Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) could give the go ahead to a consultation on the city region’s bus network this week.
It comes after a three-month public consultation which could have resulted in the city region implementing a franchise system for buses came to an end in January.
However, a final decision on the scheme planned for spring was delayed by the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
GMCA will be asked to give the go-ahead to a consultation on the potential impacts of Covid-19 on both Greater Manchester’s bus market and its proposed franchising scheme this Friday (November 27).
Under the franchise system, buses would be brought under local control, with GMCA contracting operators, co-ordinating the bus network based on passenger needs and co-ordinating investment in the bus market, they said.
Currently, bus companies decide the routes, frequency, fares and standards and, Where bus companies decide not to run services, the public sector pays to fill in the gaps where necessary.
More than 8,500 individuals and organisations responded to the previous consultation, with eight out of 10 respondents supporting the proposed franchising scheme.
GMCA said it “noted” the results of the consultation in June and asked Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to produce a Covid-19 Impact Report considering how the pandemic had affected the bus reform process.
Most Read
The combined authority said the pandemic has had a “significant impact on bus usage with passenger levels”, which dropped by around 50%.
However, this recovered more quickly than other modes of transport, which it said demonstrated “how vital bus services are to those who rely on buses to access work, especially the 30% of households who do not have a car”.
Deputy Mayor Sir Richard Leese said buses have proven to be “a critical lifeline” during the pandemic.
He said: “If bus usage remains low and nothing is done to reform the market, services may be further reduced, which may mean the public sector will have to provide more funding to keep essential services running, especially for Greater Manchester’s poorest and most vulnerable who depend on them – but we currently have no control and limited oversight over any changes to services.
“That is why, now more than ever, we need our buses to work for the people of Greater Manchester.”
He said the evidence suggests the franchising scheme is “still the best way to achieve this and to deliver a joined-up public transport network with simple fares and ticketing and the improved customer experience”.
“It needs to proceed now so it can be an important part of our recovery from the pandemic.
Don’t miss
“We want to ensure everyone in the city-region and beyond has a chance to have their say on how Covid-19 has affected our proposals, so next week GMCA will decide whether to proceed with a further consultation.”
The combined authority said the outcome of both consultations would be considered as part of the final decision by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham after responses are independently analysed.
The decision on whether to implement the proposed franchising scheme is due to take place in spring 2021.