North East Mayor Kim McGuinness moves forward with plans to take control of region's bus network

Ambitious plans that will see the North East's bus network returned to public ownership took a step forward on Tuesday.

The cabinet at the North East Combined Authority (NECA) approved the next stage of the complex plan to reform the region's bus services. Kim McGuinness announced on her first day in office that she would take control of the buses - allowing her to set fares, routes, and timetables, with operators contracted to run services under a franchising system.

The move to a franchising system has been welcomed by operators Go North East and Arriva, who have had success with similar systems elsewhere in the country. At a cabinet meeting this week, members agreed to back the development of a Franchising Scheme Assessment (FSA), a “complex statutory legal process” that will set out the detail of how the mayor’s plans to take control of the buses will work.

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While it had previously been feared this could take almost three years to complete, the new Labour Government has set out steps to make this process easier for combined authorities.

Ms McGuinness said: "We have seen significant cuts to our bus services since 2010. It's not an option not to do something about it.

"We have got to improve our bus services. We're going to get on and deliver it. With the change in Government, we will hopefully have the opportunity to move quicker with it."

The concerns of rural residents was also noted. Ms McGuinness acknowledged: "We will be the first area to embark on this process with vast swathes of countryside in Northumberland, Durham and Gateshead."

Cabinet member for transport and Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon added: "This is perhaps the most significant decision we're making.

"Public transport is a bit of a misnomer because private companies run bus services and don't always do it in the best interests of the public. We have a unique combined authority that is a combination of urban areas with substantial rural areas.

"It is for the benefit of our rural communities that we need to press ahead with this. Operators run buses in areas where they make money. This gives us the opportunity, for the very first time since the 1980s, to introduce regular services to make sure every single part of our rich region is adequately served by public transport."

Coun Glen Sanderson, Conservative leader of Northumberland County Council, backed the move.

He said: "I welcome this. As a county we naturally have some concern about how any change might affect the people in the farthest and most remote parts of the county.

"I'm grateful that you and Coun Gannon have understood that. I will work with you on this."