http://www.transporttimes.co.uk/
Quote
Simon Posner, deputy director general of the Confederation of Passenger
Transport, said: "We don't believe quality contracts will do
anything to get people back on the bus. We prefer partnership.
"Where our members have worked with local authorities to give bus
passengers the space they need on the road, there has been an increase
in patronage."
Quality contracts give a single operator exclusive rights to run
services in a given area. Mr Posner said: "We don't want to close
the market to good quality operators."
The current "bus wars" in Manchester were "not about
deregulation" and the problem was properly being dealt with as a
matter for the Traffic Commissioner.
However, Mr Posner continued: "We understand there are various
concerns about partnership. We want to improve what is on offer, and
we're talking to the government about enhanced quality
partnerships," he said.
The confederation would not object to the barriers in the way of
quality contracts being lowered "as long as there are clear hurdles
and it is still the option of last resort", said Mr Posner.
Unquote

As Mandy Rice Davies put it so well when prosecuting counsel pointed
out that Lord Astor denied having an affair or having even met her, she
replied, "Well, ........etc."