Source · Select Committees · Transport Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Accepted in Part
The Government made various commitments in the National Bus Strategy that we welcomed, as did...
Recommendation
The Government made various commitments in the National Bus Strategy that we welcomed, as did many in the bus sector. It said it would provide new guidance on socially and economically necessary services and on bus franchising. It also suggested it would consider introducing a statutory requirement on local authorities to provide services deemed socially or economically necessary and look again at the ban on new municipal bus companies. Two years on, none of these things have happened and the long-term security of many bus routes that are vital for communities remains uncertain. The Minister told us to expect announcements in late 2022, but we were disappointed. While we accept the last two years has been a busy time for the Department, we urge the Government to put its promises into action. (Paragraph 77) Zero-emission buses
Government Response Summary
The Government plans to publish new guidance on SENS during this Parliament and will consider statutorily requiring the provision of socially and economically necessary bus services if objectives are not achieved by agreement; revised franchising guidance will be published as soon as possible, and a Call for Evidence will be published during this Parliament into whether local authorities should be allowed to set up new municipal bus companies.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
The Government accepts the committee’s recommendations on franchising and municipal bus companies, and partially accepts the recommendation on Socially and Economically Necessary services (SENS). We plan to publish new guidance on socially and economically necessary services (SENS) during this Parliament. As the National Bus Strategy states, the mechanism to deliver more comprehensive SENS will be through BSIPs. In time, if the objectives of the new guidance are not achieved by agreement we will consider statutorily requiring the provision of socially and economically necessary bus services, including those which improve people’s access to employment. The revised franchising guidance will be published as soon as possible and provide more detailed and clearer advice on producing a franchising business case and using franchising powers to deliver NBS and BSIP outcomes. We will publish a Call for Evidence during this Parliament, as the first part of a review into whether it remains right that local authorities cannot set up new municipal bus companies.