'NO ONE HAS PRESENTED A CLEAR, COSTED PROPOSAL'

THE regional mayor has responded to a local council motion that called for the end of bus deregulation in the Tees Valley.

- By DANIEL HODGSON

Conservative mayor Ben Houchen has responded to a Middlesbrough Council motion that garnered cross-party support. The motion was put forward by Labour councillor David Branson at a full meeting of the council, which took place on March 26.

The motion argued that bus deregulation has led to a significant reduction in bus services and comments that elsewhere in the country, the mayor of Manchester, Labour's Andy Burnham, has "successfully" ended the deregulation of the city’s bus network.

Responding, Mr Houchen said that a clear, costed proposal was yet to be presented by anyone, as he highlighted the local mayoral precepts having to rise in Manchester to cover the costs of franchising.

Speaking at the full meeting, Cllr Branson said: “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 to drive much needed improvements to services in Middlesbrough and the Tees Valley, as modelled in other parts of the country.”