When Greater Manchester took the bold step to bring buses under local control, the decision was about more than transport. It was a commitment to integration, the idea that when public authorities set the vision and operators deliver with precision, the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

The network is now proving that franchising can deliver simpler fares, coordinated timetables and a consistent standard of service across a whole region.

With franchising powers expanding, the question is no longer if change will happen, but how quickly we can scale the benefits, and whether we seize the chance to build something genuinely world-class.

We know what it takes to make that leap. From Paris to Perth, and........

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