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Moving Buses Forward Consultation

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Please find below my responses to the Moving Buses Forward consultation, returned as instructed by email to <a href="mailto:movingbusesforward@liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk">movingbusesforward@liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk</a>. If there are any issues, please contact me by return email. QS1. Are you responding as a?
Member of the public
 
QS3. Which of these modes of transport do you use on a weekly basis?
 
QS4. On average, how often do you use a bus in the Liverpool City Region?
 
Q1. The Assessment concludes that the current bus system is not performing as well as it should. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Strongly agree
 
Q2. The Assessment concludes that Franchising is the best option for the Combined Authority to meet its strategic objectives for bus transport in the region. For each of the following objectives, to what extent do you think Franchising will help deliver it?
 
Objective 1. Maximise the contribution of bus services to achieving the economic success and social capacity of the Liverpool City Region (make the most of how bus services contribute to improving the economy and enable people to access opportunities and services).
Fully deliver
 
Objective 2. Maximise the contribution of bus services to reducing the impact of travel on the natural environment (make the most of how buses can reduce the impact on the environment).
Fully deliver
 Objective 3. Harness competition’s role in improving the offer to passengers and delivering best value for the Combined Authority for the services it procures (use competition between operators to help improve bus standards and services for passengers and get the most value for the cost to the public sector). 
Fully deliver
 
Objective 4. Maximise the passenger benefits of service coordination, ticket integration and information provision across the Liverpool City Region public transport network (give passengers a better experience with buses by making bus services more connected, improving how tickets are used across bus services and other public transport methods, and providing better information about services and timetables).
Fully deliver
 
Objective 5. Support the implementation of measures that improve bus service delivery by addressing factors which may constrain the extent to which bus operators can commit to meet quality or service level standards (support plans to improve bus service standards to make buses run on time more often).
Fully deliver
 
Q3a. Based on the information given, do you agree Franchising will offer value for money to the public sector?
Strongly agree
 
Q3b. Why do you think this?
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">While it may have higher transition costs, the report says we’re likely to get these paid back by the benefits of the scheme over time. Also, the higher cost is worth paying if it means that services are accountable to the public — this benefit is so valuable that it’s worth paying slightly more to get to that point.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">It offers better value for money as unlike the partnership, which would rely on us having to argue with bus companies to get them to voluntarily give up the things we need, we can just make them happen.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The business case shows that franchising has a “high” overall value for money based on the Department for Transport guidance.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">It has a higher money value put onto it in the analysis (“NPV”) than the other option.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">If recovery and funding for buses went as well as possible, franchising can deliver nearly £100 million more benefits than the other option (£637m vs £535m).</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Research elsewhere shows that franchising buses can halve the amount of money that leaks out of a city region through dividends. That money would be staying in Merseyside to run more buses, pay drivers more, or lower fares.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Franchising means that there are fewer teams of advertising or customer management staff to be paid for out of public subsidy and fares as Merseytravel will unify and centralise many of these jobs.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">There are some powers that are just illegal under any model except franchising, such as a single set of simple fares on all operators or cross-subsidising services through the farebox. Unlocking these new powers means the franchising scheme offers value for money.</li>
</ul>
 
Q4. The Financial Case sets out the potential sources of funding available to the Combined Authority to deliver Franchising. Do you have any comments?
 
Q5. The Assessment shows how Merseytravel would manage Franchising in the Liverpool City Region. To what extent do you agree with these plans?
Agree
 
Q6. Overall, to what extent do you support or oppose the introduction of Franchising?
Fully support
 
Q7a. Do you think Franchising will improve and support the delivery of future improvements for the bus network in the Liverpool City Region?
Improve a lot
 
Q7b. Why do you think this?
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">In the strategic case, it says franchising will help boost frequencies and extend the times of day buses run for “where Enhanced Partnership regulations did not allow for such changes.” This would be great as lots of my friends and family are limited in their work and leisure opportunities by when and where the buses run.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">In the strategic case, it says fares will be simpler as “passengers could use tickets across transport modes.” It would be fantastic to have an Oyster card-style system that guarantees you the best price for the journeys you actually make.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">It sounds like fares would be cheaper under franchising than under any other system.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">They will be accountable to the public’s needs, through us electing the Mayor, rather than just the shareholders of the private bus companies.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">There will be better information provision as it will be coordinated through Merseytravel, not lots of individual bus companies.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">There will be a rewards scheme for bus operators when they do better and deliver long-term improvements. At the minute, they only have a profit as their reward and make that bigger in the short run by cutting routes and hiking fares.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">No other European country has handed as much power over to private bus operators as we have. When I hear from people about public transport in Europe, it is always better than what we have here. This move will bring us in line with them: I think it will deliver significant benefits as a result.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">More of the money from bus fares will be kept in the region as we will control the “fare box” rather than see it leak out to private bus company shareholders elsewhere.</li>
</ul>
 
Q8. Do you have concerns about franchising?
I have three main concerns about bus franchising:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">I do not like the plans that “all drivers and maintenance staff would be the operators’ responsibility.” I want to ensure that it is used to protect and improve working conditions for bus drivers. When franchising was first introduced in London, the Mayor didn’t regulate pay and conditions. Private operators had a race-to-the-bottom to put in the lowest bids to win franchise contacts. While the Mayor intends to tie operators into the Fair Employment Charter, I think this is weak. I think a new, municipally owned bus driver agency (a Direct Labour Organisation) should be created. Operators must be awarded franchising contracts on the basis that they subcontract to this agency for employees, preventing any competition on drivers pay and conditions. It also gives security of employment, with no need for TUPE when franchise contracts change hands.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">I believe that franchising does not go far enough. In most other European countries municipal ownership of bus services is used to keep costs to local authorities from bus franchising to a minimum, saving the public money and delivering better services. There is currently a legal ban on new municipal bus companies. As soon as this is lifted, LCR should start a new municipal bus company. It should also consider using the current loophole that allows councils to buy bus companies to purchase the Arriva North West operating company when Arriva comes up for sale.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">I want to ensure equitable and democratic control over bus services. We should have regional councils of bus passengers, businesses, and members of the community who don’t currently take the bus who can influence decision making under franchising.</li>
</ol>
 
ABOUT THE CONSULTATION
QD1. How did you hear about this consultation?
Word of mouth
 
QD2. Which council area of the Liverpool City Region do you live in?
Prefer not to say
 
QD3. Which of the following best describes your working status?
Prefer not to say
 
QD4. How old are you?
 
QD5. Do you have a concessionary travel pass (for age or mobility reasons) that entitles you to free or reduced fare in Liverpool City Region?
Prefer not to say
 
QD6. If you have a concessionary pass, does it entitle you a free or reduced fare?
Prefer not to say
 
QD7. What is your ethnic group?
Prefer not to say
 
QD8. How do you describe your gender?
Prefer not to say 
QD9. Which of the following best describes how you think of yourself?
Prefer not to say
 
QD10. Are your day-to-day activities limited because of a physical or mental health problem or disability?
Prefer not to say
 
QD11. If your day-to-day activities are limited, could you please tell me which of the conditions best describe your health issue or disability?
Prefer not to say

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