Greasing the wheels: Getting our bus and rail markets on the move
Article
This report focuses on the relationship between public and private stakes in rail services, and differences between bus services in London and elsewhere.
Our analysis examines the pros and cons of existing policy for both of these transport markets. While policy for London buses seems to be performing reasonably well, there are challenges facing rail which need addressing, though these pale in comparison to those facing bus markets outside London.
Policy recommendations for rail cover:
- allowing public sector rail operators to compete for franchises, including as part of a joint venture with private companies
- handing responsibility for franchising decisions to the Office of Rail Regulation
- encouraging train operating companies (TOCs) to contribute more towards infrastructure costs and reduce the burden on taxpayers
Recommendations focused on bus services outside London include:
- giving greater powers and responsibilities to local bodies to shape local bus markets
- replicating the Transport for London (TfL) model at the city-region and combined authority level
- greater integration of transport spending and services by health and education providers (such as hospital shuttles and school buses)
- a new long-term, national transport strategy, to be written and owned by the Department for Transport.
Related items
Taken to heart: Inequalities in heart disease in Scotland
More than 7.6 million people across the UK live with cardiovascular disease (CVD), around twice as many as live with Alzheimer’s disease and cancer combined.Skills passports: An essential part of a fair transition
This month, government will publish its Clean Energy Workforce Strategy. This plan covers two aims. First, filling the growing demand for skills in clean energy industries is essential to keep on track to reach the government’s clean power…Fixing the leak: How to end the £22 billion annual taxpayer losses at the Bank of England
The Bank of England increased its interest rates over recent years, aimed at reducing inflation. But this has also had an unintended effect on the Bank of England’s massive government bond buying – ‘quantitative easing’ – programme.