to Bob Whitehead re WMCC and doubts over bus franchising

I would like a discussion which means disagreement or, certainly, questions and doubts raised.  If only others could disagree and, explain why, with what I think is so important to slow climate disaster - but, this never happens!

I have doubts over the wisdom of franchising because:

• We had it for decades until the 1980s at a time when public transport was in decline and private transport in the ascendancy.  Dreadful things happened with public transport during that time!!
• We already have the professional partnership between the officers at 16 Summer Lane and the bus companies.
• The Bus Partnership fixes fares and routes, anyway.  So nothing is gained from franchising.
• Council control destroyed the total tram network and a very large part of Brum's/Black Country railway network.
• All 7 councils and cllrs leave public transport to 16 Summer Lane.  There is a serious democratic deficit because transport directors are sold on developing highly climate/resource-expensive, LR, VLR and ULR rail projects, plus Sprint buses.
• Edinburgh City Council had discussions, debates and votes before going ahead with their two tram schemes.
• Cllrs who change every year, are blinded by the engineering results, the stunning cleverness of the new, multi-modal magnificence of it all.  Checking, challenging, questionning does not take place.
• Tens of millions for franchising that could go into FFPT.
• Hundreds of millions from the 7 councils and cllrs for Metro should be going into FFPT and raising the status of buses at the expense of the dreadful road clogging car commuters.
• Use the franchising and Metro extension money for bribing car commuters onto buses, trains, trams in the 6 hour rush hour every weekday.
• My two year Hagley Road experiment suggestion is better!
• Franchising is the theory.  The Bus Partnership is the working reality that franchising cannot possibly improve upon.
• Let individual cllrs and officers become shareholders in the bus companies and even the TfWM, itself.  MAKE MONEY from the dividends in being shareholders!