The Greater Manchester Combined Authority have published their proposals to change the way our buses are run, putting the needs of the public ahead of the bus companies’ wish to maximise their profits. As part of this process, they have launched a formal consultation open to everyone.

Assia Shah, who will be Whalley Range Labour’s candidate in 2020, says “The big bus companies will be fighting back and lobbying hard, so it’s vital that the rest of us make our views known if this change is to become a reality. Even if you’re not a regular bus user at present, a ‘London style’ bus franchising system can bring many environmental and social benefits for the whole population – including reduced traffic congestion”.

The Better Buses campaign have all the information you need, including a handy template to quickly make a formal submission in just two minutes, or you can go to the GMCA consultation web page. The deadline for submissions is 8 January 2020 – but if you leave it until then it may get missed in the Christmas rush…