Leading on bus regulation reform at the Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum

This week I spoke at Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum’s interesting policy conference: Next steps for urban transport and regional connectivity in England. 

The conference was designed to bring together policy makers and professionals to understand how to improve regional transit systems in England, and I talked specifically on how bus regulatory reform can support these aims. 

In almost a decade of assisting mayoral combined authorities (former passenger transport executive areas) including Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, the West Midlands and South Yorkshire I’ve seen the potential for bus franchising to be a key facilitator in improving transport quality and connectivity.

In those denser areas, delivery and management of franchising requires considerable additional resource, but the scale of network is such that taking on revenue risk and network coordination could achieve a net saving.

A key advantage being taken by those front-running authorities, is streamlining the introduction of zero-emission buses (ZEBs). 

As we look forward – particularly in the context of an integrated national transport strategy - where I think this is going to get exciting will be the part franchising plays as a critical part of the delivery toolkit for more challenging interventions including workplace parking levies and other revenue raising measures; any form of transit or major passenger transport improvement; as well as the aforementioned climate goals. 

This will give bus regulatory reform real ‘purpose’ and a clear role and in the coming years I look forward to seeing our bus networks evolve, and how benefits for passengers are realised. 

Read more about bus franchising here.