Frustration over city bus services
Sir Peter Soulsby has said he is frustrated the Government has not yet given him the power to control Leicester's bus network.
The city mayor spoke out after Secretary of State for Transport Sir Patrick McLoughlin declined an invitation to meet city council representatives to discuss handing over powers to run public transport locally.
Sir Peter has been looking to shake up the city's bus services since he was elected two years ago.
The Labour politician wants to be given powers similar to London mayor Boris Johnson, who is in charge of transport policy in the capital, but so far Sir Peter has gained no concessions.
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"It is frustrating," said Sir Peter. "The Government talks about giving councils greater controls, but has not done it.
"I am always pushing the Department for Transport to put powers where its rhetoric is."
Sir Peter said the key issue he wanted to address was making sure that, in return for being allowed to operate profitable routes in Leicester, bus companies would have to service other areas not on routes and at times passengers need them.
"In London, the mayor can say very clearly what routes need to be run, the frequency of the timetable and the level of services," he said.
"That is precisely what we need. In the past, the bus services have not served people as well as they might have.
"We need to make it easier to get people into the city centre to work and to shop.
"We will be meeting with Government officials very soon to discuss this further and I hope to make some progress."
In a letter to the city council, a spokesman for Sir Patrick said the Secretary of State would be unable to attend a meeting and urged Sir Peter to pursue greater transport powers through a City Deal – an arrangement where Whitehall agrees to give greater freedoms to cities to boost their local economies.
Leicester and Leicestershire have been earmarked for such a deal.
However, the details of this are yet to be worked out and might take months, while Sir Peter is keen to press ahead with any changes to public transport.
Sir Patrick's spokesman said: "The Government has stated that elected city mayors will have their own bespoke powers tailored to local needs, rather than a 'one size fits all' approach.
"The vehicle for achieving this will be through City Deals that the Government has been negotiating."
Chairman of Leicester City Council's transport scrutiny commission Councillor Neil Clayton said: "We've been snubbed by the transport secretary who doesn't seem interested in actually giving the mayor the powers he has been told he should get.
"To say that this will be achieved through a City Deal is not very convincing."
7 Comments
by Graham_LE8
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 6:21PM
“@ Hazabelgrave; Quote: "He is trying to fix something that is not broken"...
Not sure you're entirely correct there - we have areas of the city crying out for better public transport in the face of service reductions and closures, whilst two (and sometimes three) operators are plying their buses over very similar routes that are more lucrative elsewhere.
The brave new world initiated some years ago by monetarist thinking seems to have forgotten that the worth of some aspects of 'public service' are beyond the scope of financial measurement, to our collective misfortune...”
by polly2010
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 5:35PM
“Ivan the great "buses finish at11pm"
Wow someone is lucky
The last firstbus no18 to Braunstone, is 8-50pm from the town I think the 104 is about the same ,and nowadays Centrebus is even earlier.”
by IvanTheGreat
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 5:09PM
“It seems Sir Pete wants the power to justify his next wage review which must be coming up in April. He tries to compare himself to Boris Johnson but there is a big difference Pete. Boris runs the capital city of England with a population of just over 8 million people, a city that needs high levels of transport efficiency and low costs. His salary is reportedly £147k per year. You Pete run a city of about 250k people, with a very poor road network and buses that finish at 11pm. And your salary currently is £65k but was nearly £100k (until the electorate spoke up).
Even having the bus services on your CV doesn't mean you'll get the extra salary. And if we are unfortunate to get the power, what will you do to reduce fares? I can get a tube that travels a 10 mile round trip for £3, I can travel to 3 miles to the city centre from my home for £2.50 one way or £5 for an all day ticket. Make the service cheap and reliable and more people will use it.
Build it, and they will come.”
by Hazabelgrave
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 2:46PM
“Can anybody see a pattern here.
This guy Soulsby is trying to get his finger into every irrelevant pie to show that he is doing something even if its nothing..does he do any real work?
He is trying to fix something that is not broken and he will leave this city in utter desolation and broke.
Dont give him anything more than he has already he will ruin us all I tell you.”
by democrat
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 12:41PM
“Perhaps instead of moaning that he does not have enough power Peter Soulsby could tell us what his first actions will be when he does get the authority.
Which routes will he force the bus companies to provide and why?
This was we will be able to see what value these powers will bring other than to allow Peter Soulsby to justify a salary increase”
by polly2010
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 8:54AM
“Passengers are the ones who know where they need Buses to go, the 302 Braunstone Bus was built around peoples needs.It provides at least 3 estates Narborough Road and Walnut Street with transport to two Hospitals getting people to work, and School and making it easier for some to reachThe Market and some Supermarkets
This service is under threat , perhaps he has the means to save it now? waiting for Power will be too late.”
by oldjohn
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 8:41AM
“good on ya pete.took a bit of a mardy mood as someone actualy says "NO" to ya.bit of change eh?
next thing you will be telling your Muppets you want to have vehicles driving on the right to attract foreigners to the City and make horse meat available everywhere to welcome French tourists and call your gipsy sites "tourist accomodation".
but fear not pete,for you have the praise of your Muppets.”