By Phil Cooper A leading bus operator has questioned whether councils are ready to take control of public transport, despite a report calling for them to have a central role. The country’s largest bus operator outside London, Travel West Midlands, questioned whether councils were ready to accept greater control, following publication of an LGA-commissioned report. Authors of Improving public transport, Tony Travers and Stephen Glaister, called for council leaders and chief executives to be directly involved in providing leadership in new-style passenger transport authorities (PTAs) and executives (PTEs). PTA representatives from throughout the UK meeting in Birmingham yesterday (Wednesday) were expected to give the report a warm welcome. Chair of West Midlands PTE Centro, Cllr Gary Clarke, told The MJ: ‘The report is all great news. It would be good to get power back to the ranch, so to speak.’ But Travel West Midlands’ divisional corporate affairs director, Phil Bateman, told a local newspaper more partnership work at a local level was needed before councillors were given greater decision-making powers over transport. ‘Partnership is the way forward, and if we can get more understanding from local authorities to bus-priority measures, then we would stand more of a chance of improving services,’ he said. But a spokesman for Nexus – the Tyne and Wear PTE – said the organisation welcomed the report. ‘There are potential benefits to planning transport provision across city-regions and extending the role of PTEs in key areas of local transport policy. We would welcome a debate about the future,’ a spokesman said. The LGA report says existing arrangements are insufficiently focused to deliver leadership and warns: ‘If there was to be no change, PTAs risk being swept away by more radical changes’. Travel West Midlands was unavailable for comment. mjnews@hgluk.com