A COMMITTEE of MPs has praised Oxford’s joint ticketing scheme after visiting the city this week.

The House of Commons Transport Select Committee came to Oxford to find out about the partnership between the city’s two major bus companies.

Liverpool MP Louise Ellman, who chairs the committee, said: “We were all impressed. Oxford is certainly a very good example of how bus services can work to the benefit of the public.

“One of the things we will be discussing is whether it can be rolled out across the country.”

The committee, made up of 11 MPs from all parties, is tasked with scrutinising the expenditure and administration of the Department for Transport. It is currently looking into issues relating to competition.

Last July Oxford Bus Company, Stagecoach and Thames Travel launched a £10m joint tickets and timetables scheme.

It meant that passengers no longer had to wait for the right bus while watching another company’s bus drive into the distance.

Oxford was the first city to implement this scheme after two years work by all those involved and it has since been done in Liverpool, Sheffield and Chester.

Four years ago the move would have been illegal, but the Local Transport Act 2008 allowed closer coordination between councils and bus companies.