Unite backs TfL proposals for publicly owned buses in the capital

Public ownership is the only way to improve jobs, pay and conditions for workers and services for passengers

Unite, the UK's leading union representing workers in passenger transport, has strongly backed proposals for a new publicly owned bus company for London.

Last week, Transport for London (TfL) set out a new draft business plan, which aims to transform the capital's transport network. Within this, it references the development of detailed plans for a new publicly owned bus company in London - the first in over 30 years should it go ahead.

These proposals will be presented to the TfL Board for consideration today (4 February). It comes against a backdrop of struggling franchised bus services in London, with mayor Sadiq Khan spending almost £1.2 billion a year subsidising London's fleets due to pressures such as soaring costs and declining passenger numbers.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Unite has long called for bus services to be brought back under public ownership. It is nonsensical to spend billions subsidising public transport run by privatised bus companies who profiteer while workers and passengers face worsening jobs and services.

"This is a very exciting opportunity to improve jobs, pay and conditions for our bus workers in London and Unite supports the proposals for a publicly owned London bus company. It is high time bus services in London work for workers, passengers and communities rather than private companies and their shareholders.” 

Under the current model private firms submit bids to TfL to run franchised services. These contracts generally run for seven years and provide the bus operators  with a set income that is performance-dependent.

Under the TfL proposals for the public owned company, when franchise contracts come to an end TfL would review whether to bring them under a new public bus operator, rather than simply use the new company to operate loss making routes.

Unite national officer for passenger transport Wayne King said: “Buses are the most-used form of public transport in London, however it is clear the current outsourcing model in the capital is not fit for purpose and workers and passengers deserve better.

“For too long, they have borne the brunt of rising costs and failing services including lengthy delays and cancellations. Bringing bus services back into the hands of those who use them is the right approach to fixing these problems and Unite will back the plans for a publicly owned bus service in London all the way.”