Bus Services

The idea of a quality partnership is that local authorities will sit down with bus operators and say, ““We are going to commit to improving the infrastructure, either through bus lanes or real-time information,”” and bus operators will reply, ““If you commit to that, we will commit to this or that.”” That is the idea of the partnership, but agreement is important; the partnership cannot be imposed. If quality partnerships or local bus services are not delivering, we could move to the next stage—the creation of a quality contract. Again, it would be possible for local authorities to specify the routes that they wish bus services to take and fares, and it would be up to the bus operators to tender to operate in the area, as happens in London, as we said. Punctuality is a key part of what the Government will attempt to achieve with the Bill. The draft also contains measures that would allow the setting up of new passenger transport authorities. That measure could well benefit the west of England, where a small number of unitary authorities makes co-ordination that much more difficult. Bristol city council has expressed an interest in setting up a strategic transport authority. Local authorities in the area have recently submitted an outline proposition to the Department for Transport that would have them agree to continue to work together to develop a bid to the transport innovation fund to tackle the area's congestion challenges. I understand that that will include a number of measures to improve public transport in the area. I hope that I have outlined not only an honest recognition of the problems that certain areas face, but a vision for the future that will give local authorities and others the powers that they need to improve services. The matter is not about massive underinvestment. I have outlined the increased investment in bus services in the past 10 years, but despite that there are still problems. The draft Bill, which the Government hope will become the Local Transport Bill, is a way in which to put right some of the problems. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will take that reply back to his young constituents and give them some reassurances. Question put and agreed to.