Possible progress on Sheffield buses

[TeaFan]

There is an article in the Grauniad today http://society.guardian.co.uk/localgovt/story/0,,1882207,00.html saying that the Govt. plans to give more control over buses to local authorities. Details are sketchy, and it certainly falls short of the full control that campaigners have demanded, but assuming (a big but. Or should that be a big Gordon's butt) this is implemented, it could improve things in Sheffield. Sheffield is in fact mentioned in the article, which could be a testament to the influence of local campaigners. I can vouch for the nightmare that is Oxford, too (also mentioned in the article). Shocking.

[Umeeksk]

People will attack it as U-turn, but it's certainly a welcome one - we've been campaigning for these powers for some time now.

 

Note though that the plan is to give these powers to local transport authorities, which are basically unelected quangos (even though elected councillors sit on them).

 

Sheffielders won't have the genuine control over their bus services that they need until transport authorities are fully in the control of local elected bodies - be they regional parliaments or councils, the democratic deficit needs to be addressed!

[chrisp7091]

Why, oh why, was the bus service in Sheff ever de-regulated?. What a disaster!!. Well I know why really - short sightedness, selfishness and a Thatcher government!. Look what it delivered us. Isn't transport in this city great?. Oh no, that's right, its rubbish:mad:. How to go from the best system to the worst in one easy lesson!!!.

[AlquarUK]

Why, oh why, was the bus service in Sheff ever de-regulated?. What a disaster!!. Well I know why really - short sightedness, selfishness and a Thatcher government!. Look what it delivered us. Isn't transport in this city great?. Oh no, that's right, its rubbish:mad:. How to go from the best system to the worst in one easy lesson!!!.

 

 

And people here are anti Labour pro blue!!? MENTAL! :crazy:

[Umeeksk]

And people here are anti Labour pro blue!!? MENTAL! :crazy:

Some of us don't fit that description

[sccsux]

I'll be more interested in using buses when they (buses) are fitted with safety belts, standing is abolished and (in view of recent events) when the drivers are breathalysed before they start driving the damned thing.

[sccsux]

Some of us don't fit that description

 

Indeed.

 

I'm anti politicians (regardless of party affiliations).

[HAMMY33]

To All Thats Mentioned On Our Buses

Yes Yah All Right As A Bus Driver Im Sick & Tied Of The Usual Mr Brandon Jones Speaking His Bull **** What He Wont Say Because Of His Job Are The Words We All Know.

The Hell With Passengers Profit First.............. Our Wages Second

As Long As The Council Keep Paying For The Milage Og These Buses They Cannot Loose. When Buses Collect Fares Thats Just A Bonus

..............................................hammy..............................................

[stanleeder]

... Profit First.............. Our Wages Second ...

 

And how is that different in any other commercial enterprise? Or in any publicly funded organisation for that matter (simply replace PROFIT with BUDGET). Maybe you should be self employed Hammy, that way you would get both wages AND profit.

[Heyesey]

And how is that different in any other commercial enterprise?

 

And there's the rub. Public transport shouldn't be a commercial enterprise; it should be a public works that enables OTHER commercial enterprises. The benefits to a widespread, cheap (or better, free) bus and train network would vastly outweigh the costs; the trouble is, those benefits are rather intangible and you can't point to a specific piece of wealth and say "the public transport system created that."

 

Consider, for example, how much working time is lost because people are stuck in traffic getting to and from work. Calculate how much that adds up to in terms of the value of people's time; you could run a free bus service 24/7 for an awful lot less than that amount, and almost nobody would need to drive any more.