Could Norfolk County Council take control of bus services?

Council leaders have tasked officers with drawing up a report into how the Labour government's plans to give local leaders powers over buses could work in Norfolk.

Norfolk County Council officers have been tasked with exploring how Labour's plans to give councils powers to run buses would work in the county (Image: Denise Bradley)

But senior councillors at the Conservative-controlled county council have reservations that the government approach might not be a good fit in a rural county like Norfolk.

Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport (Image: Norfolk County Council)

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Graham Plant, cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure, said: "I have already set officers off on the trail of what we as a county might be able to do.

"It's not just the county council, it's the districts as well. I know Great Yarmouth Borough Council used to have its own bus service, which was switched off the in the 1970s, I believe.

"What we have got to be careful with is that we are not left with unsustainable bus routes, which have to be paid for through rates and taxes to maintain them.

"I struggle with the perception that the bus companies would keep their lucrative routes and we would end up with all the non-lucrative routes which we would have to find money for to keep them going.

"I just want to have conversations with officers to work out what this would look like - to fully understand it in a rural setting, not an urban setting."

Mr Plant was responding to a question from Liberal Democrat councillor Rob Colwell at a meeting of the council's infrastructure and development committee on September 11.

Rob Colwell (Image: Rob Colwell)

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Transport secretary Louise Haigh claimed her "bus revolution" will save vital routes, with councils granted new powers to run bus services - currently only available to metro mayors.

Transport secretary Louise Haigh (Image: Tejas Sandhu/PA Wire)

The model – bus franchising – involves councils granting private companies the right to operate, but retaining control over aspects such as routes, timetables and fares.

Helen Whately, shadow transport secretary, said: "Labour’s plans are unfunded. They need to explain whether local authorities will raise council tax or make cuts to vital services like social care to fund this."