Cheshire needs bus franchising deal, says MP

Cheshire's councils do not have as many powers over bus services as in Greater Manchester or Liverpool City Region

Cheshire needs similar powers to Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region when it comes to planning and running bus services, an MP said.

Labour's Samantha Dixon, who represents the City of Chester, said the government was "pitting areas against areas" to secure funding and "it often seems that bigger urban areas win out".

Two of Cheshire's three councils have been unsuccessful in receiving funding.

But the government said it remained committed to improving bus networks.

Cheshire East Council also missed out on funding - something it said was a "deeply disappointing blow" - while Warrington Borough Council received £16.2m.

While Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region have both been granted powers for bus franchising in recent years, this is not the case across Cheshire.

Ms Dixon, who became Chester's MP at a by-election in December, told BBC Politics North West: "We have a city centre but we also have rural areas around it and those sorts of areas up and down the country have lost out."

She said it was "really shocking" that Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWC) was unsuccessful in its bid for £37m government funding for its bus service improvement plan.

"There were so many good ideas in that bus service improvement plan that wouldn't take a lot of money to actually implement so to get nothing at all was a real kick in the teeth."

Samantha Dixon was elected as Chester's MP at a by-election in December

In Cheshire West and Chester, bus passenger journeys dropped from a high of 11.6m in 2010-11 to 9.1m in 2019-20.

This 19% decline was much higher than the national average of 12%.

CWC's funding application highlighted its complex bus services.

Ms Dixon said: "I know the leader of the council continues to work with other leaders in the area to try and get these devolved powers that would enable us to do this important thing for local people.

"When I was the leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council and people used to ask me what devolution was about and what a difference it would make, I would say it's about getting a bus that goes from Chester to Winsford in the evening."

A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: "The government is committed to improving bus fares, services and infrastructure in line with its National Bus Strategy.

"The strategy gives all Local Transport Authorities, including Cheshire West and Chester, the option of requesting bus franchising powers, as long as they are confident that franchising will deliver improved local bus services for passengers more effectively."

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