(27 Jun 2020, 10:44 am)busmanT wrote 1. Oyster Card is far from simple!! Yes if you only use the bus, but if your journey involves Underground, overground or rail (which many do, as buses are slow due to traffic) it has many zonal combinations and fares are a lot higher than Tyne & Wear - e.g. Zone 1 to 4 daily cap (same as Newcastle to Whitley Bay) is £10.40, £51.90 weekly cap.
2. Population density in London is a lot higher than Tyne & Wear, so buses are bound to be busier, more frequent. To change this in the north east requires the councils to change planning rules - no big estates at Callerton for example.
3. The Congestion and Low Emission Zone charges mean that car ownership in London is a lot lower, and it brings in a lot of £s to subsidise transport - unless councils up here do the same, car ownership won't drop.
4. London is London - capital of the UK, business centre, attracts lots of foreign visitors etc.  - so you can't compare it with anywhere else.
5. The Manchester franchising scheme (thousands of pages to read) is based on passenger numbers still falling, and fares increasing above inflation. It doesn't offer "Better bus services" as many suggest.
6. Any franchising/contracting/concession scheme is likely to reduce bus services and move towards more integration with rail/Metro etc. - which of course means lower frequency and higher fares as passengers have to buy the multi modal ticket as opposed to a bus only ticket.

Could compare the pricing to Paris where you can get the Navigo Decouverte which pretty much does everything in Paris for 22.80€ a week instead though. Public transport pricing throughout the whole of the UK whether it's trains, trams, buses or whatever is expensive it's no wonder we're a car nation really.