Back into public hands

 

Deregulation has been a disaster for UK buses – research has shown that it has translated into higher fares, worse services and a fall in bus use and lower pay for bus workers.

In the big cities outside London, bus trips have halved from about 2bn per year before deregulation to about 1bn per year now.

 

Speaking in support of a motion calling for a safe, secure, accessible, and most of all publicly owned railway, Unite delegate and bus driver Paul Ainsworth made a passionate case against privatisation and deregulation at TUC conference today (September 12).

“Privatisation and deregulation have wrecked key parts of our transport sector,” Ainsworth said.

“We need a major shift away from further privatisation and deregulation and towards more public ownership and accountability.

“Deregulation of the bus industry outside London makes the strongest possible case for public control of buses,” he added.

Ainsworth cited research by ‘Transport for Quality of Life’ which shows a fundamental conflict between deregulation and a world-class bus system.

“The report shows the best bus companies are municipal, run by local councils, yet the Government has driven through a ban on setting up any more in the teeth of Labour opposition.”

Against this backdrop of historic bus deregulation and privatisation and its consequences, Ainsworth stressed that a publicly owned railway system is just as important for an integrated and reliable transport system as regulated buses.

“The Government’s plans for rail are another attempt to dismantle a key service in pursuit of private profit at the expense of passengers and rail workers”, he said.

“The same ideology that led to the disastrous privatisation of the railways, designed to appease the interests of privatised train operating companies.

“And yet £1.5 billion could be saved over five years if routes, including the Northern, Transpennine and West Coast Main Line, were operated by the public sector,” Ainsworth pointed out.

He slammed the government for ignoring the facts and extending franchises. After all, disruption costs are born by the taxpayer and not the franchise holder transferring investment risk.

“So Unite welcomes the commitment in the Labour Party Manifesto to bring private rail companies back into public ownership,” Ainsworth said.

Ultimately, Ainsworth argued that what public ownership and control gives is “the opportunity for a properly integrated transport system.”

“Bus networks need to interlink with rail networks or park and ride systems,” he said.

“Public transport requires transferrable ticketing and access to properly regulated taxis. Ports and airports need good road and rail links.”

Urging Congress to support the motion, he again made the call for a “properly accountable, integrated and accessible public transport system.”

The motion was passed.