West Yorkshire learns from Sweden in UK’s first new-style bus franchise bid

Arriva and First face franchising for their West Yorkshire services.

Arriva and First face franchising for their West Yorkshire services.

West Yorkshire’s Integrated Transport Authority (ITA) members have voted to support the introduction of England’s first Quality Contract framework for bus services. Their move reflects a growing frustration that the UK is failing to achieve the benefits of genuine operator/local authority partnership in passenger transport provision since the introduction of privatisation and deregulation outside London. But the authority has looked to Sweden rather than London for its model of...