An existing partnership between bus operators and Oxfordshire County Council will be strengthened even further to improve services across the county. The cabinet approved the development of an Enhanced Partnership Plus (EP+) approach to bus regulation – strengthening the enhanced partnership arrangement between bus operators and the council.
One of the alternative options, of bringing Oxfordshire’s buses into public control, was deemed not feasible in the immediate future because of the timetable for the government’s plans for local government reorganisation involving the creation of unitary and mayoral authorities.
Although the government is making it easier for local transport authorities to take greater control of the bus services in their areas by pursuing bus franchising or creating new municipal bus companies, the timeframe effectively prevents Oxfordshire County Council from going down that route at this stage.
It is anticipated that franchising would take 45 months to complete, while Oxfordshire County Council is due to be replaced by a new unitary authority by April 2028 and it is likely that public transport responsibilities would be taken on by a new mayoral authority.
The issue was discussed by cabinet after a study was commissioned by the council to explore the various bus regulation options, following the passing of a motion in September 2023.
Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said:
“We believe going down the EP+ route will leverage most of the benefits associated with franchising without the significant additional financial and resource risks and responsibilities.
“Any move towards franchising would take nearly four years and likely halt any private sector investment in the bus network during that period. If the government’s programme for local government reorganisation proceeds according to schedule, then Oxfordshire County Council would cease to exist during that period, and those responsibilities would pass to a successor council or mayoral authority.
“Therefore, we believe it’s not sensible to invest considerable amounts of time and resources into initiating changes which would not come to fruition during the lifetime of this council.”
Franchising offers authorities the ability to control and direct all aspects of bus provision, including the ability to plan and design bus services, set fares, define ticketing products, and manage information and marketing. This enables an authority to influence the network to help deliver wider policy objectives.
However, it is a lengthy and expensive process and involves taking on more responsibility, more risk and significant extra cost – particularly if the purchase of depots and vehicles is required to maximise the benefits.
Creating a municipal bus company involves the council owning and operating its own bus services, potentially reinvesting profits into the network. However, it also carries high set-up and operational costs, exposure to market competition, and financial risk.
The report states that an EP+ has the potential to realise significant additional benefits for bus users, including those typically associated with franchising, but in a more timely, cost-effective, and lower-risk manner.
Officers will now work on the development of the EP+ proposal, defining the desired and achievable outputs of the EP+, informed by passenger and resident feedback.
Uncertainty over franchising could lead to private sector investment being put on hold, with potentially negative implications for the Oxfordshire bus network and commitments made within the Bus Service Improvement Plan programme.
The fourth option in the study was for the situation to stay as it is now, with the existing enhanced partnership remaining.
Cllr Gant added:
“For many reasons, including geography and historic relationships with the bodies that run the bus services, there is no common solution that suits everywhere. And while we appreciate the need to explore other options, just because something works well in one part of the country, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will work in Oxfordshire.
“Here we have two main bus operators, while many other places don’t have the benefit of this element of competition. As a council we have a good, close working relationship with our bus operators and regularly discuss matters such as routes and ticketing to help deliver the service that people in Oxfordshire need.
“However, it must be remembered that the single biggest challenge to bus service improvements has nothing to do with who runs them. Problems with increasing bus journey times, reliability and punctuality are largely due to growing traffic congestion, and a change of model alone would not address these challenges.”
(Pic: Oxfordshire County Council)
