The "Sixer" bus service

The main problem with the deregulated bus services is that the local authorities are not fulfilling their role in the system as prescribed by the 1985 transport act. It is their responsibility to provide socially necessary services and they are not doing it.

Under the old system there were major flaws in that in the metropolitan areas the PTE's used public transport as a vote winner for their political masters at whatever cost it took and irrespective of actual need.

The PTE's were also given powers that were beyond their ability to handle for example the control of all transport in their area, the power to control registrations of services and the power to compulsorily purchase other operators. This removed small operators with lower overheads and put the services in the hands of the PTE to run at a higher cost. They could and in some cases did, restrict the services these operators could run to devalue their businesses prior to making an offer for the business.

A great many political ego's were massaged during this period and all the time maintenance was being cut and bodged to try and keep costs down rather then face the political climb down of putting fares up. This led to 2 instances where the Traffic Commissioners came in and put large amounts of vehicles off the road on the grounds of safety and having personally seen some of the vehicles in question all I can say is the People of South Yorkshires lives were being put at risk by the low fares policy.

There is a middle ground that could work but a priority has to be to keep local politicians well away and compel them to pay their bills when due.

Much of the 1985 Transport Act has been superseded by the 2000 Transport Act and subsequent Orders and Amendments.

There is no requirement by "local authorities...to provide socially necessary services...", they are required to assess the needs of communities and prioritise, however as there has been a dramatic fall in Government funding, fewer needs are being met.

Over 50% buses in the UK outside London are operated by Arriva, First and Stagecoach and the history of the takeovers and buyouts of smaller companies is at best shameful. Government did not give powers to the Monopoly Commission, PTEs or Local Authorities to involve themselves.

Government did not give powers to the Monopoly Commission, PTEs or Local Authorities to involve themselves.

Since the majority of takeovers are subject to OFT & MMC clearance before they can take place there obviously IS a requirement to get involved.

The less involvement from local authorities and especially PTE's the better, they are just retirement homes for incompetents who cant cut it in the real world.

Firethorn, has your mum tried the Door2Door service? I know it's not quite the same as being able to hop on a regular bus service, but might let her retain some independence?

http://www.sheffieldct.co.uk/transport_for_me.htm

I think Sundae Eaters suggestion - that public transport could be centrally funded via taxation and free to all at the point of use - is a brilliant idea! Experiments with cheaper and/or subsidised fares/free travel for children, etc etc, always seem to increase the use of public transport over cars. Why take the car when you can get where you're going in half the time and at half the cost?

I've lived in London since the late '70's and I remember when Ken Livingstone brought in the "fares fair" policy in the '80's, the cost of bus and underground travel fell dramatically and more and more people were tempted to leave the car at home if they were only travelling a short distance. It was a win-win situation - the roads became less congested, pollution levels fell.... and even though fares were lower, the fact that more people used public transport meant that incoming revenue actually increased - and some of the increased profits were invested in improving and expanding the public transport network. Even these days, although it's far from perfect, public transport in London is much more reliable and efficient than public transport in Sheffield....and cheaper too...in most cases.

Imagine if public transport was centrally funded and "free" to use, as Eater Sundae suggests. There'd be even greater use of it, even less pollution and road traffic congestion. Brilliant idea!

Neither the OFT or MMC exist, their functions have been taken over by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). An investigation is triggered only if certain criteria are met. Not all mergers are referred. Bus merger cases are heard in exactly the same way as any other merger.

The CMA (and predecessors) have levels of investigation and out of only the ten bus mergers referred to them since 2005, of the them 9 passed on the basic first level test the other passed at level two. PTEs etc. can refer but cannot stop mergers.

The CMA is currently re-investigating cases going back to 1986 where agreements during mergers may not have to protected users and PTEs from the local monopolies created.

Also useful:Having taken your information from the superseded 1985 Transport Act and moved on to the 2000 Transport Act we are now need to move onto 2008 Local Transport Act as summed up in the "Guidance on the application of competition law to certain aspects of the bus market following the Local Transport Act 2008".

---------- Post added 25-04-2017 at 20:36 ----------

... Even these days, although it's far from perfect, public transport in London is much more reliable and efficient than public transport in Sheffield....and cheaper too...in most cases.

Thanks to nationalization, central contracts and an annual subsidy from all of the UK - currently at £2.6 billion.

Firethorn, has your mum tried the Door2Door service? I know it's not quite the same as being able to hop on a regular bus service, but might let her retain some independence?

 

http://www.sheffieldct.co.uk/transport_for_me.htm

Was just going to suggest these, knew they existed but couldn't remember what they were called. I presume they are similar to dial a ride that my great grandma used to use in barnsley.

Outside London bus 'services' are not run for the benefit of pensioners, the disabled, mums and dads with pushchairs, schoolchildren or anyone else. Their central purpose is making profits for shareholders.

If any party is proposing re-regulation of bus services outside London and renationalisation of the railways I'll vote for them and so will many others. While we're at it let's think how we might fund expansion of the tram network.

Thank you to Becky B and foxydebs for suggesting the "door 2 door" service. I've lived away from Sheffield for so long that I didn't even know that such a service existed. I will definitely look into it on behalf of my old mum.

I was up in Sheffield last week for my regular Bank Holiday visit to my family - and I was really upset to hear that the "Sixer" - the little S6 bus that serves the Hillsborough/Wisewood area - is being withdrawn from the end of April. That little bus is a lifeline for my mum, who is elderly and not very mobile - and from the times that I've travelled on the Sixer with her, it seems that the largest percentage of regular users are elderly and infirm too! It appears to be a well-used service, so I don't understand why it's being axed. Ok - the 52A is a pretty decent and regular service that covers much of the same route - but not all of it - and I think the loss of the Sixer is going to impact negatively on many elderly and infirm people who currently use it.

 

Incidentally, what do people who live in Wisewood do for any kind of a bus service in the evenings and nights? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the whole of the Wisewood area seems to be a bus-free zone after about 7-8pm. Surely that's not right or fair?

I use regularly , because it's normally reliable on time and the driver is a nice guy , when it's only the 52a's competing with the 31 a , 31 , they be cutting that like they did with the 13.14 , then the 84 , after 6.30 pm , I find it difficult 2 get a bus to town , even the 62 doesn't go to town after 6pm . I would like a ST link bus just like the lucky folks up Stannington get , make life easier getting to the rail st , plus why do buses do there waiting time at the Bamford st stop , we miss our connections in Hillsborough , who ever thought that idea up . give them a medal , total idiots never heard of Public Transport inter connection , Our whole Public /Private TRANSPORT System is being run by the Loons who don't use it !

There is a bus services bill going through parliament at the moment which is seeking to give more powers to areas outside London. Buses in London are franchised. When Thatcher privatised, these powers were only given to London. In areas like s.yorks bus companies compete 'on the street's hence less coordination.

If the new bus bill gets turned into an Act, it means authorities outside London will be able to tender/franchise services and coordinate better. (If I'm understanding correctly).