'Failed experiment': Call for local bus services to be brought back under council control

Councillor Richard Overton has said recent attempts by the Government to promote bus travel have failed Telford and Wrekin residents and that handing control over to local authorities allow the council to provide a more efficient service.

He has put forward a motion to be heard at a full council meeting next Thursday.

Mr Overton said: “Our residents and business continually tell us about the lack of reliable and affordable bus services across Telford and Wrekin.

"This impacts rural, urban and employment areas of our borough and our residents access to public service including education, cultural and leisure services.

"The privatisation of bus transport by the Conservative government in the 1980s is a failed experiment based upon Conservative ideology rather than social need, which places profit before people.

"The Government has tried to re-ignite bus travel through promotion of the 2021 National Bus Strategy but this continues to fail many areas like Telford and Wrekin."

Councillor Overton said that prohibitions placed on the council by the Government were preventing the authority from managing the service.

"Operators continue to withdraw services, with those that remain often overcrowded, late, or worse, cancelled at peak times," he added.

"This impacts on residents who rely on such services to attend work, school and vital medical appointments."

Councillor Overton said well-connected and affordable bus networks are crucial to the borough as residents continue to face a cost of living crisis, as well as helping to reduce carbon emissions, pollution and congestion.

He continued: "The council does all it can despite having £140m of cuts each year since 2010 to support bus travel in the borough.

"But with the continued cuts to council services by the Conservative Government the ambition of Telford & Wrekin to have a decent bus services is being held back by the Government lack of ambition and action."

"The council calls on the Government to give local control, planning and regulation of the local bus network where operators are only able to provide services under contract to the local authority, and to do so without any current preconditions such as having an elected mayor and that the Government see public transport as a key contributor to economic growth."

The motion will be discussed at the council meeting, and if passed, the council will agree to support the calls to improve local bus services, and write to the Transport Secretary and locals MPs.