What Newly Released EMCCA Documents Reveal About the Changing Governance of Bus Services

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The governance of bus services in England is changing rapidly.

As Combined Authorities take on greater responsibility for planning, funding and managing bus networks, a new layer of public transport governance is emerging. Documents recently released through Freedom of Information requests to the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) provide an interesting glimpse into how these changes are unfolding.

While the focus of these documents is primarily on franchising policy and governance arrangements, they also highlight a broader issue that is increasingly relevant to the future of bus services: how safety oversight and learning will function within these evolving structures.

Understanding this wider context matters.

The Scale of Modern Bus Networks

Bus services remain the most widely used form of public transport in Britain.

Across the East Midlands Combined County Authority area alone, documentation suggests the network includes:

• approximately 97 million passenger journeys per year  

• around 1,000 buses operating across the region  

• more than 330 routes  

• over 14,000 bus stops  

• around £78 million in supported service contracts

These figures illustrate the scale of the system now being overseen by Combined Authorities.

For many communities, buses are not simply another transport option — they are the backbone of everyday mobility.

A Growing Governance Framework

The EMCCA documents show how authorities are now developing governance frameworks for bus networks that were historically operated almost entirely by private companies.

This includes:

• strategic planning for franchising models  

• financial oversight of supported services  

• coordination with operators and infrastructure providers  

• monitoring performance and service delivery

These responsibilities represent a significant expansion of public sector involvement in bus transport.

Franchising systems in cities such as Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region and West Yorkshire demonstrate that the structure of the bus sector is undergoing substantial change.

A Question of Safety Learning

One aspect that receives less attention in these governance discussions is how safety lessons are identified and shared across the bus system.

When serious incidents occur, investigations can involve multiple organisations, including:

• police forces  

• bus operators  

• insurance investigators  

• the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency  

• Traffic Commissioners  

• coroners in the event of fatalities

Each of these bodies plays an important role.

However, there is currently no single national organisation dedicated specifically to identifying systemic safety lessons across the bus sector in the way that exists in other transport modes.

For example, the UK operates independent accident investigation bodies for:

• aviation  

• rail  

• maritime transport

These organisations focus on identifying causes and publishing safety recommendations that benefit the entire industry.

The bus sector operates differently.

Why Governance Changes Make This Question More Relevant

As bus services become increasingly shaped by public authorities through franchising and enhanced partnerships, the question of how safety learning is structured becomes more important.

A more complex governance landscape raises natural questions such as:

• how safety data is collected and analysed  

• how lessons from incidents are shared between authorities and operators  

• how systemic risks are identified across the industry

These are not questions of blame or enforcement.

They are questions about how a transport system learns and improves.

Looking Ahead

The EMCCA documents provide a useful insight into how bus governance is evolving in England.

They show the scale of responsibility now being assumed by Combined Authorities and the complexity of managing modern bus networks.

As these governance structures continue to develop, it may also be worth considering how safety learning and investigation frameworks evolve alongside them.

Independent accident investigation has played an important role in improving safety in other transport sectors.

Whether a similar approach could benefit the bus sector is a question that may increasingly come into focus as bus reform progresses.

Lee Odams is a UK bus worker and trade union representative who writes about bus safety, governance and public transport policy.

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