Does anyone know where I can access any resources on how Nottingham developed its public transport netowork to what it is now? It is arguably the 3rd best system in the UK (behind Manchester and London) despite being the 9th largest city. With austerity getting worse in this country, I wonder if there’s anything worth learning about how to establish good public transport on a budget. Maybe similar sized cities like Leicester or even bigger like Leeds can adopt some of the strategies that made Nottingham into an easy place to travel around without a car.
I dunno but I don’t think it’s a recent thing. I was blown away Nottingham’s incredible late bus services as far back as 2001-5. The bus services were more regular, cheaper and late-running than Birminghams. Seems to have been the case for a LONG time.
Do you think it’s possible for a local council to build something like that again under this government?
I don’t think anything is possible under the current government except misery and pain. I dunno much about modern-day Notts but if you have a mayor like Manchester then they often have a lot of power to affect transport policy in the city.
For example Manchester is ‘nationalising’ local bus services into the Bee Network and creating a unified metro/bus/bike hire system. It’s gonna be great and will make London jealous!
Maybe speak to your local MP about getting a similar regional/city mayor with similar powers (transport & policing) to the Manchester one?
“Nationalising” services to a council (idk what that would be called, councilising? lmao?) is so based.
“Public ownership” is the generic term, I think, for a service that’s owned by the pubic (via some level of government). Also: agreed.