`Liberalisation' introduces competition into a previously protected economic sector, to make it more `responsive' and more accessible to potential entrants. It harnesses competitive forces to provide effective and extensive market-oriented services, subject to some `quantity' and `quality' controls. This paper gives some examples of the impact of the liberalising stage of bus public transport systems in seven different countries. Here, `quantity controls' limit the number of vehicles and operators allowed to run on routes and throughout the network, to avoid wasteful operation, and `quality controls' are required to ensure the highest safety standards for passengers. Examples of liberalised systems are described in: (1) the UK; (2) Santiago, Chile; (3) Delhi, India; (4) Nairobi, Kenya; (5) Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; (6) Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; and (7) Harare, Zimbabwe. Following the liberalisation of urban public transport in Zimbabwe in 1993, the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) and the University of Zimbabwe studied the effects of competition, and the role of quantity and quality controls on stage bus services. The bus fleet grew rapidly to about 3000 buses and minibuses, and led at first to higher service frequency, lower delay and more choice. Later, some fares rose and services and passenger choice began to reduce.
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