2023 Volume 79 Issue 20 Article ID: 23-20024
In the U.K., the Transport Act 1985 liberalized the bus market outside of London, allowing all private operators meeting minimum standards to participate in the market, and allowing them to set their own fare structures, routes, frequency, etc. as long as they meet minimum standards. In principle, the support and intervention of local governments were limited to non-commercial routes only. On the other hand, local governments continue to search for ways to improve service, and the Transport Act 2000, the Local Transport Act 2008, and the Bus Service Act 2017 have established a system of agreements and contracts between local governments and operators. In light of the adverse effects of deregulation, such as rising fares, competition among operators, and complex fare structures, the National Bus Strategy for England was developed in 2021. This paper analyzes the changes in bus-related legislation in the U.K. since deregulation from the perspective of improving regional public transportation services and changing the authority of local governments.
