Well, dear reader, I have waited a mere 44 years to finally see some proper legislation that aims to give the bus industry a real chance to stop the decades of decline that have, frankly, got worse from the 1980s right up to today, August 2025. Of course, I don’t take it personally with my arrival on the bus scene in 1983; the simple truth is that the one key ingredient missing, year in and year out, has been a shared vision and a shared ambition, as well as the real funding required to turn ambition into reality.
Today the Transport Select Committee has released its recommendations. I think the headline sums it up very nicely: “England’s buses: more ambition needed to undo a decade of decline and get bums back on seats, Transport Committee tells Government.” The report calls on the Government to reform the way local bus services are funded and to adopt a national ambition for a minimum level of public transport connectivity. This would protect residents in England’s towns and villages from becoming increasingly isolated.
This, frankly, is music to my ears. When I first joined the then National Bus Company as a Senior Management Trainee, my ethos was quite simple. I wanted to be a senior leader in an organisation that delivered a vital service to communities large and small across the length and breadth of England, enabling people to live full and rich lives, enjoying the simple gift of transport and an independent lifestyle.
Then it all changed with the introduction of privatisation by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1986. This completely changed the ethos of the industry, as the axis shifted from nationalised ownership to private ownership, and bus companies were run for shareholders and profits rather than social inclusion. So now the wheel has potentially gone full circle, with the Transport Committee recognising that under-22-year-olds should be given free travel to support social inclusion and access to school and college, and with the fare cap set at £3.00 until 2027. There is most certainly a lot to consider, but the harsh reality is that if budgets are cut for other reasons and the political will is not strong, these honourable intentions will wither on the vine, and that is an outcome we cannot allow.
Written by Austin Birks
