Councils and bus operators are campaigning to be allowed to work closer
together to improve local bus services.

The campaign has won backing from sixty-nine MPs who have signed a
Commons Early Day Motion (EDM) that calls on the government to relax
competition regulations that are hampering local bus improvement
schemes.

The regulations are designed to prevent anti-competitive collusion by
bus operators on issues such as fares. But the Local Government
Association (LGA), which is heading the campaign, says they are also
restricting the ability of local authorities and local bus companies to
work together to improve services.

Six pathfinder councils are already working with local partners to pilot
innovative bus improvement schemes in Birmingham, Cambridgeshire,
Hampshire, Harlow, Lancashire and Stoke-on-Trent.

Link: www.lga.gov.uk