Passenger transport executive

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In the United Kingdom, Passenger Transport Executives {PTEs) are local government bodies which cover large urban areas, and are responsible for public transport within the areas that they serve. They are accountable to bodies called Passenger Transport Authorities (PTAs) (see below).

There are six PTEs, in England one for each of the metropolitan counties

A similar body, Transport for London, exists in Greater London.

History

The first PTEs were established in the late 1960s by the 1968 Transport Act as transport authorities serving large conurbations, by the then transport minister Barbara Castle. When the six Metropolitan counties and Strathclyde were established in 1974 they took on their present shape.

The Local Government Act 1985 establised the PTEs in their present form. Until the mid 1980s the PTEs operated bus services in their areas, however bus deregulation by the Transport Act of 1986 forced the PTEs to sell their bus fleets to private operators. They were also stripped of their powers to regulate the fares and timetables of private bus operators.

Functions

  • The PTEs are now responsible for subsidising bus services which are not profitable to run but are considered socially neccesary. And for providing bus shelters and stations.
  • Most PTEs do not operate public transport services but in some cases they do, the Tyne and Wear PTE operates the Tyne and Wear Metro, and Strathclyde PT operates the Glasgow Subway, in Merseyside and Tyne and Wear some ferry services are operated by the PTEs
  • The PTEs have retained more powers over local train services, which they do not operate but are responsible for dictating fares and services.
  • The PTEs are also resposible for planning and funding new public transport facilities, such as light rail systems and new stations.
  • They also run concessionary travel schemes for the elderly and disabled including "Ring-and Ride" services.
  • They are also responsible for giving out travel information about transport services.

In recent years the PTEs have campaigned to be given more powers to regulate local bus services, as is the case in London (see London Buses)

Passenger Transport Authorities

The Passenger Transport Authorities (PTAs) are the bodies which administer the executives, they are made up of councillors representing the areas served by the PTEs. They are resposible for funding the PTEs, and making the policies which the PTEs carry out on their behalf.

Appointments of councillors to the PTAs in England are made by the metropolitan boroughs, or in the case of Strathclyde by the twelve unitary authority councils in the area.

The Passenger Transport Authorities are "precepting authorities", meaning that they raise funds by imposing a levy on the council tax collected by the local authorities in the areas that they serve.

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