Morecambe MP demands county council uses new bus powers

The new legislation comes after a decade in which bus services in England’s regions outside London collapsed, with thousands of bus services cut, and almost 300m fewer miles driven by buses per year since 2010.

Across Lancashire alone, bus miles declined by 39%, the equivalent to 11m less miles.

Ms Collinge’s letter comes at the same time as the Labour Government introduces new legislation to make it easier for local authorities to hold private bus operators to account and improve service quality locally.

The Buses Services Bill, soon to be introduced to the House of Commons, will expand the power to ‘franchise’ bus services – as seen successfully in Greater London and Greater Manchester – to all local transport authorities.

The Bill will revolutionise the bus network in the largest overhaul to local transport powers in 40 years.

The plans would grant local authorities greater control over the routes, fares and service levels of bus services, with private operators bidding for contracts to operate franchises.

The package of measures would also reverse the ban on publicly owned bus companies, prohibited in law since 2017, giving local authorities more flexibility on how to approach fixing local services.

Commenting, Ms Collinge said: "I’ve written to Lancashire County Council today to ask if they’re planning to use the new powers given to them in the Bus Services Bill to improve local bus services for people in our area.

"As a longstanding member of the Lancaster District Bus Users Group, I have worked for many years on improvements to bus services but there is still a long way to go. That’s why the Government has acted with the Bus Bill because for too long, unaccountable private bus companies have let my constituents down.

"It’s great to see the Labour Government backing better local transport, but we’ll only see real improvements if the County Council decides to use these new powers.

"I’m urging them to take a serious look at what will now be possible, and I’m keen to hear what they plan to do next."

Ms Collinge has also written to Westmorland and Furness Council with the same demands, as Morecambe and Lunesdale falls under both councils.