County councils have warned that unless bus franchising powers are made available to all local authorities, many shires will be unable to maintain existing routes.
The County Councils Network (CCN) has written to Buses Minister Andrew Jones saying that only giving the powers of franchising to those areas governed by mayors could mean large swathes of England would face a postcode lottery on whether their bus services will improve.
‘Due to austerity, cutbacks to bus services have had an impact on isolated communities that truly do see public transport as a lifeline,’ said cllr Anne Western, CCN economic growth spokeswoman.
‘That’s why it is crucial for the Government to pass on franchising powers to all councils, not simply areas that have chosen to be governed by a mayor. Rural communities arguably need sustainable bus services more than their urban counterparts, yet this policy favours the city, not the shire.’
Recent research from the Campaign for Better Transport suggested some shire counties have been forced to cut their public transport budgets in half, with £78m being cut since 2010.
