As a non-driver, I am one of the many people whose lives are inextricably linked to bus routes and timetables. Buses are important to us and they should be important to those that govern us. Andy Burnham’s practical policies are welcome, but equally so is the fact that when he talks about buses, he does so with pride and emotion, for example in his 2022 Full Disclosure interview with James O’Brien.
On the buses
My early memories of buses centre on being sat with my nana on a Warrington red double decker, downstairs of course – upstairs had a less respectable, even dangerous feel to it. People smoked up there! The uniformed, becapped conductor would do his rounds and issue our tickets with a mechanical whirr. Faces were recognised, pleasantries exchanged. I was fascinated by bus etiquette. As we got off, nana would upgrade the standard alighting thanks to what felt like a slightly regal ‘Thank you driver!’ However, this was no affectation. It came rather from a deep desire to be respectful of people’s labour.
The conductors inevitably disappeared, economics being valued over social contact, an early sign of the downgrading of human interaction that would come to pass in so many areas of public life. And the traditional red double deckers took on a more modern, streamlined form. But buses remained my primary mode of transport. Sometimes, I would even sit upstairs, braving the last gasps of the smoking era.
Bus explorer
Later, living in London, if I had time, I would always take the bus. It was a fantastic way to experience the multiple personalities of the different Londons. (A bus ride really reveals the stark contrasts between rich and poor areas as they blend into each other.) I do the same thing when I visit now. I head for my favourite seat upstairs at the front (free if I’m lucky) and settle in for a nice long ride.
Now, I live in Sweden, where I often use my travel card to explore the city by bus and, excitingly, by ferry. I have discovered a few wonderful places by accident by catching random buses to places with intriguing names. (I also sometimes end up in some characterless dead ends, but hey.) One particularly memorable trip saw me take a three-hour multi-bus trip for what would have been a 40-minute metro ride. Absolutely worth it, especially as, at one point, the bus had to drive onto a ferry to navigate between islands! I contained myself, somehow.
The Bee Network
I go back to Manchester, where I previously lived, quite often. As a firm believer in publicly owned transport, I was very excited to experience the Bee Network, and I wasn’t disappointed. I enjoyed the bright yellow buses and the neat £2 contactless fair. The buses were frequent and fairly clean, and the drivers were helpful. Electrification is well under way and there are plans to have a fully zero-emission fleet by 2030.
But I know I romanticise. I realise that many experience the network as unreliable and the app really doesn’t seem up to much. I also witnessed threatening behaviour towards drivers on a couple of occasions.
Building public transport that makes us proud
I know that bus travel everywhere can be frustrating – and being a bus traveller also means being entitled to a good moan occasionally.
But alongside the valid criticism, there is also a snobbery around buses. There should be no shame attached to travelling on public transport. On the contrary. A successful public transport policy in the UK, where it appears that habits and attitudes around public transport compare negatively to those in some other European countries, will need to change both hearts and minds. We need to create affordable, clean, safe public transport for the dignity of the people who rely on it, but also to tempt people out of their cars. We need to engender a sense of civic pride, which I think the Bee Network is trying to do with its cheerful livery, clever branding and clear messaging.
Who cares about buses?
So I understand Burnham’s focus on buses, and I believe the emotion he expresses when he talks about them is genuine. My support for buses increases immeasurably when I hear Badenoch imply that bus policy is parochial or when Farage seems to sneer: ‘Oh please …’ when asked on LBC radio about Burnham’s early actions. I believe that their responses are also genuine. They are to me a clear signal that they really do not care about the experiences of anyone who relies on such a humble form of transport. We should take this as a sign (if we need another one) that these people are not too concerned with making working people’s lives better.
Quality of life depends on both the big things and the small things. How much you are paid is important, but so is how easy it is and how much it costs to get to work.
The quality of public transport says a lot about the degree to which governments respect their citizens, and Andy Burnham seems to understand this.
Bylines Network Gazette is out!
The latest Bylines Network Gazette is out now. Become a Friend of Bylines Network or upgrade to a paid Substack subscription, and you will get access to a vital collection of citizen articles and stories.
Journalism by the people, for the people.
