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BUSES STRATEGY AND COMMUNITY AND DEMAND RESPONSIVE TRANSPORT ACTION PLAN Audit of Policies, Services and Infrastructure Report February 2008 Prepared for: Prepared by: TACTRAN Steer Davies Gleave 68-70 George Street Edinburgh EH2 2LR +44 (0)131 226 9500 www.steerdaviesgleave.com Audit of Policies, Services and Infrastructure Contents Page 1. BACKGROUND 1 Background 1 Purpose of the Report 1 2. POLICY REVIEW 3 Introduction 3 National Policy 3 Regional Policy 7 Local Policies 13 3. STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION 15 Consultation activities to date 15 Stakeholder workshop 16 Interviews with Bus Operators 17 4. BUS OPERATIONS AND SERVICES 19 Introduction 19 Bus Operators 19 Bus Service Frequency 21 Supported Services 22 Ticket Options 24 Fares 24 Fleet 25 Patronage 26 Key issues raised by public transport operators 26 5. BUS INFRASTRUCTURE 27 Introduction 27 Angus Council 27 Dundee Council 29 Perth and Kinross Council 32 Stirling Council 33 6. COMMUNITY AND DEMAND RESPONSIVE TRANSPORT 37 Community Transport (CT) and Demand responsive Transport (DRT) 37 Methodology 37 Results 38 Conclusions 46 P:\Projects\207800 - 7899\207817-A TACTRAN Bus Strategy and Community and Demand Responsive Transport Action Plan\Outputs\Reports\Audit Report\Final for 2nd Consultation\Audit Report_207817_FINAL.doc Contents Audit Of Policies, Services And Infrastructure 7. ACCESSIBILITY 47 Access to Health 49 Access to Employment 53 Access to Education 57 Access to Other Services 59 Conclusion 61 8. KEY ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STUDY 63 Funding Issues and opportunities 63 Scheduled Bus Service Provision 63 Infrastructure 64 Fares and Ticketing 64 Demand Responsive Transport 64 Developer Contributions to Service Provision 65 Bus Punctuality and Reliability 65 Information 65 Attracting Car Drivers to Bus 65 The Role of Demand Management 65 FIGURES Figure 4.1 Bus Frequency Map 21 Figure 5.1 Seagate Bus Station 29 Figure 5.2 Dundee City Centre Interchange 30 Figure 6.1 CT/DRT Services in TACTRAN Area 45 Figure 7.1 TACTRAN Scottish Government Urban/Rural Classification 47 Figure 7.2 Public Transport Travel Times (DHC) 49 Figure 7.3 Public Transport Travel Times to Hospitals (DHC) 50 Figure 7.4 Non-Car Owning Households with no Accessibility to Hospitals 50 Figure 7.5 Percentage of Population Over 65 (Source: 2001 Census) 52 Figure 7.6 AM Peak Access to Employment 54 Figure 7.7 Unemployment Levels (Source: 2001 Census) 55 P:\Projects\207800 - 7899\207817-A TACTRAN Bus Strategy and Community and Demand Responsive Transport Action Plan\Outputs\Reports\Audit Report\Final for 2nd Consultation\Audit Report_207817_FINAL.doc Contents Audit of Policies, Services and Infrastructure Figure 7.8 Growth in Employment 2005-2012 (TMFSO5) 56 Figure 7.9 Percentage of Population Aged 5 to 17 (Source: 2001 Census) 58 Figure 7.10 Public Transport Travel Times to Post Offices (Source: DHC) 60 Figure 7.11 Public Transport Travel Times to Retail Centres (Source: DHC) 61 TABLES Table 2.1 Households living more than an hour away from their nearest hospital by public transport Table 2.2 Employment and housing growth within Dundee and Angus Structure Plan Table 2.3 Housing and Employment Requirements - Stirling and Clackmannanshire Table 2.4 Housing and Employment Provision within Perth and Kinross Table 3.1 Workshop Attendees Table 4.1 Transport Operators in Angus Table 4.2 Transport Operators in Dundee Table 4.3 Transport Operators in Perth and Kinross Table 4.4 Transport Operators in Stirling Table 4.5 Patronage for Supported Services in Stirling 27/11/2006 - 26/11/2007 Table 4.6 Age, Accessibility and Security of the Smaller Bus Operators’ Fleets Table 5.1 BUS Stops in Angus Table 5.2 BUS Stops in Dundee Table 5.3 Bus Stops in Stirling Table 6.1 E-Survey Key Results Table 6.2 CT/DRT Schemes Table 6.3 Taxicard and CT/DRT Council Funding Table 7.1 RTS Key Issues and Opportunities for Health Services P:\Projects\207800 - 7899\207817-A TACTRAN Bus Strategy and Community and Demand Responsive Transport Action Plan\Outputs\Reports\Audit Report\Final for 2nd Consultation\Audit Report_207817_FINAL.doc Contents Audit Of Policies, Services And Infrastructure APPENDICES A STIRLING BUS SERVICE DATA B BUS SERVICE MAPS C E-SURVEY TEMPLATE D LIST OF CT/DRT SCHEMES E-SURVEYS ISSUED TO P:\Projects\207800 - 7899\207817-A TACTRAN Bus Strategy and Community and Demand Responsive Transport Action Plan\Outputs\Reports\Audit Report\Final for 2nd Consultation\Audit Report_207817_FINAL.doc Contents Audit of Policies, Services and Infrastructure 1. BACKGROUND Background 1.1 The Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership (TACTRAN) has appointed Steer Davies Gleave to prepare a Bus Strategy and