Buses matter to thousands of people in our city. But the Tories’ broken system is failing people. Labour will fix it. And we’ll do it by handing communities power and control of the routes, fares, and services they rely on.

The current bus system overseen by the Conservatives sees operators cherry-pick the most profitable routes and neglect the rest. For years, people have said we need to fix this – and Labour has listened. We will hand power and control over routes and services back to the communities who depend on our buses.

Charlotte Gerada, councillor and current candidate for Central Southsea ward said: “Labour is committed to setting up our own Pompey local bus company where bus services run in a similar way to Transport for London. This approach would empower local people, giving them the authority to set routes and fares and eliminating poor providers.”

Labour’s bus reform plan encompasses three key elements:

1. Allowing communities to take back control of bus services: Labour would grant all local transport authorities the power to regain control. This opportunity to franchise services would be extended to every community, currently only available to metro mayors.
   
2. Streamlining the process: To speed up reclaiming of control, Labour will introduce a ‘presumption in favour of franchising’. This will eliminate the costly and time-consuming hurdles that have delayed much-needed reform by years, preventing communities from having a say in how their bus services are run. The bus directorate in the Department for Transport will give smaller local transport authorities expert advice and support to help the transition to local control.
   
3. Lifting the legal ban on municipal bus ownership: in 2017, the Conservatives introduced this ban following intense lobbying by vested interests. Labour pledges to reverse it, allowing communities to establish their own municipal bus network. This approach builds on the success of areas like the award-winning Nottingham, which boasts some of the highest satisfaction ratings and passenger numbers per head in the country.

Raj Ghosh, candidate for Charles Dickens ward said: “We can create a bus system that truly serves the needs of the community and not out-of-touch bus companies. This plan will ensure better accessibility, affordability, and reliability for the residents of Portsmouth on routes local people actually want and need.”