LAURA KYRKE-SMITH MP BACKS PLAN TO DELIVER BETTER BUSES ACROSS AYLESBURY CONSTITUENCY

Laura at a meeting with Transport Secretary Louise Haigh MP and other South East Labour MPs, in which she discussed bus services across Aylesbury

Laura Kyrke-Smith MP has today backed the Labour Government’s transformative plans to streamline the process for local communities to take back control of local bus services from unaccountable private operators across Aylesbury constituency.

Under the Government’s plans, announced today by the Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, powers to take back control of local bus services will be expanded to every community, and barriers to achieving public control will be removed to speed up the process.

Currently, only Metro Mayors have the powers to pursue bus franchising, but new legislation brought forward by the Government will see all local transport authorities enjoy the same freedom to bring their buses back into public control and deliver better services. 

The Labour Government has also published a consultation to seek views on proposals to streamline the process of delivering public control by removing unnecessary barriers imposed by the previous Conservative Government. 

The guidance will also put the needs of passengers and bus drivers first - by encouraging local transport authorities to consider driver welfare and passenger safety, including on anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls. 

Under the Conservatives, bus services in England’s regions outside London collapsed, with thousands of bus services cut, and almost 300 million fewer miles driven by buses per year, since 2010. 

The new powers, which will be introduced by a new Statutory Instrument in Parliament, represent the first step towards the Government’s manifesto commitment to reform the broken bus system. 

The plans are the first stop on the Government’s journey to better buses, with a new Buses Bill to follow, which will revolutionise the bus network in the largest overhaul to local transport powers in four decades. 

Commenting on the announcement, Laura Kyrke-Smith MP said: “I am so pleased to see the Labour Government moving fast and taking bold steps to deliver better buses for local communities in Buckinghamshire. 

“After fourteen years of Conservative failure, our local bus services have been driven into the ground. 

“For too long, my constituents across Aylesbury have put up with unacceptable delays, cancellations and scrapped services, including Arriva’s decision to end bus services to Oxford and High Wycombe.

“The Labour Government’s plan for better buses will give communities like Aylesbury the power to take back control of their bus services, and will support local leaders to deliver better buses, faster.”

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: “Buses are the lifeblood of our communities, but for too many people it has become impossible to rely on local services, as routes have been slashed and timetables hollowed out.

“Today is the first stop on our journey to delivering better buses across the country. After decades of failed deregulation, local leaders will finally have the powers to provide services that deliver for passengers.

"And we are taking steps to support local leaders to deliver improved bus services faster and cheaper than ever before.

“With local communities firmly back in the driving seat, our bus revolution will save vital routes up and down the country and put passengers first."