Metro has called upon the recently-formed Association of Bus Operators in West Yorkshire (ABOWY) to present its plans, before the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority Executive Board's meeting on Friday 23 March.

"We have held extensive discussions with the bus operators about whether they can meet our requirements for going down the partnership route or whether we press ahead with proposals for Quality Contracts which would see bus companies bidding to run services to franchises set by Metro," explained Metro Chairman Cllr James Lewis.

Premium prices

"In particular, we want to see details of ABOWY's proposals on ticketing and how they are going to change the current situation where passengers are forced to pay premium prices for journeys that involve travelling on more than one companies' buses.

"This is a growing issue which more and more people are complaining about," he continued. "MetroCards provide passengers with this multi-operator option but ABOWY's members have always insisted, through the West Yorkshire Ticketing Company, that they are priced significantly higher than operator-only tickets, are not transferable and are not available for specific local areas.

"ABOWY's members are penalising passengers for wanting choice, flexibility and a good deal, and they are also making fares and tickets harder for passengers to understand."

Detrimentally affected

Metro is also concerned about the value-for-money findings of the Competition Commission's recent investigation into the bus industry which showed that at least 50%, but possibly as many as 98%, of West Yorkshire bus services were being detrimentally affected by a lack of competition in the industry. Based upon the Commission's report that says the national cost of this competition deficit is £150m, Metro has calculated that in West Yorkshire this could equate to as much as £25m as a result of higher fares and poorer services.

If the ITA considers ABOWY's proposals are not good enough, Metro will continue working on the introduction of a Bus Quality Contracts scheme. The first stage would be the publication of a Public Interest Statement, showing how a Bus Quality Contracts Scheme would be a value-for-money scheme benefitting passengers and non-passengers alike, followed by a public consultation in the summer. The plans would then need to be assessed and approved by the Department for Transport, meaning the first Quality Contract Scheme contracts could be issued in early 2013.

In October 2010, over 95% of voters who responded to the Guardian's question "Should Metro regulate Leeds' buses?" agreed that Metro should be allowed to set the specification for Leeds's buses, and just over 90% said that bus services in Leeds were poor or in need of improvement.

The kind of Partnership scheme ABOWY is proposing should deliver the benefits of a Bus Quality Contract Scheme, but it would not contain legally-enforceable contracts and service standards.

Stable service network

"We want an environment where bus passengers can rely on a stable service network, and are not tied to specific operators or inconvenient journeys because of ticket costs and restrictions, and unless the operators' proposals can assure this we think Quality Contracts are the answer," said Cllr Lewis.

"Quality Contracts, which are similar to how bus services are successfully and profitably organised in London and most European cities, would also encourage greater use of buses and reduce traffic congestion.

"And the Scheme will also produce savings for Council Tax-payers and contribute to the MyJourney West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan's objectives of improving the economy, environment and quality of life for everyone in West Yorkshire."

A report to the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority (WYITA) Executive Board on Friday 27 January updates members on these latest developments.

Details of Metro's proposals for a Quality Contracts.

Download the ITA Executive Board Report (pdf : 63k)

Visit the ABOWY website