THE LONDON REGIONAL TRANSPORT ACT, 1984: A MODEL FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN THE 1980'S

The paper compares the regulatory framework for running London local bus services under the London Regional Transport Act 1984 with that proposed for the rest of the country and to assess the relative merits of regulated competition and complete deregulation. The paper outlines LRT's statutory duties and considers the progress made by LRT towards satisfying the four tasks set by the Secretary of State for Transport. Changes in the nature and volume of service provision in the London area since the new planning framework was established are also examined. The evolution of LRT's tendering system is described, with a detailed discussion of the major issues concerning the form of contract and type of conditions attached. A preliminary assessment of the impact of tendering on unit costs and on service patterns is provided. The results indicate that significant cost reductions can be achieved under a system of supply side competition. The paper concludes by examining the relevance of LRT's statutory framework and tendering system for the rest of Britain. It also considers how the "anomaly" of a regulated and co-ordinated network of services in London, surrounded by a fully de-regulated pattern of bus services in the rest of Britain is likely to resolve itself. For the covering abstract of the seminar see IRRD 286719. (TRRL)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Transport Policy. Proceedings of Seminar K held at the PTRC Summer Annual Meeting, University of Sussex, England, 15-18 July 1985, Volume P267.
• Corporate Authors:

  PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

  110 Strand
  London WC2,   England 
• Authors:
  • Higginson, M
  • Rigby, J
• Conference:
  • Planning & Transport Res & Comp, Sum Ann Mtg, Proc
• Publication Date: 1985

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 57-68

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Competition; Contracting; Coordination; Cost control; Deregulation; Legislation; Private enterprise; Public transit; Transportation planning; Urban transportation
• Identifier Terms: London Transport
• Uncontrolled Terms: Integrated transportation systems
• ITRD Terms: 155: Administration; 137: Bid; 1272: Bus; 235: Competition; 8525: Conference; 146: Contract; 224: Cost; 1556: Legislation; 653: Level of service; 9048: Modification; 744: Public transport; 378: Region; 9101: Surveillance; 137: Tender; 253: Transport authority; 8119: United Kingdom; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Law; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00457323
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Report/Paper Numbers: Monograph
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 27 2004 10:01PM