{"id":78792,"date":"2017-02-09T13:04:25","date_gmt":"2017-02-09T13:04:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=e55a880287187d7bb05f833d161ccd21"},"modified":"2017-02-09T13:04:25","modified_gmt":"2017-02-09T13:04:25","slug":"speech-changes-and-challenges-facing-uk-bus-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=78792","title":{"rendered":"Speech: Changes and challenges facing UK bus industry"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Introduction – change<\/h2>\n

Good morning.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a real pleasure to return to the UK Bus Summit today.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m grateful to Professor Begg and the team at Transport Times for asking me back.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t feel anything like a year since I was last here.<\/p>\n

And yet when you look back to January 2016, it seems like a different world altogether.<\/p>\n

David Cameron was in an apparently unassailable position as Prime Minister.<\/p>\n

After leading his party to victory at the 2015 general election, he was looking forward to securing Britain\u2019s future EU<\/abbr> membership in the upcoming referendum.<\/p>\n

Hilary Clinton was hot favourite to become the next US<\/abbr> President, while Donald Trump was still 6 months away from even receiving the Republican nomination.<\/p>\n

And Leicester City were on their way to a Premiership title.<\/p>\n

If 2016 taught us anything, it was to expect change.<\/p>\n

The world is changing.<\/p>\n

Britain is changing.<\/p>\n

And we have to be ready for change in this industry too.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Andrew<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Challenge of growth<\/h2>\n

Because buses face a huge challenge.<\/p>\n

How to grow?<\/p>\n

The argument in favour of bus travel is as strong as it\u2019s ever been.<\/p>\n

No other form of transport can carry large numbers of people quickly, affordably and cleanly in already congested cities and towns.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why buses are still providing 4.5 billion passenger journeys a year.<\/p>\n

Getting children to school.<\/p>\n

Commuters to work.<\/p>\n

And connecting communities with jobs and services.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why they\u2019re our most popular type of public transport.<\/p>\n

More bus passengers mean fewer cars on the road.<\/p>\n

Fewer cars mean more space for buses on congested city streets.<\/p>\n

Which means faster and better journeys.<\/p>\n

And in turn, that will attract more customer demand.<\/p>\n

The bus isn\u2019t just a highly effective form of transport.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s integral to the success of our economy.<\/p>\n

To keeping our high streets thriving.<\/p>\n

And to cutting pollution.<\/p>\n

But last year bus passengers in England continued to decline.<\/p>\n

And private bus operators saw patronage fall for the first time in 6 years.<\/p>\n

So I see it as our shared goal to reverse that trend.<\/p>\n

Successes<\/h2>\n

I\u2019ve been hugely impressed with the strides many operators are making to attract new passengers and make the experience of bus travel more attractive.<\/p>\n

Over 90% of buses are now accessible.<\/p>\n

It should be 100%.<\/p>\n

Many have free wifi, CCTV<\/abbr> and USB<\/abbr> charging points.<\/p>\n

And since I last stood here major operators have begun the roll out of contactless bank card payment in earnest.<\/p>\n

Arriva, First Group, Go-Ahead, National Express and Stagecoach have committed to this.<\/p>\n

Which will bring contactless payment to every bus outside London by 2022, with many areas benefiting sooner.<\/p>\n

The benefits of smart ticketing, whether on contactless cards, smart cards or otherwise, are clear.<\/p>\n

They make journeys across modes easier and speed up journey times.<\/p>\n

There are now at least 700,000 smart cards in use outside London and they will only get more and more popular.<\/p>\n

So thank you to everyone who is supporting the ticketing revolution.<\/p>\n

Bill<\/h2>\n

But we also need to innovate in other areas if we\u2019re going to achieve our objectives.<\/p>\n

Chief among them is extending the range of options to improve bus services where improvement is needed.<\/p>\n

How we organise the operation of buses throughout the country.<\/p>\n

A year ago I spoke about how the Bus Services Bill<\/a> would help local authorities and bus operators enter into partnerships.<\/p>\n

Allowing them to agree their own standards for services to help attract new passengers.<\/p>\n

I spoke, too, about retaining the most valuable parts of the quality contract process.<\/p>\n

So we can give Mayors and local authorities the choice to use new powers to franchise bus services in their areas.<\/p>\n

And I said the Bill would address passengers\u2019 needs for better information.<\/p>\n

Well, the Bill contains all of these things.<\/p>\n

However, the journey of the Bill through Parliament has been longer than anticipated.<\/p>\n

That was inevitable considering the other pressures on Parliamentary time over the past 6 months.<\/p>\n

