Frank Rogers, who leads for Urban Transport Group on buses, said:

"This new legislation offers the prospect of a 'fresh start' for the bus by giving cities a range of more effective tools with which to improve bus services. The Bill includes a simpler route for city region authorities to franchise networks of bus services in the same way that London does as well as giving us better ways of making the existing deregulated market deliver greater benefits for passengers."

"The bus is the main form of public transport in our urban areas but at present the city regions outside London lack the powers they need to ensure that bus services are planned in a way which meets the needs of our growing economies, the environmental challenges we face and passenger needs. This will be the third piece of legislation on buses since 2000 so it's vitally important that we get the detail right this time in giving us a legal framework with which to improve services which is fair, proportionate and straight forward. We look forward to playing our full part in ensuring the debate on the legislation is informed by what our city regions need to do an effective job in providing more integrated, better quality and greener bus services."

For more information contact Jonathan Bray on 0781 804 1485

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