2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY To recap, the Act gives Mayoral Combined Authorities including Greater Manchester powers to reform their bus markets. On behalf of GMCA, TfGM has prepared an Assessment of a proposed bus franchising scheme for Greater Manchester. The Act requires the Assessment to: • Describe the effects that the Proposed Franchising Scheme is likely to produce. • Compare the Proposed Franchising Scheme to one or more other options. • Consider how the Proposed Franchising Scheme would contribute to any policies of GMCA and nearby neighbouring authorities. • Consider how GMCA would make and operate the Proposed Franchising Scheme. • Consider whether GMCA could afford to make and operate the Proposed Franchising Scheme, and whether the Proposed Franchising Scheme would represent value for money for GMCA. • Consider whether GMCA would be likely to secure the provision of services under the Proposed Franchising Scheme through local service contracts (or franchise contracts). The Assessment compares the Proposed Franchising Scheme with other options, including entering into a new partnership with the bus companies or a Do Minimum option. These are explained below: • Do Minimum – the market would be left as it is now and bus services in Greater Manchester would continue to be deregulated, with bus operators choosing the services they provide (this is also described in the Assessment as the ‘reference case’). Do Minimum does not contribute to the achievement of GMCA’s objectives but carries no additional cost or risk. • New partnership – Working with the bus operators in different ways to improve services, either through a voluntary agreement or through a legal scheme. There are different types of partnership and these are explained in Section 4 of this document. • The Proposed Franchising Scheme – Taking bus services under Greater Manchester’s control – whereby TfGM on behalf of GMCA would set routes, timetables, fares and standards. The bus companies would competitively bid for contracts to run services on GMCA’s behalf.
The Proposed Franchising Scheme This section provides an executive summary of the Proposed Franchising Scheme. This provides technical and practical details of how it is proposed that bus franchising would work in Greater Manchester. It also sets out the process of moving from the current deregulated bus market to a fully franchised system (which is known as transition).
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HAVE YOUR SAY ON HOW YOUR BUSES ARE RUN – CONSULTATION DOCUMENT