This starts with the fact that the average length of appointment of transport ministers is a little over 18 months…and it is difficult to remember any who have had an interest or positive impact in the sector
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While the slow dismemberment of the UK bus industry continues (loss of further independents such as Express Motors, D. Jones & Son and Stephensons of Easingwold, with Northamptonshire, Hampshire and Cheshire East drastically reducing bus subsidies), and the useless Bus Services Act continuing to churn out more irrelevant pieces of boilerplate, the Department for Transport has decided to add more turmoil into the sector by revising its thinking on the licensing regime for community transport (CT) operators. This sector ranges from organisations operating one community bus to larger nationwide companies such as Hackney Community Transport, with more than 200 vehicles. All of these are basically non-profit making and aim to recycle any profit back into the community. Most use volunteer drivers to some extent, and the smaller ones are run entirely by volunteers.
Until last July they were exempt from European Union rules on driver licensing, transport managers and financial standing, …
