North East buses: Passengers want mayor to take over services

A public consultation will be held for people to consider the devolution deal

A North East mayor should take control of bus services "as soon as they take power", a passenger group has said.

Members of Tyne and Wear Public Transport Users Group (PTUG) want buses brought under public ownership if a regional mayor is appointed next year.

They say franchising would end the "confusing mix" of current services.

However, bus operators have previously dismissed the model as a "huge waste of public money".

The plea is aimed at politicians hoping to become mayor for the North East, a position announced as part of a £1.4bn devolution deal for the region - which is still subject to public consultation.

A change in ownership would protect the "most used and valuable transport service" in the region, according to PTUG spokesman Alistair Ford.

"Private bus services have been in a downward spiral recently, with large-scale cuts to routes and timetables, high levels of cancellations and driver shortages.

"We're asking mayoral candidates to correct that as soon as they take power by committing to return our bus services to public control."

Mr Ford pointed to changes made to public transport in Greater Manchester as an example of how it could work.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has made drastic changes to public transport in his region

"Mayors such as Andy Burnham in Manchester have shown how their transport powers can allow the integration of all public transport. We've also seen Greater Manchester introduce a £2 fare cap on bus services, making travel more affordable when people are struggling with bills. 

"Public control of buses would allow simple tickets that you could use on bus, Metro, and train services which could be designed to serve people instead of to generate maximum profit for private shareholders, and fares could be reinvested in supporting less-used services. 

"Franchising would also end the confusing mix of operators, each with their own tickets and fares."

Councillors have complained about the "utter misery" passengers face after cutbacks from companies including Go North East and Stagecoach, but the operators said they instead wanted to work with local leaders on a government-funded regional Bus Service Improvement Plan, worth more than £160m.

Speaking on behalf of the North East's bus operators, Andrew McGuinness of the Confederation of Passenger Transport said: "The wider investment the new devolution deal will bring to the region is welcome and follows on from the North East receiving the largest single Bus Service Improvement Plan allocation in England.

"We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with Transport for North East, in conjunction with the new combined authority and mayor, on a package of bus policies that are essential to achieving net zero emissions and unlocking major social, economic and health benefits."

A spokesperson for Transport North East said that a future mayor and North East Mayoral Combined Authority was "likely to want to consider bus franchising" along with other improvements to buses.