franchised bus markets were run around the world
Urban Transport Group (UTG) has held a conference highlighting the experiences of several authorities from around the world with the bus franchising model.
Jonathan Bray, Director of the Urban Transport Group and Chairman of the conference, said: “With bus industry partners we were very pleased to be able to host this event and create the opportunity for transport authorities from the UK to learn from their counterparts from transport authorities in Jersey, Netherlands and Australia who have successfully delivered bus franchising.
“The Bus Services Act gives transport authorities a new and far more effective range of tools to improve bus services up to and including the franchising of networks of bus services.
“Given we have few working examples in the UK of bus franchising at present, it makes sense to cast the net wider so that UK transport authorities can get it right first time by learning hard earned lessons on how best to go about franchising from those who have made it work in practice. We have had excellent feedback so far on the event which is the first in a series of initiatives we are planning on getting the best from all the new powers in the Buses Act.”
