Reader reaction after Leeds City Council's climate committee hears calls for publicly owned bus services

It was claimed passengers had been ‘failed’ by three decades of buses being run by private businesses, with some suggesting services could better adapt to environmental and passenger needs if they were once again run by local authorities.

It follows 11 recommendations which were made by the Leeds climate jury – a group made up of 25 members of the public, which was tasked last year with producing a report on how Leeds can meet its targets to become carbon neutral by 2030.

The recommendations, which included bringing bus services back into public ownership, went before a meeting of Leeds City Council’s climate emergency advisory committee.

Readers took to social media to voice their opinions. Here's what you said:

Guy Antony Moxon thought it was a good idea. He said: "It worked before and we had a far better service than now. It makes sense to be back in public ownership."

Leeds Mike said: "We need to bring back some form of regulation and develop a properly integrated public transport network with light rail."

Garry Clarkson added: "Bus system does not exist in Leeds. I haven’t been on one since privatisation. Simply can’t get to work."

However, other readers said the plan would not work.

Jason Logan said: "The city council can’t even run a fleet of bin wagons properly, how are they going to run a huge fleet of buses?"

Darren Andrew Lee Pryor agreed, saying: "Can’t even run a council let alone a bus service, most services council have run are running on empty."

Steven Verb added: "Anything run by local or central governments is for the most part useless and we’d probably end up begging for buses to go private."

Hazel Mitchell added: "The traffic is regularly choc a block, how do people expect buses to get through? Leeds centre is a nightmare."

Lindsey Bell said: "How is bringing the buses under public ownership going to change the traffic in Leeds or the drive time restrictions?"

What do you think? Email [email protected]