Hello and welcome to today's independent travel podcast with me Simon Calder. As you've just heard, I'm on a bus. Don't worry, I'll be hopping off soon so you don't get this constant rumble. I'm on the top deck at the front and I'm looking at a press release from the Department for Transport

which says Transport Secretary sets the wheels in motion of the biggest overhaul

to buses in a generation. The new buses bill will put power over bus services

back in the hands of local leaders. Louise Haig, the Transport Secretary, says,

buses are the lifeblood of our communities,

but for far too many people it's been impossible

to rely on local services as routes have been slashed

and timetables hollowed out.

I think many people will agree with her on that. Today she says it's the

first stop on our journey to deliver better buses across the country after decades of

failed deregulation. What she means by that is the practice prevalent largely in

provincial cities of allowing people to run whatever

bus services they think they can make money on instead we are taking steps to

support local leaders to deliver improve bus services faster and cheaper than

ever before with local communities back in the

driving seat.

Our bus revolution will save vital routes up and down the country and put passengers

first.

Well, this is an interesting turn of events because we have had, well, four years some marvellous promises made about improved buses.

Actually the most dramatic promises were made by Boris Johnson if you remember him.

He promised a long-term strategy for buses in England called Bus Back Better.

He said that things are going to improve dramatically as a result with,

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