Municipal bus operation in Scotland

[InOban]

As of today local authorities are allowed to run their own bus services either directly or by franchising. I wonder whether west Lothian will take up the opportunity.

 

[jb66]

As of today local authorities are allowed to run their own bus services either directly or by franchising. I wonder whether west Lothian will take up the opportunity.

Could West Lothian award lothian buses exclusivity in return for same zonal fares as Edinburgh?

 

[overthewater]

Could West Lothian award lothian buses exclusivity in return for same zonal fares as Edinburgh?

Simple answer is no, Lothian buses etc is privately operated company which is publicly owned by the councils. The council have no right to say how Lothian operates its business within reason.

In the realms of Council tenders, it's still unclear.

 

[Volvodart]

Is it not just that if the commercial operators will not take up a tender which has been issued, the council can operate the service themselves if they so wish? This may have been changed since the Bill was proposed.

 

[JurassicMan]

Could West Lothian award lothian buses exclusivity in return for same zonal fares as Edinburgh?

Why would West Lothian Council give exclusivity to Edinburgh buses?

Surely a case for any bus company to put forward a case for this if it were on offer?

 

[stevenedin]

Why would West Lothian Council give exclusivity to Edinburgh buses?

Surely a case for any bus company to put forward a case for this if it were on offer?

West Lothian Council own a small percentage of Lothian Buses but I would class this as a conflict of interest if they awarded it to them. If anything First would have a better chance as they have served the area for over 100 years.

 

[JurassicMan]

West Lothian Council own a small percentage of Lothian Buses but I would class this as a conflict of interest if they awarded it to them. If anything First would have a better chance as they have served the area for over 100 years.

Exactly, and for such an offer who's to say other transport companies wouldn't be very interested?

 

[GusB]

Mod note - posts #1-7 were originally posted in this thread:

First Scotland East (Midland Bluebird and West Lothian operations)

Combined thread carrying on the discussion from: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/first-midland-bluebird.130883/ and the First operations from here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/west-lothian-buses.166740/

www.railforums.co.uk

While the posts referred to West Lothian in particular, it's something that applies to Scotland as a whole, so I thought the topic was worthy of a separate thread.

Municipal bus operation in Scotland encouraged by minister - routeone

Local transport authorities in Scotland have been encouraged by minister Jenny Gilruth to consider operating municipal bus services.

www.route-one.net

Local transport authorities (LTAs) in Scotland have been encouraged by Minister for Transport Jenny Gilruth to consider operating municipal bus services after the Scottish Government commenced such powers under Section 34 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019.

Municipal operation is among the options outlined in the Act that, it is hoped, will arrest bus patronage decline in Scotland and lead to improved services. Collaborative working via a Bus Service Improvement Partnership (BSIP) is another avenue, as is reregulation via the franchised model. Transport Scotland earlier said that secondary legislation to enable both the latter will be introduced “before the end of 2023.”

Where Scottish LTAs take up the ability to run local bus services themselves, they may do so “in any way they see fit within the wider context of their obligations,” says Transport Scotland. Such activities were previously prohibited under the Transport Act 1985. The new power sits alongside LTAs’ existing scope to subsidise services.

During passage of the Bill that subsequently became the 2019 Act, some LTAs in Scotland had indicated a desire for “a clearer legal framework to afford the option to run their own buses,” Transport Scotland said in an earlier consultation.

The 2019 Act “is not restrictive” in the way that those LTAs can run their own buses. As a result, they may choose to do so directly or via an arm’s length external organisation in which the LTA is the main shareholder but is not involved in day-to-day operation.

Under the Act, Scottish ministers may issue guidance in relation to exercising the new functions. Responses to the same consultation showed that four themes are dominant among the information that LTAs need for possible municipal operation: Legislative requirements, financial implications, competition impacts and bus service business models.

While Ms Gilruth has encouraged all LTAs in Scotland to consider using the new power to run their own bus services, she has acknowledged that not all will wish to do so, and that some will opt for alternative BSIP or reregulation approaches. However, “what is key is that LTAs will soon have greater tools at their disposal to revitalise bus services where required,” she adds.