2021 Manifesto FINAL DRAFT - Flipbook - Page 37
Transport
Better buses
More people use buses to get
around than any other mode of
transport. Yet bus users must put
up with a second-class service
while paying premium prices.
Buses are seen by many as an
undesirable form of travel: unsafe,
dirty and unreliable.
Bus use has far more potential
than is currently realised. For
example, in areas not served by
metros or trains, we could
introduce Bus Rapid Transit
routes that stop less often and reallocate road space to them so
that they can become a faster
way of getting around than
driving. With comfortable seats,
enhanced safety and high
frequency, this is a real option to
vastly improve our public
transport links.
Better integration of bus services
with rail and tram services is also
needed, so that routes and
timetables complement each
other and form a well-connected
public transport network tailored
to the needs of the travelling
public. A franchised system would
make this possible and avoid the
current situation where bus
services duplicate and compete
with train and metro services.
The mayor’s new franchising
powers, once fully in place, will
have the potential to improve bus
services and vehicles far quicker
than is currently possible. These
powers mean that the mayor can
make sure that buses go where
they need to, when they need to.
A world class rail network
Our train system has a key role to
play tackling the climate
emergency and could carry so
many more passengers. But there
are some big challenges to
overcome. The mayor should be a
key figure - holding franchisees to
account for their poor
performance and working with
the British Transport Police to
bring an end to anti-social
behaviour. At the same time, the
coronavirus pandemic has caused
a drop in passenger numbers
meaning that government must
prop up train services that are no