The Greens have pledged to take buses into public control and give under 22s free bus travel
Green Party leader Zack Polanski has branded the privatisation of buses an ‘unmitigated disaster’ in a local election campaign visit to Newcastle. He went on to say that Green councillors elected in the upcoming elections will push to bring buses into public control.
Alongside this, Polanski committed the Greens to introducing free bus travel for people under the age of 22.
Polanski said: “Years of deregulation have led to soaring fares, unreliable services and cut routes. Bus privatisation has been an unmitigated disaster. We need to bring buses back into public control so that local councils, who know what their communities need best, can put a ceiling on how much can be charged and make sure their communities are well served. Spiralling transport costs is one of the greatest causes of the affordability crisis and lack of services and the expense of fares affects rural communities in particular.
“Electing Green councillors will help end this and herald in a new age of the bus, to help rebuild our struggling high streets and boost our communities.”
The announcement has been welcomed by transport campaigners.
Anti-privatisation campaign group We Own It told LFF that other parties should follow the Green Party’s lead on this issue.
We Own It’s lead campaigner Johnbosco Nwogbo said: “Privatisation and deregulation have clearly failed people, especially in places where providing the service is not profitable. Local councils should be able to use profits from highly trafficked bus routes to fund a steady service for the areas that aren’t as profitable. Everyone needs buses, no matter where they live. That is why it is so important to, after 30 years, finally end the disastrous Thatcherite experiment with bus deregulation once and for all. And not just on the books, like Labour has done, but also providing councils with the resources they need to bring buses under public control and public ownership in reality.
“It is wonderful to see that the Green Party is addressing this issue with the seriousness that it deserves. Buses are the heartbeat of many towns and villages across Britain. And at a time of rising energy costs, where driving risks becoming prohibitive for people in rural areas, buses are now even more important. Other parties must follow the Greens’ lead in committing to local buses that work for people, not private shareholders.”
Buses are the most used form of public transport in England, but usage has taken a huge and sustained drop recently, down from 4.6 billion journeys in 2009 to 3.6 billion in 2024.
Buses were privatised and deregulated in 1985 by Margaret Thatcher’s government. The 2025 Bus Services Act gave local authorities powers to regulate buses. Prior to this, only metropolitan mayors had such powers (for example, Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester).
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
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