I do like the idea of franchising and I supported it the first time around when all the big companies were dead against it. The other option, as I see it is sticking to what we have now where more and more public money goes to the private companies anyway when they deem a route not to be profitable enough. Whilst I would like new routes and more stability I see any new routes being a long way off.

Bus services, to me, have significant declined from when I was growing up (i'm only 37 so don't remember a nationalised bus industry). That said, for me and my family, I feel like it's too little too late and the damage (or mistrust) done by the big companies have already been done. There are people who have no option but to use public transport but those with a choice maybe harder to sway. I do use buses if im out by myself or my wife is using the car (although we do have 2 cars). We are a family of 4 and buses (and all public transport if we are being honest) are too expensive, not frequent enough and take too long to get from A to B. We also have no link to our local Metro station (Seaburn). I will give an example:

From home to Sunderland and return home would be £13.10 (X2 adult returns, X1 Under 16 day ticket and X2 £1 under 21 singles). We have the option on 1 bus service, the 16, which isn't the most reliable at the best of times and fairly busy so seats not guaranteed. I could drive, pretty much the same route as the bus, and park for less than the bus.

Is franchising hoping to win people like me and my family or just satisfy existing users by making sure routes and times arent constantly changed? I have no issue paying a little bit extra council tax to support franchising (or however they want to fund it), as long as the money actually goes on transport and meaningful improvements are made. It would be better than Nexus wasting money on services like the 99 running around empty most of the time.