Spend the BILLIONS (for Metro, Sprint, franchising) on Fare-Free Public Transport for all. "Stuff their mouths with gold" to get a right royal regional bus provision. And, allow local councils to become shareholders of the bus operators. KEEP TO ENHANCED BUS PARTNERSHIP (EBP) that has no financial risks for councillors.
from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1w04vd7xdro.amp
17 March 2025
"A new funding deal to stop a number of West Midlands bus services being cut has been agreed." SELF: Part of the Enhanced Bus Partnership (EBP) that gives full control to the WMCA already.
"The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) board has green lit an extension of the Bus Network Support Grant which provides financial support to operators." SELF: Thanks to the EBP of direct co-operation between the authority and bus operators.
"It will be extended from 1 to 30 April, with a new arrangement kicking in from 1 May to 31 December. The decision comes amid public consultation events on plans to bring services under public control." SELF: The services are already "under full public control", thanks to the EBP.
"A report to the board revealed last month, that more than 30% of current commercially-operated routes would be put at risk without the funding, while fares would face bigger hikes." SELF: This has always been the case, has it not? For years, the £50 million to bus operators has kept fares lower and kept services running that would otherwise not be the case.
"West Midlands mayor Richard Parker dismissed claims that the network was "failing", although he has pledged to introduce a franchising system – to replace the current deregulated model – which would bring control of the routes, timetables and fares back under public control." It is not failing because of the subsidy through the EBP. IS THAT TRUE?
"At a meeting on Friday, Mr Parker said the authority provided about £50m in grants a year to operators, but despite the funding, bus fares had increased while services had been reduced." SELF: Therefore, increase the funding for the operators by using the £50 m on totally unnecessary bus franchising. And, use the billions in price and in weight of GHG emissions from scrapping the £15 BILLIONS going into trams and Sprint "bus that thinks its a tram."
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