobs that people can't access, and excluding our children and young people – and anyone who doesn't drive – from education and training opportunities. Transport is responsible for nearly a third – 31 per cent – of harmful carbon emissions in York and North Yorkshire, and that's partly because unreliable and infrequent public transport leaves people with no option other than to drive. A bus system that works will offer a genuine alternative to using the car, helping to reduce carbon emissions and meaning we can all live in less polluted and healthier communities. Of course, buses aren't the whole picture. We need better rail connections, safe walking, wheeling and cycling routes, and well-maintained roads. I'm working on those too – but buses are the fastest, most direct way to reconnect our communities and get people moving again. The system has been broken for too long. Now we've got a chance to fix it and I intend to make sure we do.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Vital bus routes to be protected under new law
Vital bus services will be protected under new legislation which has just become law. The Bus Services Bill, which has now passed through the House of Lords, will mean routes deemed "socially necessary" will be subject to strict protections before they can be changed or cancelled. In a visit to Blackpool, Transport Minister Simon Lightwood said the government recognised how the routes, such as one between the town and Knott End, provide a "lifeline" for passengers. He told BBC Radio Lancashire said there will now be "extra layers and protections" in place. "When a bus company is considering changing or cancelling that bus service they will have to really consider what all possible options are to mitigate the impact on the local community," he said. The law is intended to end the plight of bus routes being controversially scrapped at short notice, especially those used by vulnerable or disadvantaged passengers. It comes after Blackpool Transport got £4m funding to help improve bus services in the area. Managing director Jane Cole said the investment would encourage more people to use improved public transport and reduce car use. "It is about migrating people on to public transport and by the time we have done that, from a commercial model, we can then put more frequent routes on to more places and the whole town then will have a more green agenda," she said. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. £4m plan to improve resort's bus services Blackpool Council Blackpool Transport Department for Transport
North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Vital routes to be protected as part of buses overhaul
Councils in England will put strict requirements in place before 'socially necessary' routes can be changed or cancelled, the department said. This is aimed at services to locations such as hospitals and schools. The measure is part of the Government's Bus Services Bill, which reached its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday. This will lead to an overhaul of buses, such as by giving all local transport authorities new powers to run their own services. The Government will also reduce some of the red tape involved in bus franchising, including reducing the minimum period between local areas taking control of services and being allowed to start operations. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'We're committed to giving local leaders the power to shape the bus services their communities rely on. 'Our Bus Services Bill is a big step forward, protecting vital services that people depend on to get to work, school or essential appointments. 'We have taken a decisive step towards better buses, building on our £1 billion investment to improve and maintain bus services, keeping people connected, driving up living standards and growing the economy.' Ben Plowden, of lobby group the Campaign for Better Transport, said: 'Buses are the most-used form of public transport. 'Preserving vital bus services has long been central to our campaigning, so the new protections in the Bus Services Bill are very welcome indeed. 'Protecting existing services, and identifying and filling gaps in the network, is the way to ensure everyone can access opportunities and stay connected.' Conservative shadow transport secretary Gareth Bacon attacked the Bus Services Bill as 'an ideological move that threatens essential services'. He said: 'They scrapped the £2 fare cap, slashed support for routes, and now want to strip away safeguards so councils can seize control of networks they aren't capable of operating. 'This is about Labour clinging to a fantasy of municipal socialism, whatever the cost to those who rely on local transport. Without the requirement to prove any benefit to passengers, Labour-run councils will be free to run yet another public service into the ground. 'We're not opposed to local decision-making. But this Bill offers no real investment, no credible delivery model, and no route to better services.'
Rhyl Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Vital routes to be protected as part of buses overhaul
Councils in England will put strict requirements in place before 'socially necessary' routes can be changed or cancelled, the department said. This is aimed at services to locations such as hospitals and schools. The measure is part of the Government's Bus Services Bill, which reached its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday. This will lead to an overhaul of buses, such as by giving all local transport authorities new powers to run their own services. The Government will also reduce some of the red tape involved in bus franchising, including reducing the minimum period between local areas taking control of services and being allowed to start operations. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'We're committed to giving local leaders the power to shape the bus services their communities rely on. 'Our Bus Services Bill is a big step forward, protecting vital services that people depend on to get to work, school or essential appointments. 'We have taken a decisive step towards better buses, building on our £1 billion investment to improve and maintain bus services, keeping people connected, driving up living standards and growing the economy.' Ben Plowden, of lobby group the Campaign for Better Transport, said: 'Buses are the most-used form of public transport. 'Preserving vital bus services has long been central to our campaigning, so the new protections in the Bus Services Bill are very welcome indeed. 'Protecting existing services, and identifying and filling gaps in the network, is the way to ensure everyone can access opportunities and stay connected.' Conservative shadow transport secretary Gareth Bacon attacked the Bus Services Bill as 'an ideological move that threatens essential services'. He said: 'They scrapped the £2 fare cap, slashed support for routes, and now want to strip away safeguards so councils can seize control of networks they aren't capable of operating. 'This is about Labour clinging to a fantasy of municipal socialism, whatever the cost to those who rely on local transport. Without the requirement to prove any benefit to passengers, Labour-run councils will be free to run yet another public service into the ground. 'We're not opposed to local decision-making. But this Bill offers no real investment, no credible delivery model, and no route to better services.'
South Wales Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Vital routes to be protected as part of buses overhaul
Councils in England will put strict requirements in place before 'socially necessary' routes can be changed or cancelled, the department said. This is aimed at services to locations such as hospitals and schools. The measure is part of the Government's Bus Services Bill, which reached its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday. This will lead to an overhaul of buses, such as by giving all local transport authorities new powers to run their own services. The Government will also reduce some of the red tape involved in bus franchising, including reducing the minimum period between local areas taking control of services and being allowed to start operations. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'We're committed to giving local leaders the power to shape the bus services their communities rely on. 'Our Bus Services Bill is a big step forward, protecting vital services that people depend on to get to work, school or essential appointments. 'We have taken a decisive step towards better buses, building on our £1 billion investment to improve and maintain bus services, keeping people connected, driving up living standards and growing the economy.' Ben Plowden, of lobby group the Campaign for Better Transport, said: 'Buses are the most-used form of public transport. 'Preserving vital bus services has long been central to our campaigning, so the new protections in the Bus Services Bill are very welcome indeed. 'Protecting existing services, and identifying and filling gaps in the network, is the way to ensure everyone can access opportunities and stay connected.' Conservative shadow transport secretary Gareth Bacon attacked the Bus Services Bill as 'an ideological move that threatens essential services'. He said: 'They scrapped the £2 fare cap, slashed support for routes, and now want to strip away safeguards so councils can seize control of networks they aren't capable of operating. 'This is about Labour clinging to a fantasy of municipal socialism, whatever the cost to those who rely on local transport. Without the requirement to prove any benefit to passengers, Labour-run councils will be free to run yet another public service into the ground. 'We're not opposed to local decision-making. But this Bill offers no real investment, no credible delivery model, and no route to better services.'
