Agenda item

Motion No. 173

 

Consideration was given to Motion No. 173 moved by Councillor Branson and seconded by Councillor L Young of which notice had been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rules No. 53-60 as follows:

 

Motion on the current state and future of bus services in Middlesbrough and the wider Tees Valley.

 

This Council notes:

 

• Bus deregulation in England has led to a significant reduction in bus services, with research by Friends of the Earth highlighting that bus services in England (outside of London where they have remained regulated) have reduced by 48% in urban areas and 52% rural areas since 2008.

 

• The Labour government’s commitment to empowering local communities to take back control of their bus services and the achievement of the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, in successfully ending the deregulation of Greater Manchester’s bus network.

 

• Research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlights that, excluding London, the region with the greatest number of residents without private motor vehicle access in England is the North East. This means it is vital for our local economy that public transport options effectively serve our communities.

 

• Buses account for up to 83% of all public transport journeys in the region and, excluding London, the North East has more residents without private motor vehicle access than any other region.

 

• In Middlesbrough, bus journeys are often excessively long, timetables are seen as unreliable, some services are infrequent, and shelters at bus stops are inadequate.

 

• According to a report by Transport for the North entitled Transport and Social Exclusion in the North (published in February 2024), 44% of respondents said that poor public transport was impacting on their ability to socialise and 29% reported that they were forced to spend money on a vehicle at the expense of other essentials.

 

• An end to deregulation of buses in the Tees Valley would empower local decision-makers accountable to local people to set routes, timetables and fares, which could help drive much-needed improvements to services in Middlesbrough and the Tees Valley as modelled in other parts of the country.

 

This Council resolves to:

 

To write to the Mayor of the Tees Valley Combined Authority and the Secretary of State for Transport calling for an end to the deregulation of buses in the Tees Valley, allowing communities to take back control of their buses.

 

Councillor Branson spoke in support of the motion.

 

Councillor L Young reserved his right to speak. 

 

The Chair invited Members to speak to the motion.

 

Councillors Coupe, Livingstone, Storey, Mohan, and L Young spoke in support of the motion.  Councillors Saunders, J Platt, Wilson and Morrish spoke against the motion citing the potential financial implications.

 

Councillor Branson reminded Members that it was important to bear in mind that the motion was in relation to franchising and not nationalising. 

 

On a vote being taken the motion was CARRIED.

 

Motion No. 174

 

Consideration was given to Motion No. 174 moved by Councillor Morrish and seconded by Councillor Storey of which notice had been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rules No. 53-60 as follows:

 

“Middlesbrough Council resolve to establish a non politically balanced, cross party working group of five councillors. The purpose of which is to support the council’s events team with civic events and when and if funding is available, to expand on the civic events calendar. The committee will receive no remuneration and will have no dedicated budgets, seeking volunteers from elected members who wish to restore civic pride.”

 

Councillor Morrish spoke in support of the motion.

 

Councillor Storey spoke in support of the motion. 

 

The Chair invited Members to speak to the motion.

 

The Mayor added his support to the motion.

 

On a vote being taken the motion was CARRIED.