WHO NEEDS DEREGULATION

The author describes bus operations in Northern Ireland, which were not subject to deregulation in the 1985 Transport Act. It is reported that passengers enjoy a high level of service, the average age of the bus fleet is reducing and local communities do not have to contribute to running costs. The only external finance is a 50 per cent new bus grant. As a nationalised industry, bus operators have to conform with the Government's Citizen's Charter requirements for reliability, safety and quality. A number of bus stations have recently been totally rebuilt. A rapid bus service is provided on the commuter route to Belfast city centre using bus priority lanes. Journey times have been reduced by about 10 minutes and passenger levels have risen to 10 000 per week in 1992. It is estimated that 16 per cent of this growth has been from former car commuters, and 20 per cent were completely new to bus travel. The two operators, Citybus and Ulsterbus both made profits in 1992. It appears that the objectives of deregulation are being achieved more effectively in this regulated environment than they are in mainland Britain. The stability of the network is considered to be an important factor and resources are not required to deal with competitors.