Community and Demand Responsive Transport Action Plan, in line with their Regional Transport Strategy. The study will provide short, medium and long term proposals, founded on a clear vision for the role of bus in the TACTRAN area. 1.2 The study has three key stages: • Audit and review of policy documents, existing services and infrastructure and previously identified issues and opportunities; • Gap analysis, to identify where improvements to services and the quality of provision should be considered; and • Strategy development. Purpose of the Report 1.3 This report summarises the findings of the first, review, stage of the study and highlights the key issues and opportunities that will need to be addressed in the strategy, as identified through this review. 1.4 Supplementary geo-coded data collected as part of this audit and review stage has been collated and as is available in a supporting GIS data base. P:\Projects\207800 - 7899\207817-A TACTRAN Bus Strategy and Community and Demand Responsive Transport Action Plan\Outputs\Reports\Audit Report\Final for 2nd Consultation\Audit Report_207817_FINAL.doc 1 Audit of Policies, Services and Infrastructure 2. POLICY REVIEW Introduction 2.1 This chapter examines the planning and policy framework set out in relevant National, Regional and Local policies and strategies that are pertinent to the TACTRAN area. It examines not only relevant transport policies but also includes other relevant policies within the TACTRAN area. National Policy 2.2 Transport policy frameworks and structures for delivery have recently undergone a period of substantial change in Scotland. As well as the National Transport Strategy (NTS) which provides guidance for transport policy across the country, this chapter also makes reference to guidance and strategies at the national level which will also have an impact on the development of transportation issues and opportunities for the TACTRAN area. Transport (Scotland) Act (2005) 2.3 The current framework for transport was established through the Transport (Scotland) Act (2005). This included the establishment of the Regional Transport Partnerships (RTP’s), of which TACTRAN is one, with the Act also defining the powers and responsibilities of RTP’s. 2.4 The act requires RTP’s to produce a Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) that considers “The respects in which transport in the region needs to be provided, developed or improved and operated.” The TACTRAN RTS has been developed with these objectives in mind. Scotland’s National Transport Strategy (2006) 2.5 Scotland’s National Transport Strategy sets out the long term plan for transport and expands on the objectives set within the 2004 White Paper ‘Scotland’s Transport Future’ and provides the context for the activities of Regional Transport Partnerships and local authorities. The National Transport Strategy recognises two key themes for Scotland’s transport system; the need to plan for future needs and challenges; whilst also recognising the carbon imprint of transport spending.1 Three key objectives are highlighted within the strategy; • Improved journey times – making it quicker, easier and more reliable for passengers to travel between our towns and cities and across our global markets. • Reduced emissions – making sure that Scotland takes a lead in the future of sustainable transport. • Improved quality, accessibility and affordability – ensuring everyone across Scotland has high quality public transport choices. 1 Scotland’s National Transport Strategy, P. 2. P:\Projects\207800 - 7899\207817-A TACTRAN Bus Strategy and Community and Demand Responsive Transport Action Plan\Outputs\Reports\Audit Report\Final for 2nd Consultation\Audit Report_207817_FINAL.doc 3 Audit Of Policies, Services And Infrastructure 2.6 These three themes are central to the objectives that are developed within the TACTRAN RTS. National Economic Development Objectives 2.7 The Government Economic Strategy, published in 2007, sets out the strategic economic objectives for Scotland, which will create a more successful country. The vision of this strategy is; “to focus the Government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.”2 2.8 The strategy identifies five Strategic Priorities that are most critical to economic growth. These are as follows: • Learning, skills and well-being; • Supportive business environment; • Infrastructure, development and place; • Effective Government; and • Equity. 2.9 The key strategic approaches that will help to achieve these Strategic Priorities that are most relevant to the development of this strategy are as follows; • To focus investment on making connections across and within Scotland better, improving reliability and journey times, seeking to maximise the opportunities for employment,