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Bristol bus franchising: Mayor blames council for blocking deal

Google A bus moving around BristolGoogle
From April, 42 services are due to be cut across the West of England

The West of England mayor has blamed South Gloucestershire Council for blocking a bus franchising deal that could bring buses into public control.

Dan Norris said a lack of tax-raising powers meant he did not have the money required to gain control of wider Bristol bus networks and timetables.

He claimed he cannot bring in the powers without the agreement of South Gloucestershire Council.

But the council's leaders accused the mayor of "passing the blame".

The nine other combined authorities in England all have powers to raise their own income through charging a precept on council tax bills.

The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) is the odd one out without these powers, and mostly relies on receiving government funding with rules.

From April, 42 bus services are due to be cut across the West of England.

Google Buses parked outside Southmead hospitalGoogle
Main links to Southmead hospital in Bristol are being cut, including the 17 and 506 bus services

Mr Norris is facing growing pressure to formally explore how bus franchising could work and improve bus services in the region.

He spoke during a WECA scrutiny meeting on 13 March, the Local Democracy Reporting service said.

The main obstacle to franchising, according to the metro mayor, is a lack of precepting powers, and he said he cannot bring in those powers without the agreement of South Gloucestershire Council.

"Unless we get precepting sorted, then there won't be any franchising," Mr Norris said.

Dan Norris Dan NorrisDan Norris
Dan Norris, a former Labour MP, was elected as West of England mayor last April

Responding to the mayor's claims, South Gloucestershire Council chiefs say they would support an investigation into bus franchising.

But they raised concerns about potential precepting powers and burdening further taxes on to residents who were already struggling with the cost of living.

Council leader Toby Savage said: "With the WECA mayor's recent track record of skewed spending priorities — such as paying £8 million for lavish new offices while bus services are cut.

"We are yet to be convinced that a strong case has been made for the WECA mayor to acquire new tax-raising powers."

The franchising model has been in place in London for decades, where private operators bid for contracts from Transport for London, and will be launched in Greater Manchester later this year.

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