History of The PTE Bus Operations - Deregulation

Deregulation

In 1986 as a result of deregulation of bus services all PTEs were compelled to transfer their bus operations to "arms length" public transport companies.

This meant that the PTE/PTA could no longer regulate the routes and fares of the bus operators, nor could they prevent (legal) competition from external operators. The PTEs moved to a role of maintaining common facilities and financing less profitable but socially necessary services, although these had to go to open tender.

As a result of the split, all bus operations were re-branded:

• South Yorkshire SYT (South Yorkshire Transport)
• West Yorkshire Yorkshire Rider
• West Midlands West Midlands Travel
• Strathclyde Transport Strathclyde Buses
• Greater Manchester GM Buses (split into North and South divisions in 1993)
• Merseyside Transport Merseybus
• Tyne and Wear Busways

The rebranding served to underline the new separation of responsibilities between the PTEs and the bus companies.

In order to promote competition, the GM Buses operation was split in two in 1993.