Passengers banned from consuming hot food or drinks on buses as new charter seeks to raise standards

Milton Keynes Council, bus operators and MK BUG user group joined forces to agree a set of ‘promises’.

These promises include drivers being professional, helpful and respectful to all customers, and the council ensuring that bus shelters are properly maintained.

Passengers must pledge not to eat hot food or drink on buses or leave litter, while transport partners promise to work together to develop the highest quality bus network for Milton Keynes.

The charter also states that every effort will made to achieve or maintain high standards of punctuality and reliability, and there will be a zero-tolerance policy to anti-social or intimidating behaviour on buses.

Councillor Matt Clifton, Cabinet member with responsibility for Transport said: “This Charter protects bus passengers by setting out the minimum standards they can expect from the council and bus operators.”

He added: “We want our local bus services to be reliable, affordable and punctual, which is why all the key partners involved have worked hard to produce this agreed list and have committed ourselves to delivering on these promises.”

Peter Ballantyne, chairman of MK BUG said: “The reoccurring complaint over the years from the bus-using public has been the variability of the quality of the services provided. Milton Keynes Bus Users Group decided to produce a Bus Users Charter written from the passenger’s perspective to establish a common framework, and to address the variability between operators.

He added: “After 18 months of negotiation with the bus operators and with the cooperation of Milton Keynes Council, we are launching the ‘Milton Keynes Bus Passenger Charter’ which sets a standard that if can be kept to will provide bus services that are second to none throughout the country”.