§ 26. Ms. RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made in deregulating London buses.
§ Mr. FreemanDeregulation of bus services in London is a long-standing Government commitment. Progress towards this objective started in 1985 when London Transport initiated a programme of route tendering. In 1989, London Buses Limited was restructured into 12 smaller bus operating subsidiaries in readiness for the transition to a commercial bus market. Last year, the Government confirmed their intention to proceed with deregulation and privatisation. A Bill will be introduced as soon as possible after the next election. In preparation for that, I have initiated discussions with a number of groups with a direct interest in the future of bus services in London.