LCR Bus Franchising

[SK15 GZG (Moderator)]

LCR Bus Franchising
It's been reported by the Liverpool Echo that Steve Rotheram intends to move forward with his proposal to introduce franchising to the Liverpool City Region's bus network. If the proposal is approved by the combined authority then a public consultation will take place once a business case has been completed

I have to say I'm not a fan of this idea at all. The amount of money it will cost to implement and then maintain simply isn't worth it in my opinion

[MPTE1955]

RE: LCR Bus Franchising

(24/02/2022 22:49)SK15 GZG Wrote:  It's been reported by the Liverpool Echo that Steve Rotheram intends to move forward with his proposal to introduce franchising to the Liverpool City Region's bus network. If the proposal is approved by the combined authority then a public consultation will take place once a business case has been completed

I have to say I'm not a fan of this idea at all. The amount of money it will cost to implement and then maintain simply isn't worth it in my opinion

I'm not convinced either, we will all end up paying for it To be honest, the fact that the metro mayor has proposed makes me think it will be a mess and I can't see it happening. Just a clown trying to justify his existence in a needless role.

[Barney]

RE: LCR Bus Franchising

(24/02/2022 22:49)SK15 GZG Wrote:  It's been reported by the Liverpool Echo that Steve Rotheram intends to move forward with his proposal to introduce franchising to the Liverpool City Region's bus network. If the proposal is approved by the combined authority then a public consultation will take place once a business case has been completed

I have to say I'm not a fan of this idea at all. The amount of money it will cost to implement and then maintain simply isn't worth it in my opinion

As someone who remembers a time before deregulation and privatisation, I have to disagree with you. Prior to 1986, bus services were infinitely more accessible (extensive and frequent) and affordable to the general population. Also, if the franchise model is good enough for London, why isn't it good enough for the LCR?

Yes, this will come at a cost to the taxpayer but so does everything else in a civilised society. UK bus operations are virtually unique in the western world in that they are expected to finance themselves which, in a time when the planet is trying to decarbonise makes no sense at all.

The recent squandering of billions during the pandemic shows that money can be found if the political will is there.

[SK15 GZG (Moderator)]

RE: LCR Bus Franchising

(25/02/2022 09:41)Barney Wrote:  As someone who remembers a time before deregulation and privatisation, I have to disagree with you. Prior to 1986, bus services were infinitely more accessible (extensive and frequent) and affordable to the general population. Also, if the franchise model is good enough for London, why isn't it good enough for the LCR?

Yes, this will come at a cost to the taxpayer but so does everything else in a civilised society. UK bus operations are virtually unique in the western world in that they are expected to finance themselves which, in a time when the planet is trying to decarbonise makes no sense at all.

The recent squandering of billions during the pandemic shows that money can be found if the political will is there.

As a taxpayer I'm not particularly keen on paying more council tax for a service which my family and I very rarely use. I also note (unsurprisingly) that Rotheram hasn't mentioned the important fact the price of having a franchised bus network is higher council tax bills. I expect the reason why he hasn't mentioned it is because if LCR taxpayers knew this then this pie-in-the-sky idea wouldn't get off the ground

If anyone thinks that central government is going to pay for franchising in the Liverpool City Region then they're very much mistaken I'm afraid

[H101GEV (Administrator)]

RE: LCR Bus Franchising
I don't trust Merseytravel and the powers that be to deliver this in a competent way, given their track record. It could be made to work and might just give the major operators the wake-up call that is needed, but I doubt it will.

[MPTE1955]

RE: LCR Bus Franchising
I really don't think that this will be done properly with Rotherham involved. Nothing he does works, and I still remember him rolling over for Johnson to tickle his belly. Time will tell but don't really see why my council tax should rise for this.

[Barney]

RE: LCR Bus Franchising
Why is it that whenever a local politician proposes any transport initiative for Merseyside the default reaction by many on this site is to resort to personal insults of the individual in office?

Until recently, Joe Anderson was the target of abuse and now it's Steve Rotherham. Explain how he is "a clown" and when did he: "roll over and allow Johnson to tickle his belly"? Personally, I have never voted for either of these two, but have always been willing to listen to what they are proposing.

What needs to be acknowledged is that the same party that introduced deregulation in 1986 (the Conservatives) has tacitly accepted that it has been an abject failure and consequently introduced the 2017 legislation enabling a franchising bus operation outside of London.

[NorthernCounties]

RE: LCR Bus Franchising
No one listened to my warnings of council tax rises to pay for franchising in manchester and we're on our second rise this year and franchising hasn't even started yet. £30 a year so far and with almost no money from government that figure is set to rise dramatically after franchising starts.
Merseyside will also have major tax rises to look forward to if they agree to it too

[Mayneway]

RE: LCR Bus Franchising

(25/02/2022 22:18)NorthernCounties Wrote:  No one listened to my warnings of council tax rises to pay for franchising in manchester and we're on our second rise this year and franchising hasn't even started yet. £30 a year so far and with almost no money from government that figure is set to rise dramatically after franchising starts.
Merseyside will also have major tax rises to look forward to if they agree to it too

Worth pointing out the franchising in Manchester has ‘quietly’ been put on hold until the results of the judicial review (organised jointly by Stagecoach and Diamond), are made clear. Bids for franchising in Wigan and Bolton were due to open later this year but TFGM have paused spending on it and there’s a strong feeling it will either be watered down or dumped all together.

[Barney]

RE: LCR Bus Franchising

(25/02/2022 23:14)Mayneway Wrote:  Worth pointing out the franchising in Manchester has ‘quietly’ been put on hold until the results of the judicial review (organised jointly by Stagecoach and Diamond), are made clear. Bids for franchising in Wigan and Bolton were due to open later this year but TFGM have paused spending on it and there’s a strong feeling it will either be watered down or dumped all together.

Clearly TfGM cannot proceed with the bidding process whilst a judicial review is being conducted. For those of us with long memories, the Transport Act of 1985 that created the deregulated system that currently exists was also challenged in the courts and subsequently failed.

My view is that this is a desperate delaying tactic by Stagecoach and Diamond and the fact that the Bus Services Act of 2017 is enshrined in law will mean that this appeal will also ultimately prove futile.

Where is this "strong feeling that it will be watered down or dumped altogether"? It seems more like wishful thinking on your part as I haven't seen or read anything to corroborate this assertion. On the contrary, most of the metro mayors seem to be following Andy Burnham's lead and pursuing a franchised bus system.