Conor is fighting Government plans to ban new council-run bus firms to help protect and improve local services.
He has joined the campaign to “take control of our buses” which is opposed to a planned new law that would stop local councils setting up new municipal bus companies.\nConor has already met local councillors and passengers who are worried about a shake-up by Merseytravel of bus services in Seneley Green.
\nNow, he wants to put the brakes on a key section of Transport Secretary Chris Grayling’s Bus Services Bill that is currently going through Parliament.
\nUnder Clause 21 of the proposed legislation, English local authorities would be stopped from setting up council-run bus firms that could operate their own services.\nBut Conor is opposing the change and is pictured with the campaign’s “battle bus” as part of the fight against the ban.
\nConor said:
“I have already met councillors from Billinge and Seneley Green, as well as local bus users because of their worries about changes to local services.\n”This Tory plan contained in the Bus Services Bill is a further threat to bus services which are a lifeline to many people.
\n”Since the deregulation of bus services 30 years ago, ticket prices have rocketed and services have worsened. Private firms continue to put profit before passengers.
\n”I will be fighting this dangerous and ill thought out plan by the Government to ban councils from running bus companies.
\n”Councils can play a vital role in running community services on less busy routes that private firms often ignore because they are more interested in chasing a profit.”