In a move to underscore the importance of bus franchising in Cambridgeshire, Jonathan Ziebart, Managing Director of Ascendal UK, has warned of the company’s potential withdrawal from Cambridge unless franchising is adopted.
The announcement comes in the wake of an £11m bus package approval for Cambridgeshire, which Mr Ziebart argues will sharpen focus on discussions around a franchising framework.
Ascendal has long championed the competitive edge franchising brings. Citing the transformative impact in Singapore, where franchising attracted global top-tier operators and revitalised local transit services, Mr Ziebart emphasises the need for a similar approach in the UK.
The company’s stance comes against a backdrop of market dominance by other operators. Mr Ziebart contends that franchising would level the playing field, offering smaller and new entrants a fair chance to innovate and improve services.
However, he also acknowledges the challenges, noting the delicate balance required to ensure market inclusivity without disadvantaging established local operators.
His vision for Cambridgeshire under franchising includes enhanced services to rural areas, improved fleet reliability, and more stable investment opportunities for operators. He argues that franchising, by offering longer-term contracts and clearer operational guidelines, can provide the security needed for companies to invest.
“It was during a Cambridge forum where local operators had concerns that franchising offered no security, and would stifle investment in fleets, because of uncertainty. I pointed out the opposite – the fact that we would likely shut down our business in Cambridge if franchising was not to happen,” he says. “Through franchising, local councils and the combined authority can say they have done research, that villages need services at a set frequency. Because the operator has this contract for five years, it may be a small margin, but that will provide the business with certainty to invest in newer vehicles.”
