The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has attacked Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) plans to introduce bus franchising to the region in a consultation response.
CPT’s submission states that GMCA’s hopes of a joined up and integrated network, simpler fares and ticketing and an improved customer experience can be delivered more rapidly through a partnership arrangement.
The trade body also highlights how GMCA’s own Manchester bus franchising modelling shows that a proposed partnership model put forward by local operators delivers better value for money than franchising.
In a letter to routeone, Transport for Greater Manchester Executive Director Michael Renishaw had earlier said that while partnership’s cost-benefit ratio was indeed “slightly higher” than franchising, the latter will deliver “three times the benefits of the operators’ partnership proposals.”.
CPT says that the operators’ proposals would deliver more greener buses sooner and an immediate freeze on some fares. It adds that under franchising and based on GMCA’s own data, fares will increase and it will take “several years” to see any significant service improvements.
CPT also highlights that local taxpayers are at risk of having to pay the £134.5m required to move towards franchising. Mr Renishaw has already noted the government’s “intention to provide long-term sustainable funding for areas that seek to introduce franchising.”
GMCA has refused Freedom of Information requests to provide further details of the financial assumptions it has made as part of its modelling, CPT claims.
