Transport Secretary backs council-run bus trials as Wiltshire operator warns on costs
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has backed trials of council-run bus services, but a Wiltshire operator warns franchising could add costs and risk for taxpayers.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has backed trials that would let councils run local bus services. The government has promised more money for buses. Ministers are looking at whether the Greater Manchester model, where local leaders have more control, could improve services elsewhere.
In Wiltshire, the problem is rural isolation. Sue, who is partially sighted and has not been able to drive for more than a decade, said bus cuts changed her life overnight. She had to give up a lot of self-employed work because she could not get to jobs. She has four teenage children who cannot get out easily or see their friends. She described the isolation as instant and huge.
The county already spends heavily on supported services. About 44% of all bus miles travelled in Wiltshire are subsidised, double the England average. The government says more money is coming to support bus services.
Greater Manchester's Bee Network, started when Andy Burnham was mayor, lets combined authorities set fares and routes. New legislation means other councils can follow suit. Burnham has said buses are an essential service and should be under public control.
But the boss of Salisbury Reds in Wiltshire is sceptical. He said a council-run service would be driven by politics. Profit allows operators to invest and develop services, and at present the company takes the full commercial risk. Under franchising, the council or local authorities would take that risk instead, which he said would place more burden on the taxpayer.
Speaking on Politics West, Heidi Alexander said she wants local leaders to have more authority to choose the model that suits their area. The government is working with rural areas including Cornwall and Hertfordshire to test whether bus franchising is possible. She said the aim is to give more people good access to bus services.
The government's push for boosted bus travel has begun. In the rural west country, the question is whether residents and operators are ready to get on board.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Bus franchising would place full commercial risk for services on councils and burden taxpayers, according to an operator. | |
| Heidi Alexander is seeking permission for councils to trial operating local bus services. | |
| In Wiltshire, 44% of bus miles are already subsidised, around double the England average. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West focused on the local Wiltshire angle, using the national policy debate as a frame for rural bus cuts and isolation. It gave prominence to a partially sighted resident's experience and to Salisbury Reds' warning about taxpayer risk. It also carried Heidi Alexander's comments from Politics West about testing franchising in rural areas.
- “The Swindon MP, Heidi Alexander, says our councils should be allowed to trial running local bus services.”
- “If it's run by the council, the council will obviously be driven a lot by politics.”
- “So if anything, it places more burden onto the taxpayer.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.