Highways Chief and Banbury’s MP at odds over future bus services
15/10/2025
Andrew Gant wants to enhance the existing agreement; Sean Woodcock wants the services back in public hands
Oxfordshire County Council’s Highways Chief and Banbury’s MP are at odds over how bus services are best delivered in the county.
Next week the County Council’s Cabinet look set to agree an Enhanced Partnership Plus agreement with local bus operators. They believe this will build on the success of the existing arrangement by strengthening the commitments on both parties to deliver improvements for passengers.
But MP Sean Woodcock has backed the Oxfordshire Labour Group’s calls to take advantage of forthcoming changes in legislation. These will allow authorities such as Oxfordshire to take back ownership of local bus services through either franchising or creating new municipal bus companies.
Franchising offers authorities the ability to control and direct all aspects of bus provision, including planning and designing services and setting fares.
Municipal ownership would see the authority completely own and operate its own bus services.
The County Council believes franchising would be a lengthy and expensive process, with more risk, whilst municipal ownership carries high set-up and operational costs.
Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Bus services are vital for Oxfordshire’s communities, economy, and the environment. I am pleased that this important item is being considered by the council and the opportunity for improvements it presents.
“As a council we have a good, close working relationship with our bus operators and regularly discuss matters such as routes and ticketing to help deliver the service that people in Oxfordshire need.”
Sean Woodcock disagrees. He is backing the Oxfordshire Labour group’s campaign to ensure “buses are run for people, not just for profit”.
He said: “For decades rural bus services across Banbury and the surrounding villages have been eroded by reductions in services. There are now many villages in my constituency that do not have a bus service at all, while others have infrequent and unreliable services.
“OurBus Bartons has shown what can be done when services are run in the interests of local people, not just for profit. I call on the County Council to use the new powers, given by the Labour government, to take public control over local buses.”
Mr Woodcock is encouraging people to sign a petition urging the County Council to take back bus services into public ownership.
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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