Luke Myer MP has helped shape new laws to bring bus services back under public control, after serving on the committee for the Bus Services Bill.
Luke attended every sitting day of the Bill Committee in Parliament, speaking up for communities across Teesside and pushing for changes that will deliver better, more reliable local transport.
Labour’s new Bus Services Bill gives local leaders powers to take bus routes into public hands, introduce passenger charters to improve services, cap fares, and take on anti-social behaviour that affects passengers and drivers alike.
Luke made several interventions during the debate, drawing on local examples from East Cleveland and Middlesbrough to show why the law needs to change. He spoke about antisocial behaviour affecting buses in South Middlesbrough and the actions needed to address it, as well as criticising profiteering practices by private bus companies.
He spoke in support of the right of councils and communities to set local bus routes, and told the story of 87-year-old Norma Templeman from North Skelton, who has been left isolated due to lost services:
“It shouldn’t fall to someone like Norma to campaign to save and extend routes like the Stagecoach 1 and 2 or TeesFlex – which runs out of money every few months, and there has to be a sustained campaign to try to save it. The entire model is inefficient,” Luke said. “These are basic public services, and they should work for people – not just private profit.”
He also pressed the Minister on the principle of subsidiarity – the idea that powers should sit as close to the people as possible – and challenged the Conservative Tees Valley Mayor’s refusal to use new franchising powers, despite the councils in the Tees Valley crying out for them.
“We have an odd situation in Teesside wherein the councils and their leaders want to have a franchising system but the mayor is resistant to doing so… we should not have a mayor sitting above the community — above even the local authorities, which make up the [local transport body] – and not using the powers and the funding that this Government are giving him to act.”
The new powers will mean local transport authorities will be able to emulate the success of places like Manchester where public control has massively improved reliability and patronage. Manchester’s Bee Network has seen passenger numbers grow by 5% and service reliability improve since public control began a year ago.
Speaking about the new law, Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:
“It is high time we recognise that local leaders need to be able to make decisions about their buses.
The introduction of the Bus Services Bill marks the next step on our journey to overhaul how bus services operate, delivering on our commitment to improve living standards across the country.“
Luke Myer MP said:
“I’m proud to have stood up for Teesside in helping pass this new law.
The Bus Services Bill will put power in local hands to fix our buses. The funding is there, the powers are there – it’s now time for the Mayor to get on and deliver.”
The law follows a recent £1bn investment announced by Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves to upgrade Teesside’s transport system, including roads, rail, and bus infrastructure. Luke described the funding as “fantastic news and long overdue”.