Should there be a bus "Minimum Service Level"?

[wirewiper]

A member of Folkestone and Hythe Constituency Labour Party has written an article, calling for a minimum service level pledge for bus services in coastal towns and rural areas. This could form part of a policy of guaranteeing minimum service standards in public services, as suggested in the report "A New Britain: Renewing Our Democracy and Rebuilding Our Economy" published by the Commission on the UK's Future, led by former Labour Chancellor and Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The idea would be to create minimum standards for every citizen, regardless of where they live, on transport, communications networks and local amenities. 

Minimum standards for public transport, especially buses, would guarantee service levels and fares, and accessibility to services and amenities for rural and coastal communities which are severely disadvantaged at present. At present it is almost impossible to hold bus operators to account or to stop County Councils and Unitary Authorities cutting routes. The definition of what constitutes an "appropriate" public transport service is widely open to interpretation, and rarely are the decisions of local politicians challenged in the courts.    

There is discussion to be had on what would constitute a minimum service level, but it could include specific criteria and routes which would ensure rural areas and coastal towns remain connected.


The Labour List article: labourlist.org/2023/01/a-pledge-on-minimum-bus-services-would-be-revolutionary-for-coastal-communities/


Further Reading: 

www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/blog/policies-for-places-as-well-as-people/ 

labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Commission-on-the-UKs-Future.pdf (155 pages)

[wirewiper]

The Government itself is now considering the statutory provision of socially and economically necessary bus services, if this is not achieved by operators and Local Authorities through Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs). This is included in the response to the report "Implementation of the National Bus Strategy" which was published by the Transport Committee on 30th March.

Much of the report concerns long-term funding of bus services, but the Committee noted that the National Bus Strategy when published in 2021 had a commitment to provide new guidance to Local Authorities on socially end economically necessary services, and a suggestion that the Government would consider the introduction of a statutory requirement for their provision. The Government in its response has partially accepted the Committee's recommendation to put its promises into action, and says that new guidance will be published "in this parliament". A statutory requirement will only be considered if the guidance does not lead to better provision of socially and economically necessary services.

Also being considered is a review into whether it is correct that Local Authorities continue to be barred from setting up municipally-owned bus operations, and a consultation on reform of Bus Service Operator's Grant (BSOG) including whether it could be used to support the uptake of zero-emission vehicles (sorry yunus !).


Report from Route One: www.route-one.net/news/socially-necessary-bus-services-position-clarified-by-dft/

The Transport Committee's Report: committees.parliament.uk/publications/34612/documents/190548/default/

The Government's response: publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmtrans/1431/report.html

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In 2021 the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England published a report calling for a Swiss style bus every hour to every village in England - see www.cpre.org.uk/news/our-report-shows-a-bus-every-village-every-hour-is-possible/

The report claimed that this would cost in the region of £2.7bn annually.  To provide some context the revenue forgone by the Treasury as a result of the further freeze in fuel duty this year is around £5bn per annum - see www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/mar/06/uk-fuel-duty-cut-regressive-policy-benefits-wealthy-study