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Everyone\u2019s take on the National Bus Strategy is different, but who better to comment on it than Thomas Ableman.\xa0
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\nWith a career in bus, rail and now the founder and CEO of Snap Travel Technology \u2013 a virtual coach company which has run 25m passenger miles without any coaches or drivers \u2013 he sees all sides of the issues, especially on ticketing integration and local politics.
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\n\n\nHe also runs the The Freewheeling Podcas\u202at\u202c which aims to be a platform for fresh voices and unconventional thinkers. Over lunch with Leon Daniels OBE he discusses the 21,000 words bus strategy \u2013 and importantly what\u2019s not in in \u2013 plus, why bus company share prices didn\u2019t move after its publication and why there was not a collective \u2018gnashing of teeth\u2019.
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\n\n\nThomas looks at the implications of the marriage of the words \u2018discretionary\u2019 and \u2018funding\u2019 in the document and explores whether the promised \xa33bn is vulnerable to future cuts. The strategy sets out the direction of travel \u2013 which is great news for those already in partnership \u2013 but, says
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\n\n\nThomas, in areas such as Luton that could be very different, and he explains why. \u201cThere\u2019s lots of talking to be done by people who haven\u2019t talked for many years,\u201d he adds. Leon and Thomas mull over what could happen in local authority areas where the balance of power drifts between two parties \u2013 with just one or two councillors\u2019 seats making the difference \u2013 and why a planned bus lane could change the balance of power.
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\n\n\nMoving onto the affects for areas where there is no strong political leadership, Thomas adds that the Government has \u2018weaponised\u2019 dishonesty as a tool of leadership. He also reckons that there are dangers for the transport industry in thinking it\u2019s \u201con the side of angels.\u201d They also chew over the big missing item from all the Government\u2019s slew of recent transport announcements: How do we replace the \xa33.8bn of fuel duty, as we move to net zero? Pondering the likelihood of road pricing and the possible options, Thomas sets out why it needs to be started now and \u201ccan\u2019t be a policy in five years\u2019 time.\u201d
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\n\n\nOther aspects that touch on buses, but have been ignored by the strategy are debated, including how to deal with the \u201cinter-departmental chasm\u201d that sees major schemes, such as planning for hospitals, schools and business parks, \u201cfailing the bus industry.\u201d Thomas explains why a statutory duty to consult about bus services as part of the planning process should be a statutory duty, in the same way as it is already for cycling. \u201cIt would be an easy win as a lot of the improvements, especially before making the planning application, are zero cost.\u201d
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\n\n\nHe concludes by talking about why bus fares pricing should follow coffee shops and fast-food places, leveraging contactless and enabling incremental price changes, so that the bus industry gets to the same place as TfL is, where people don\u2019t complain \u2013 or even notice \u2013 about the detail of TfL fares.