Lib Dems call on regional mayor to franchise buses

Liberal Democrat council leaders are calling on the West of England mayor to set out a timetable for bringing buses back under public control.

A franchising model would mean the West of England combined authority (Weca) sets routes and timetables, with operators bidding to run the service.

Godwin said she is considering it as one option for the long-term, but argued it would mean an additional charge on top of people's council tax bills, which she is not willing to introduce in the next three years.

Councillor Kevin Guy, who leads Bath and North Somerset council, said Godwin should "get on with it".

At the moment, private bus operators make a profit on busy routes, and more rural routes are subsidised by the taxpayer to keep them going.

Under a franchising model, operators would bid to run the service and get paid an agreed cost, with fare revenue coming back to Weca. This means the money raised from city centre routes can be put into maintaining less well-used services.

Franchising gives public bodies the power to set routes, rather than relying on annual negotiations with bus companies.

"We have to fight for every route that we get, whereas we ought to have a properly-coordinated, well-thought-through look at where things link together," said South Gloucestershire leader Maggie Tyrrell.

It might also be easier to introduce a single ticketing system that links local trains and buses, or to set a daily cap on the price people pay.

Under franchising, it is much clearer who is accountable for the service - the politicians we all elect.

There are two parts to this.

First, there is the upfront cost of purchasing buses, bus depots and setting up a system. In Greater Manchester, that came to around £134 million.

Second, there's the ongoing cost of running the service - which is not fully covered by fares.

In Liverpool, residents pay a "mayoral precept" of around £24 per year on their council tax, some of which is spent on improving the bus network.

Mayor Godwin has suggested cost is the main reason for not going ahead with franchising right now.

"Franchising is not a cheap or quick fix," she said. "It has meant an additional charge on top of people's council tax bills... that is something that I've clearly ruled out doing in the next three years."

But other areas, such as Leeds, are moving towards franchising without an extra charge, and the Liberal Democrats claim it wouldn't need to cost much more than is already being spent.

"At the moment we're subsidising these private companies, and we're also subsidising the building and creation of their own fleet, which is shocking with public money," said Guy.

"Just because something is difficult doesn't mean you shouldn't do it," he added.

This is the first time the Liberal Democrats have spoken out publicly to challenge the mayor since Helen Godwin took over in spring 2025.

"The delay is causing us concern", said Tyrrell. "This is one big issue that we would really like her to bring forward."

Guy said: "I'm happy to look at every single option going, but we've been doing it for decades now so it's about time we get to the point where we get to a decision."

Local elections are due to take place next May.

In a statement, Godwin said: "Next month, we will be consulting on plans to strengthen our enhanced partnership with bus operators. That should give us more control now, so that people can see and feel a greater difference sooner.

"In the meantime, with council leaders on board, the technical work to calculate the cost of operating the bus network is ongoing alongside studies into different long-term options for our buses - including franchising models."