Buses are vital for Greater Manchester. They’re used for three-out-of-four public transport journeys and thousands of us depend on them to get to school, college, the shops or to see our friends.

But bus use is falling.

Currently in Greater Manchester, individual bus operators decide their own routes, frequencies, tickets and standards. In areas they don’t run, the public sector pays to fill in the gaps in the market where it can. It’s hard to make our buses work together, or with other kinds of public transport, and the fares and tickets available can be confusing.

Buses can be improved and Greater Manchester now has a chance to do buses differently.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GCMA) is proposing a franchising scheme for the whole of Greater Manchester.

Under the proposed franchising scheme bus services would be under GMCA’s control and they would decide which services would be provided – like the way buses are run in London and other major cities around the world. GMCA would set the routes, frequencies, tickets and standards, while the bus operators would run the services.

This would allow buses to work better with the rest of public transport – as part of Our Network – Greater Manchester’s vision for a joined-up transport system.

GMCA wants to hear your views as part of their public consultation. It doesn’t matter if you’re a regular bus passenger or rarely use the buses, everyone’s views are important and will inform a future decision on how your buses are run.

Oldham’s Labour councillors have been encouraging residents to respond to the consultation, to give Greater Manchester the bus service it deserves. But time is running out with the deadline for responses being Wednesday 8th January.

Have your say at www.gmconsult.org

If you need to respond in a different way, or require the consultation materials in a different format, please contact gmbusconsultation@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk or call 0161 244 1100 to discuss your requirements.