Tag: bus franchising

• Brabin determined not to lose control, again

  Fresh from hiding a damning report about her mass transit plans, West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin has been caught in another transparency row – accused of locking bus users out of planning for franchising and taking decisions in secret.

  The Yorkshire Evening Post (YEP) reports:

  Campaigners in West Yorkshire are calling for “more transparency” from the Mayor’s office on bus franchising plans.
  
  Better Buses West Yorkshire staged a ‘People’s Question Time’ protest outside the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s (WYCA) offices on Wellington Street, Leeds this morning. This was aimed at highlighting how local bus groups feel they have been locked out of decisions about their bus services.

  

  Green “Weaver Network” buses are due to hit the streets from next year after Brabin decided in 2024 to bring public transport back under public control, despite pressure from bus operators.

  But Cristiana Mirosanu, Green councillor for Chapel Allerton ward (where I used to live), told the YEP:

  (more…)

  2026.06.26

• Labour mayor digs in against franchising

  It looks as if West of England metro mayor Helen Godwin is firmly opposed to bus franchising in the region and does not want the public to know how strong the case is or what the costs might be.
  
  The Bristol Post reports:

  Campaigners calling for bus services in Bristol and the West of England to be brought back under public control say those in charge of the region are keeping a report into the idea out of the public domain.

  …with campaigners saying one reason could be because it revealed that franchising the bus services in Bristol would be achievable.

  

  The Post explains that last year the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) commissioned ARUP to compile a report into bus franchising, which was delivered to it in April.

  Open Government campaigner and bus franchise supporter Joseph Lloyd submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act for a copy of the report to be published, but WECA has now refused.
  
  WECA chiefs said releasing the report could ‘negatively impact an organisation’s commercial interests’ – which can only mean the West’s two main bus companies First and Stagecoach.

  (more…)

  2026.06.02