LOCAL TRANSPORT BILL AND QUALITY PARTNERSHIP SCHEMES

That this House welcomes the provisions in the Local Transport Bill to allow for enhanced Statutory Quality Partnership schemes designed to improve bus services, but expresses concern that lobbying by vested interests in the bus industry has resulted in the insertion of clauses which did not appear in the draft Local Transport Bill, and which give operators a veto over the inclusion of maximum fares, frequencies and timings in such partnership schemes; and believes that such a veto will reduce the effectiveness of such partnership schemes to the detriment of bus passengers.