But although we came up against opposition in the House of Lords,<\/p>\n

And although changes were made to the Bill as a result.<\/p>\n

I can reassure you that I will be working hard to ensure that the Bill will return largely in its original form.<\/p>\n

And it will do what we always intended it to do.<\/p>\n

Increase passenger numbers, improve services, and deliver on our devolution deals.<\/p>\n

Not by forcing any one approach on the industry, but by creating new options and opportunities.<\/p>\n

And I\u2019m also expecting the Bill\u2019s timetable to remain on track.<\/p>\n

Article 50 has taken parliamentary time, but we are committed to getting the Bill through Parliament before the Mayoral elections.<\/p>\n

Partnership and open data<\/h2>\n

At its heart are partnerships – between local authorities and bus operators \u2013 which are the bedrock on which a successful bus strategy for the future will be built.<\/p>\n

The thing about bus services is that everyone should share the same objective.<\/p>\n

Put bluntly, \u201cmore bums on seats\u201d.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s how local authorities can cut congestion, support businesses and improve air quality.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s how operators can improve their bottom line \u2013 if you\u2019ll excuse the pun.<\/p>\n

New enhanced partnerships will allow local authorities and bus operators to agree their own standards for services in their area.<\/p>\n

From branding and emission standards to ticketing.<\/p>\n

Every enhanced partnership will have a plan which sets out the improvements that the authority and operators will make.<\/p>\n

To make bus travel more attractive.<\/p>\n

To identify the problems that are preventing more people from travelling by bus.<\/p>\n

And through partnership commitments \u2013 to do something about them.<\/p>\n

Partnerships offer major benefits for rural communities too.<\/p>\n

So the Bill allows better integration between local bus services and other modes of transport.<\/p>\n

It will also make more information available to passengers through the open data provisions.<\/p>\n

I want bus passengers to have the same access to journey planning and real time information as rail passengers.<\/p>\n

And the same as those travelling in London.<\/p>\n

So the provisions will require bus operators to make data about routes, fares and the operation of bus services open and accessible.<\/p>\n

Franchises<\/h2>\n

But partnerships may not be the best solution in all areas.<\/p>\n

New powers to franchise services will be available to combined authorities with directly elected mayors\u2026.<\/p>\n

Just as they are in London.<\/p>\n

And private operators will compete for contracts.<\/p>\n

One of the most notable changes made to the Bill in the House of Lords was the opening up of franchising to all local transport authorities in England.<\/p>\n

The government\u2019s position is clear.<\/p>\n

We do not support that change.<\/p>\n

Strong governance and accountability is needed to make franchising a success.<\/p>\n

So it remains our intention that mayoral combined authorities will have automatic access to franchising powers.<\/p>\n

Reflecting the centralised decision-making responsibility for transport they will hold.<\/p>\n

Other local authorities will be able to access franchising powers with the Secretary of State\u2019s consent.<\/p>\n

We want to ensure that franchising is only pursued where it makes sense to do so, where the authority has a realistic plan in place, and \u2013 most importantly – where it will benefit passengers.<\/p>\n

Consultation<\/h2>\n

The Bill that leaves Parliament must be fit for purpose.<\/p>\n

Above all, that means it will help both bus operators and authorities deliver better services for passengers.<\/p>\n

But it will only be a success if the powers it contains are easy to use – and if they are taken up.<\/p>\n

That is why we continue to focus on the practicalities.<\/p>\n

Working with organisations like the CPT, ALBUM and the Urban Transport Group to prepare key pieces of secondary legislation and guidance.<\/p>\n

Your views matter.<\/p>\n

So yesterday we launched a consultation to gather your opinions<\/a> on those detailed bits of policy.<\/p>\n

So please go to our website and let us know what you think.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

So the challenge is clear.<\/p>\n

To unite as an industry.<\/p>\n

Bus operators, local authorities and government.<\/p>\n

To show that buses are just as much the mode of the future as the mode of the past.<\/p>\n

To do that, we have designed a Bus Services Bill that will work for every area of the country.<\/p>\n

For franchises and partnerships.<\/p>\n

To deliver the services that passengers want.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m absolutely confident we can do that.<\/p>\n

Not just because we\u2019ve worked so hard on the legislation.<\/p>\n

But because I know this is a resourceful and creative industry, which is doing so much great work around the country.<\/p>\n

With an average 85% of passengers satisfied with services.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I\u2019m proud to be Bus Minister.<\/p>\n

To represent the industry in government.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s why I look forward to working with you over the next year.<\/p>\n

So thank you for listening.<\/p>\n

And enjoy the rest of the day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Partnerships key to future growth says Bus Minister.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78792"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=78792"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78792\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=78792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=78792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=78792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}