Bus Regulation
Thu., June 12, 2008. 09:22.
Parliament can today start to fix a 20-year old problem
Today's debate on Scotland's bus services will include a key Green amendment (1) to look again at how regulation could be strengthened, more than 20 years after the Thatcher government deregulated services across the UK.
The evidence is that the number of passenger journeys across Scotland has fallen by more than 30% since deregulation in 1986. (2) In London, where buses continue to be regulated, they saw an increase in journeys, also of around 30%. (3)
In opposition, the SNP proposed a Bill to re-regulate Scotland's buses (4), and the Liberal Democrat conference in 2006 committed the party to similar measures. (5) Patrick Harvie MSP said:
"When I hear the Tories claim the current arrangements are "delivering an excellent service to passengers across Scotland" I wonder if they're living in the same Scotland as the rest of us. It's clear to anyone who actually uses our buses that services don't reach all the parts of the country they should, especially in rural areas and at off-peak times. What's more, fares are too high and continue to rise.
"Scotland's bus services are the front line in the battle against climate change, but all too often this vital public service is misunderstood as simply a business like any other business. Competition has helped in some areas, but the unregulated free-for-all of the last 20 years has failed too many bus users, and Parliament can start to turn this situation around this afternoon."
[h3]Notes[h3]
1. The Green amendment reads as follows:
S3M-2121.2 Patrick Harvie: Bus Transport-As an amendment to motion (S3M-2121) in the name of Des McNulty, insert at end "recognises the need, beyond the short term, to consider the most appropriate regulatory environment for bus services to operate within, given the mixed impacts of competition in the industry and the positive results that have been achieved in countries and cities which use stronger forms of bus regulation, and calls on the Scottish Government to consult on the full range of options for the future of bus services."
2. Figures from the 2006 Statistical Bulletin.
3. See Commission for Integrated Transport figures.
4. See Kenny MacAskill's proposal from 2002.
5. See: conference report.
Contact the Scottish Greens' press team on 07909 933 074.