Progressive Alliance to push for more control over buses in Milton Keynes

Labour and Lib Dem Councillors will propose a motion at Full Council on Wednesday, calling on the Government to give local authorities more control over bus services.

It was under Margaret Thatcher the Conservative Government introduced the Transport Act in 1985, which resulted in bus services that were once run by local authorities being privatised. The Transport Act has been in effect for almost 40 years, and with the recent strike action and withdrawal of services by private and commercial operators, the Progressive Alliance is demanding change happens now.

Councillor Paul Trendall, Liberal Democrat Progressive Alliance Cabinet Member for Highways, will move the motion. He will ask the Leader and Chief Executive of the City Council to write to the Secretary of State for Transport and request an amendment to the Transport Act 1985 to allow Milton Keynes City Council to operate its own buses.

Councillor Paul Trendall, Liberal Democrat Progressive Alliance Cabinet Member for Highways said:

"We have had almost 40 years of Tory bus privatisation and year after year it continues to fail the people of Milton Keynes. Thousands of people rely on the bus services every day to get to work, school and access the supermarkets. It is vital we push the Government to devolve more powers to the City Council so we can operate and manage our own bus services more effectively."