Archbishop joins campaign to bring North Yorkshire buses under local control

A campaign is today (Thursday, October 6) being launched which urges political leaders to “fix the region’s buses” by bringing them under local control.

The TUC, trade unions and transport campaigners want to pressure council leaders and all candidates in the upcoming mayoral election – set to take place in 2024 – to commit to the move on a tight timetable “as the only way to rescue the local bus network from total collapse.”

The proposed devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire – which still needs to be signed off by both councils – will give the joint mayoral combined authority the power to regulate the currently privatised bus network through a process called franchising.

It would allow the mayor to take charge of routes, frequencies and fares, creating a London-style bus network.

Mayor Andy Burnham has already taken control of Greater Manchester buses and Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin is looking to follow suit.

North Yorkshire’s bus network has shrunk by over 40 per cent since 2013, putting it in the top ten areas of England for lost routes. Rural parts of England’s largest county have been particularly hard hit, though services in the city of York have fared better.

Passenger numbers have not recovered post-Covid and fears have been raised that services will decline yet further once pandemic-related government support ends in March 2023.

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said: “A reliable bus network is vital for the economic, cultural and spiritual life of our region.

“This is an essential service for work, school, hospital appointments as well as for leisure and wellbeing. Communities need sustainable, affordable and reliable options.”

Jan Arger, chair of the North and East Yorkshire Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, said: “Unreliable, irregular buses play a significant role in cutting off rural communities, leading to isolation and loneliness while hitting the local economy.

“Taking buses into local control would be a first step towards delivering the rural bus services we need and deserve.”

A launch event for the campaign will take place outside York Minster on Thursday lunchtime.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell said: “Under public control and regulation we can ensure York sees direct economic, social and climate benefits through an enhanced public transport network. It is time that York realised the opportunity of bus franchising and gets on board.”

The city is set to agree an ‘enhanced partnership’ with local bus operators, which stops short of franchising.

The TUC’s better buses campaigner Gareth Forest said the bus system had been “broken for a long time”.

“It is a wild west free market where bus companies can do what they like and local politicians have few powers to stop them,” he added.

Matthew Topham, better buses campaigner at We Own It, added: “Only local control unlocks the legal powers to offer a single, integrated ticketing system, like the £1.65 hopper fare in London, that guarantees you good value.”