IPPR North will today unveil its
blueprint for a new National Bus Company (NBC) at a high-profile
event in Liverpool set to be addressed by the Minister for Local
Transport and Mayor of Liverpool City
Region.
The company – a joint venture between
government and local areas – could electrify the rollout of
zero-emissions buses across the country which would help to clean
the air and boost local economies.
Borrowing its name from the National
Bus Company created by former Transport Secretary Barbara Castle,
the NBC would harness places' collective power to bulk buy new
zero emission buses. In doing so, it could help get more electric
buses on the road faster and cheaper, supporting bus
manufacturing jobs and unlocking the benefits of locally
controlled buses.
Researchers say this would help
improve local transport, with more comfortable rides for
passengers, cleaner air for communities, value for money for
councils and potentially passengers, and a leap towards the UK's
net zero ambitions – all powered by buses. They point to the fact
that improving local bus services are a wise investment, with
every £1 invested estimated to generate up to £4.55 in economic
benefits.
This news comes as the biggest shake
up of buses in a generation is underway. The decline of buses
over the last decade has made England's economy £2.6 billion
smaller and led to an estimated 1.1 billion extra miles driven in
cars and taxis in 2023, equivalent to driving between Lands' End
and John O'Groats 1.3 million times. But the Bus Services Bill
which has recently passed its Second Reading in the House of
Commons represents a leap along the road to better buses by
making it easier for places to implement bus franchising and
choose the right model of buses for them, as well as by tackling
the scourge that is violence against women and girls on public
transport.
Researchers at IPPR North say the Bill
provides a strong foundation for the next phase of reforms to
upgrade local transport and that the NBC is the next step
to deliver what they say are the critical shifts needed to
revolutionise buses—devolving power, accelerating
decarbonisation, stronger central support, and securing vital
investment-- to unlock a future of greener, better buses that
truly work for people.
, Mayor of Liverpool City
Region, said:
“Everyone deserves to be able to rely on a decent bus
service – to get to work, visit family or simply get around
affordably. In the Liverpool City Region, we're already motoring
ahead with putting power back where it belongs – in the hands of
local people – by bringing our buses back under public control
and integrating them into the most comprehensive local transport
network outside of the capital.
“IPPR North's report is a timely
and welcome contribution, making a strong case for putting better
buses at the heart of national transport policy – backed by the
powers, investment and political will to make it
happen.
“Thankfully, government seems to
be listening – and I'm pleased the Bus Services Bill will give us
more of the tools we need to get on with the job. Because
wherever you live, decent public transport shouldn't be seen as a
luxury but a lifeline, and a driver of opportunity and social
mobility.”
Senior research fellow at IPPR
North, Marcus Johns said:
“Buses are a critical public
service for people, for our economy and our environment. We need
better, greener buses, and a National Bus Company will be a
helpful vehicle to get us to the next stop on that
journey”.
Senior research fellow at
IPPR, Dr Maya Singer Hobbs
commented:
“People care about buses, and
rightly so: they connect us to family, friends, fun and financial
opportunity and more. With buses that actually work, our worlds
and opportunities widen.
“Buses are also a highly visible
improvement which the public associate with their local leaders –
every way you look at it, prioritising buses makes
sense”.
ENDS
Notes:
Senior research fellows and report
co-authors Marcus Johns and Dr Maya Singer Hobbs are available
for interview.
IPPR North is the leading think-tank
for the north of England, developing bold ideas for a stronger
economy and prosperous places and people. For more information,
visit ippr.org/north.
Copies of the report will be published
at 00:01 on Tuesday 10th
June at https://www.ippr.org/articles/en-route-to-renewal
