- Conference
- 2025 Water, Environment & Transport Conference
- Date
- 14 February 2025
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that, according to research from the University of the West of England, over half of 16-24 year olds use buses every week and two thirds of this age group do not have access to a car. For many young UNISON members, buses are essential as a cheap, convenient and environmentally friendly way to commute.
Conference regrets the UK Government’s announcement on 29 October 2024 that the £2 single bus fare cap introduced in January 2023 in England will end in December 2024, to be replaced by a £3 cap until the end of 2025. This represents potentially a 50% increase in bus fares which is likely to hit young workers harder than most. Conference notes that affordable and reliable bus services are also essential for older people and disabled people, for rural communities, and for those who cannot afford to own a car.
Conference welcomes the announcements by some Labour regional Mayors, such as Tracey Brabin in West Yorkshire and Nik Johnson in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, that they will maintain the £2 cap locally. Conference notes that these and other regional Mayors have also committed to bringing bus services into public control through the franchising process.
Conference recognises this is a step in the right direction but believes buses should be brought under full public ownership. Conference welcomes the initiatives in the draft Bus Services (No. 2) Bill to lift the ban on local authorities establishing their own bus companies.
The municipally owned bus companies which survived Thatcher’s deregulation and privatisation are very successful. According to We Own It, Reading Buses can invest an additional £3 million a year in the bus network (around 12-15% of its annual turnover) because it doesn’t pay out dividends to private shareholders. If the bill passes, it is vital Labour gives local authorities the funding they need to invest in bus networks to realise the potential of these new local powers. Public ownership with proper funding must be the next stop for our bus networks.
Conference believes that well-funded bus services in public control will have a beneficial impact on the terms and conditions of UNISON members working in bus services. Good bus services are those which are staffed by workers on decent salaries, terms and conditions. Conference notes the industrial action taken by members at Transport for Greater Manchester to achieve fair pay and conditions. Whilst the Bee Network transport system in Greater Manchester is considered a success, the experience of our members strengthens our call for properly funded bus services.
Conference believes UNISON should support initiatives to bring bus services into public control through its political campaigning (where appropriate) and should use its influence within the Labour party to call for similar initiatives in other regions.
Conference asks the WET Service Group Executive to:
1)Work with the National Executive Council to highlight the importance of well-funded local bus services staffed by workers on decent terms and conditions, under public control where possible;
2)Continue to bargain for improved terms and conditions for transport workers in UNISON, and against job cuts and casualisation;
3)Continue to campaign for safe, sustainable and affordable public transport for all, including by working with Labour Link to raise these issues with the Labour Party;
4)Work with relevant Regional WET Service Group committees to review the impact on transport members of local projects to bring buses under public control and ownership;
5)Encourage branches and members in the WET service group to campaign locally for well-funded, affordable and publicly owned bus services, working with appropriate campaigning organisations (in line with UNISON’s aims and objectives) where appropriate.