Bus Franchising in West Yorkshire!

Simon Lightwood, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Local Transport, commenting on Tracy Brabin’s decision to adopt bus franchising for West Yorkshire, said:

It’s fantastic to see trailblazing Labour mayors leading the way and improving their local bus networks. Today’s decision will revolutionise bus services across West Yorkshire by handing power over routes, fares and service quality back where it belongs – in the hands of the community.

But every local authority should have the powers and support needed to take back control of their local bus services – not just the biggest metro mayors.

Labour would extend the power to franchise bus services to every community, speed up the process, and reverse the Tories’ ideological ban on municipal bus ownership.