(28 Nov 2024, 4:54 am)Economic505 wrote Of course, her batshit ideas enabled some crazy unsustainably competition, which quickly died out, resulting in today’s private and inept monopoly. Quite like the water privatisation. 

As for the comment suggesting it’s hard to compare 1986 to today, I take that on board . However, London was never deregulated and works well (I compare it to Hartlepool where I live now with its very few services ). I go to London with work quite often and amazed at the coordination, the frequency of services etc even in the suburbs like Acton . This is despite there being a very regular Tube across Acton and White City. 

If there are no reforms, buses will die. Going back to Hartlepool, Uber is resulting in me using the bus less . Even before the bus fare cap, if the two of us travelled to the town centre to get to the Station , it would be £3.80. Now it’s £4.00 combined. Pretty often, I can get an uber for literally 20 p more than the combined fare but much more door to door. No need to leg it to the bus stop, urging our lass to hurry as the bus is due! 

However, I know that once Uber is dominant and seen off the buses, their prices will rise.

Yeah some fair points and I don't disagree but London buses make a massive loss, they're just cross subsidised by the Tube which makes a healthy profit, or did until COVID at least. 

Personally I look closer to home and have a bit of a fear of who will be in charge. 

The Metro, isn't exactly going to be winning any awards anytime soon and those people are very likely going to be the same people running the buses. 

Teesside is potentially even worse, some of the transport ideas down there are bonkers especially the airport farce and those 1/2 routes in East Cleveland. 
The thing is a complete shambles, I know some will blame lack of money, but the buses are going to be exactly the same, unless you only run the profitable bus routes but then we're at the exact same place we are right now...