The bus industry receives much less attention from politicians and economists than the rail industry, despite the fact that the former is more important in most areas of the country. In this important historical and economic analysis, John Hibbs shows how the bus industry gradually had its commercial freedom restrained by politicians until it became totally accountable to them, leading to what Hibbs terms the 'strange suicide of the British bus industry'. Hibbs developed much of the intellectual case for the 1985 Transport Act, which, as he shows, liberated the bus industry to serve passengers rather than politicians. Huge benefits flowed from that Act, but the current government, backed up by the European Union, is allowing local authorities to pursue, by stealth, a policy of promoting franchise - or competition for a monopoly. Hibbs' economic and historical analysis is compelling and should be of interest to all involved with transport policy.
- ISBN10 0255365721
- ISBN13 9780255365727
- Publish Date 20 October 2005
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 23 June 2014
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Institute of Economic Affairs
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 136
- Language English