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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1985 TRANSPORT ACT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

This paper aims to examine the factors leading to bus deregulation and its implementation in the UK during the 1980s. It also discusses how far the predictions about deregulation were fulfilled, and whether an alternative approach would have worked better. Bus regulation was introduced in 1930, and remained in force until the 1985 Transport Act, implemented in 1986. The main arguments for deregulation were that subsidy was wasteful, and competition would improve bus services and increase bus use; they were strongly challenged by opponents of deregulation, who doubted whether it would lead to more competitive bus markets or produce cheaper, more efficient bus services. The paper considers in detail the effects of competition as predicted by both proponents and opponents of deregulation. Whereas the proponents considered that there would be generally beneficial effects, the opponents claimed that many predicted benefits would not occur or that they had been overestimated. They also argued that there had been insufficient emphasis on potentially harmful effects. The end of the paper states the timetable for implementation of the 1985 Transport Act, considers various specific aspects of deregulation, and discusses some problems arising immediately after deregulation.

  • Corporate Authors:

    University of Oxford

    Transport Studies Unit, 11 Bevington Road
    Oxford,   United Kingdom  OX2 6NB
  • Authors:
    • GOODWIN, P
    • Pickup, L
    • Stokes, G
  • Publication Date: 1990-12

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Features: References;
  • Pagination: 24 p.
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00642208
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
  • Files: ITRD
  • Created Date: Feb 15 1994 12:00AM