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Bus boss hits out at revamp plans
HITTING OUT ... Go North East commercial director Martin Harris.
BUS company bosses are on a collision course with public transport leaders over plans for a radical revamp of how local services are delivered.
Under the suggested shake-up, one organisation would plan and run all bus services, possibly leading to cheaper fares.
But the quality contracts scheme being considered by Nexus on behalf of Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Authority has come under fire from bus company Go North East, which claims the plans would be costly, bureaucratic and inflexible.
The company has called on passengers to back its charter for positive change, which calls for a partnership approach to transport provision.
Go North East commercial director Martin Harris said: “Franchises under a quality contract scheme may work in the unique case of London, but they cost ratepayers 10 times the amount spent on public transport in the North East.
“A partnership represents a pragmatic, lower risk and affordable option for taking bus services forward in Tyne and Wear.
“The franchising approach will reduce customer choice in service and prices, not increase it.”
Speaking yesterday, Bernard Garner, director general of Nexus, said that some bus services were “not good enough” under the present system.
He claimed that only seven out of 10 people are satisfied with their bus services and wants to see a more publicly-accountable body running the local bus network.
But while Go North East say it is not opposed to change, Mr Harris called on passengers to back his company’s charter for positive change, as “a real alternative” to the mooted transport shake-up.
He added: “Saying ‘yes’ to the charter means saying ‘yes’ to affordable improvements in bus services, a new, more transparent approach to involvement in decisions about bus services, the simplicity of customer-driven services and the value for money that healthy competition brings.
“It also means saying ‘no’ to costly and unnecessary increases in bureaucratic control at a time when public funds are stretched to the limit.”
But even if transport bosses approve a new quality contracts scheme, it could be two years before it is introduced, following a formal consultation period.
People can express their views about the Go North East charter online at www.sayyesnow.co.uk.
Twitter: @shieldsgazette
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Tuesday 22 May 2012
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Comments
There are 5 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
The Menace
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 06:20 PMinspireme, it's supply and demand at the end of the day. if a bus service carries 20 people an hour do you really need one every 10 minutes?
Inspireme
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 04:08 PMSince the last shake up of bus routes we now only have one bus to take us direct to south sheilds, there are two other buses however these can take upto 50minutes to get to sheilds its a joke, trying to get back home from work (I work in sheilds) is a joke too, I stood for over half an hour as the bus I should have been able to get was running late, I appreciate that there are some traffic problems, but how come other buses seem to run on time, or is it because there is something like 6 per hour. People who live and work in the west of the borough have the worst bus service, its about time we were all given the same service regardless of where you live in south tyneside.
The Menace
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 03:51 PMLower bus fares, this will never happen! who will pay for them? It does cost money to put a bus on the road! So lets say it costs £500a night to put a bus on the road for 3 hrs thats a cost of £3500 per week who is going to pay this cost if no one is getting on it or only 5 people a night get on and want to pay £1 fairs which you are all bleeting on about thats a loss of £3465 who covers this cost? let me see more council tax? More funding from central government dont make me laugh.
geordie999
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 03:33 PMjust get those bus prices lowered ...to high for far to long .
dorttygee
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 12:31 PMIt is about time Go North East lost the monopoly on our public bus service. Jarrow & Hebburn being treat like outsiders & not South Tynesiders. We pay the same council tax as South Shields but we get a worse bus service even though we subsidise them as well with our council tax. We have the worst service not just South Tyneside or Britain bur across all of Europe. If you contact them about a service they will tell you you have the metro aswell but do they realise we have to get a bus to get the metro. The company is a joke, even our routes are made by some sat on their backside and never been in the area let alone travelled on our bus services. Get real the Fat Cats of Go North East Bus Company. A disgruntled Jarrow bus user for work & leisure
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