Another West Yorkshire ‘talking shop’ won’t improve buses – Yorkshire Post Letters

WEST Yorkshire Combined Authority is to spend up to £150,000 on public transport, including deciding whether buses should be taken back under public control (The Yorkshire Post, July 27).

The answer to that is in the realms of ‘the bleedin’ obvious’ to those who use them – or could do if services still existed. Perhaps that’s the root of the problem which, for the last 30-odd years, has eluded the decision makers – they don’t.

Well within living memory, local transport was run mainly by local councils. Lack of investment left standards below those of mainland Europe, but the services were there and affordable.

Then came the privatisation pandemic and the supposed ‘miracle’ of deregulation. Now profitable routes find buses chasing each other. Non-profitable services have been competed out of existence and communities abandoned. A few are subsidised or sponsored, providing a sparse service with an uncertain future.

Crossing fingers and hoping that somehow the market will provide the solution hasn’t worked. Yet more house building requires serious joined-up thinking if increasing road chaos is to be reversed. Dare we hope that yet another WYCA talking shop proves to be up to the task?

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

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Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson