Kim McGuinness starts work as North East mayor – and kicks off bid to take control over buses

The 38-year-old was elected last week as the mayor of a new combined authority stretching across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, and Durham, as the Labour candidate saw off a challenge from independent rival Jamie Driscoll.

And on day one of her new job on Tuesday, she confirmed that a major shake-up of the North East’s public transport is in the works.

The new mayor has the power to franchise the region’s bus services – meaning that, while bus operators will still be contracted to run services, control over fares, routes, and timetables will be in public hands rather than those of private companies.

The former Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner said: “It has been a really busy weekend preparing for everything and it is nerve-racking. I think it will take a while for it to sink in, but I am also really excited.

“It is a really big time for the region as we start to take power back into our own hands and make our own decisions. Already this morning I have instructed the organisation to start looking at how we bring our buses under public control.

“That was a key pledge through the campaign period and when I spoke to people it was a big concern for a lot of people in most parts of our region. The majority of public transport journeys are taken by bus, yet in the last 12 years we have lost a third of services. It needs sorting and we have started that process on day one.”

Ms McGuinness and Mr Driscoll had both made taking public control over bus services a key pledge of their election campaigns, with such a model already in use in Greater Manchester and the likes of Liverpool and West Yorkshire set to follow suit.

The new mayor admitted that the reorganisation would “take a long time” and that she would have to work with bus companies to deliver improvements to services in the meantime, but said she was “hopeful” of the process being quicker than the six-year slog endured in Greater Manchester.

She added: “I have spoken to the operators during the campaign. I don’t think this is a move that will surprise anybody. But I want to work with them. This is not a combative thing, it is just what needs to happen in our region to improve public transport.

“And in the meantime we are going to have to work together to improve services as they currently stand because too many people are let down by a bus service that just isn’t there anymore. That prevents them from reaching their true potential at work or from seeing friends or family as often as they want or, in the worst case scenario, prevents young people from being able to access education.”

Ms McGuinness has also revealed that setting up a commission to reinvigorate the North East’s high streets, tackling child poverty, and building more social housing are among her top priorities.