Roundup: British cities win power to bring in London-style bus operations

London-style bus operations are to spread to Britain's major cities under a new bill introduced Monday in British Parliament.

It will mean cities with elected mayors having the power to control the way buses operate in their areas.

Bus services across England are currently deregulated, meaning transport companies are free to choose what services they run, what buses they use and how much they charge in bus fares.

Local councils have little say in what bus services are provided in their areas, leaving some communities with no bus services at all.

In London, buses are franchised, and companies bid to run the service on a particular route, under the control of Transport for London, part of the mayor of London's powers.

It represents the biggest shake-up in public transport since a bus free-for-all was created 30 years ago by all services being de-regulated, except in London.

The aim of the new government legislation is to encourage more people, particularly commuters, to journey by bus rather than car.

In the past year, there were 4.85 billion bus journeys across Britain, making buses the most popular form of public transport.

A Department for Transport (DfT)spokesman said on Monday the new buses bill will give leaders in towns and cities new power to deliver better journeys for passengers, and help cut rush hour congestion.

"Without buses, rush hour congestion in city centers would be 21 percent higher, costing millions of pounds in lost time," said the DfT.

Roads Minister Andrew Jones said: "We are determined to increase bus usage and these measures are designed to give councils access to a range of powers to help deliver regular, reliable services for all.

"We are also looking to end the frustration of not knowing when the next service will turn up, by giving software developers the data they need to produce new apps. Areas with an elected mayor will get the power to bring in bus franchising and say what services should be run in their area, just like in London."

The move has been welcomed in Manchester, main hub of the Northern Powerhouse, which is likely to be one of the first areas to adopt the new bus measures.

Interim Mayor Tony Lloyd, said: "The ability to strategically manage the transport network means a better deal for passengers and ensures that bus plays a full role as part of an integrated, reliable, safe, clean and affordable transport network. The Bus Services Bill is an important step in making this possible." Endit