Opinion: Delivering better buses across Luton South and South Bedfordshire

Countless residents in Luton South and South Bedfordshire have told me that they are tired of unreliable, overcrowded and infrequent bus services holding them back from opportunity.

Buses remain the most used form of public transport in England. In Luton South and South Bedfordshire, bus services provide a crucial lifeline—whether in the bustling town centre or rural villages. Buses connect residents to healthcare, high streets, work, education, and social activities. In Luton alone, there were 9.9 million bus journeys in the year ending March 2024, showing strong local demand.

Yet, bus usage nationally has declined from 4.6 billion journeys in 2009 to 3.6 billion in 2024. Since 2010, our area has also seen a 36% drop in bus service frequency.

This reflects a wider failure overseen by the previous Conservative government. Decades of deregulation have allowed private operators to cut routes and raise fares, prioritising commercial viability over the needs of local communities.

Labour is determined to fix this broken system. Improving public transport is critical to delivering on the missions of this Labour government —unlocking economic growth, accelerating net zero, and breaking down barriers to opportunity.

I therefore strongly welcome the introduction of the Buses Bill in Parliament, which will expand the power to franchise bus services – as seen successfully in Greater London and Greater Manchester – to all local authorities.

The plans would grant Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) greater control over bus routes, fares and service levels, with private operators bidding for contracts to operate franchises.

The package of measures would also reverse the ideological ban on publicly owned bus companies, prohibited in law since 2017, giving local authorities more flexibility on how to approach fixing local services. Instead of communities fighting for limited funding, a new formula will allocate resources based on need and deprivation, ensuring an equal and reliable service across the country.

Our Labour government is taking action to transform bus services – making them more affordable, accessible and responsive to the needs of local residents. This legislation will revolutionise the bus network in the largest overhaul to local transport powers in 40 years, and I look forward to supporting it as it progresses through Parliament.

I would like to hear from you about your experience using our local bus network. Please email me your views at [email protected] or fill out my bus survey at https://survey.labour.org.uk/betterbusessurvey