Manchester could become the first city outside London to seize control of buses since 1980s privatisation Manchester could be set to become the first city region outside London to take control of its buses in a […]

Manchester could be set to become the first city region outside London to take control of its buses in a move that would mark the biggest change to regional public transport in more than three decades.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has said he wants to use new powers under the Bus Services Act 2017 to reform the bus market. An assessment by Transport for Greater Manchester has recommended franchising as the preferred option.

i told in April how the city – the home to England’s first omnibus service in 1824 – has at least 20 bus operators and there is no single organisation responsible for planning the network.

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Campaigners have been calling for the public to be given control of buses in the region, saying they deserve the same services as in London.

Today, Mr Burnham has set out a 10 year plan to create a London-style integrated transport system, called Our Network.

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority will decide whether the assessment will need to be independently audited before a public consultation is carried out.

Mr Burnham said: “Our current public transport system is fragmented and unreliable, with often confusing ticketing and passenger information.

“A truly integrated transport network has the potential to transform Greater Manchester.

“By allowing people to easily and quickly move around our city-region we can unlock growth, cut congestion and air pollution and enable our residents to lead fulfilling and rewarding lives.”

He added: “That’s why today I have launched Our Network, a vision for a cohesive and seamless single system that brings together all the different ways people travel in our city-region.

“An important part of this is reforming our bus market. We’ve reached a key milestone with the completion of the assessment into the future of Greater Manchester’s bus market, which recommends franchising as the preferred option and to be considered further by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

“We’re the first city-region seeking to make use of the new powers under the Bus Services Act and the first to test this legislation – so are leading the way nationally in this regard.”

Mr Burnham said other vital parts of the integrated network will include more trams, a new bike-hire scheme, free bus travel for passengers aged 16 to 18 and contactless Metrolink payments.

He said: “To achieve our full transport ambitions, Greater Manchester needs the infrastructure and the necessary political powers. For too long, central government has over promised and under delivered when it comes to the North.

“If the next government is serious about closing the North-South divide, a critical step forward will be empowering us with the necessary powers and funding to improve our transport. I will be making this case strongly in the next Spending Review on behalf of the people and businesses of Greater Manchester.”

Pascale Robinson from the campaign group Better Buses Greater Manchester, whose petition calling for re-regulation, has reached more than 10,000 signatures, said passengers would be “really happy” to hear the news.

She added: “Public control would mean affordable fares, a smart card with a cap, and services that are accountable to our communities, like they are in London.”