THE INDUSTRY'S TASK

The current challenge facing the British bus industry is discussed. Eight and a half years into its new era of deregulation and privatisation, can it at last halt its decline, and move forward, to make real progress towards reducing urban congestion and pollution? This challenge can be met, but it will require commitment from central government, local authorities, bus companies and their staff, and consultants. To meet new environmental targets, bus patronage will need to double between now and 2005, and double again by 2020. Measures to promote public transport need to be seen in the context of the transport market. They can be classified into: (1) bus priority measures; (2) subsidies on fares; and (3) policy influences from central and local government. Deregulation will be challenged, but advocates of reregulation, and especially of local authority control over network planning, must answer some serious questions. New Department of the Environment (DoE) guidelines re-establish the clear link between land use planning and transport. Various measures are required to discourage car use. The public has responded positively to significant bus quality initiatives. The bus industry is moving towards consolidation and more investment. For the covering abstract see IRRD 874487.