Appendix A to Agenda Item 8

Luton Borough Council

Bus Strategy

2007

May 2007

Mehmood Khan Head of Engineering and Transportation Luton Borough Council Town Hall Luton LU1 2BQ

For further details contact

Keith Dove on Tel 01582 547211

CONTENTS PAGE

FOREWORD

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1

2.0 PROGRESS MADE IN DELIVERING THE FIRST 2 BUS STRATEGY

3.0 POLICY CONTEXT 5 National Policy The Regional Level The Local Level

4.0 THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL PICTURE 8 The National Picture Town, People and Economy Current Bus Use Luton Borough Council’s Responsibilities School Transport Post-16 Students Social services and Community Transport Interurban Services Airport and Coach Services Problems and Options

5.0 THE STRATEGY 14 Consultation and Co-ordination Quality Bus Partnerships Environmentally-friendly Vehicles Publicity and Promotion Crime Reduction Emergency Plans and Mass Evacuations Service Coverage and Accessibility Luton Town Centre Economic Regeneration and New Developments Park and Ride Airport Services Service Standards – Reliability and Punctuality Bus Stops Bus Priority and Bus Lay-bys Traffic Calming Enforcement The Luton Dunstable busway Access to Vehicles Integration and Information facilities Information Interurban Bus services Express Coach Services Tour Coaches

6.0 CONSULTATIONS AND PARTNERS 31

7.0 MONITORING AND REVIEW 32

8.0 FUNDING 33

Action Plan

References

Further Information and Contacts

FOREWORD

Bus travel is essential for the continued success and growth of Luton and the surrounding area. Public transport, and bus travel in particular, will play a key role in reducing congestion and air pollution and will be crucial in maintaining the vitality and viability of our town centres and retail areas, industry and other employment destinations. Travel by bus is used by thousands of people each day for education, work, retail and leisure related trips; often bus travel is the only viable mode of travel for these journeys and is therefore essential for improved accessibility. Despite the above, like in most other parts of the country, bus usage has declined in Luton over recent years. For these reasons, I am pleased to present this Bus Strategy that supports our second Local Transport Plan (covering the period 2006-2011).

The aim of the Bus Strategy is to set out policies and actions to establish a high quality, safe, secure and reliable network of routes, with good interchanges and which matches the pattern of travel demand in order to maximise the potential usage of public transport.

The benefits arising from the Strategy can only be achieved by working with our key stakeholders. Clearly, the bus operators will play a lead role in implementing this Strategy and I look forward to working closely with these companies and to establishing Quality Partnership agreements with them. As well as these commercial bus services the Strategy also covers the transport requirements needed to carry out local education and social services functions, concessionary fares, subsidised services and coach services. Good infrastructure including bus priority, bus stops and shelters and initiatives such as Real Time Passenger Information will play an important role in encouraging further bus patronage as will the softer measures such as changing attitudes to bus use through initiatives such as Travelwise.

The Bus Strategy is clearly an important document, particularly in light of the declining passenger numbers over the last five years, and the progress that needs to be made on implementation of the Luton Dunstable busway. While extensive consultation has already been carried out, further examination should make it a more robust and encompassing Strategy.

I would finally like to confirm this Council’s commitment to increasing and improving bus travel and that I look forward to working with our partners on the implementation of this Strategy.

Councillor Don Worlding Portfolio Holder for Environment and Transport Luton Borough Council EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. All local transport authorities are required to prepare a Bus Strategy, as part of their Local Transport Plan (LTP). Luton published its first Bus Strategy in 2003. With the new LTP (covering the period up to 2011), the Bus Strategy needed to be updated and to address the issues of congestion and improved access to key facilities, particularly for disadvantaged groups.

2. Bus use in Luton has fallen continually over the last five years. The introduction of free bus travel for over-60s and disabled people in April 2006 increased off-peak bus use. Most bus services (about 96% of bus- kilometres) in Luton are provided commercially. Arriva operate 19 commercial services in Luton, and Centrebus five.

3. The Council has set up a Passenger Transport Unit (PTU) which carries out all the functions related to the provision or securing of public transport for the general public, for people with special needs and for students. The PTU is responsible for meeting statutory needs for transport, and these in turn depend upon policies for schools, social services and other areas. The Council has powers to support a service where there is a social need but no operator is prepared to provide it commercially. In summer 2006 21 bus routes operated wholly or partly under contract to the Council. The other major payments to bus operators are reimbursements for carrying elderly people and people with specific disabilities. All payments are subject to available funding.

4. One of the cornerstones of the Bus Strategy will be the provision of the Luton Dunstable busway; a high quality rapid transit system serving Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis that is due to become operation in 2010.

5. In line with our policies for services to residential areas, all new housing will be within 400 metres of an existing bus route or a road suitable for bus use. Where accessibility by public transport is not satisfactory, an undertaking to provide such access through Section 106 contributions will be required from developers.

6. In the longer term Park and Ride facilities are being investigated at Butterfield (provision made in current works), M1 junction 10a and other potential sites around the edge of the conurbation. Bus priority measures will be essential for any of these sites to achieve their objectives of reducing congestion, emissions and demand for car parking in the town centre.

7. Bus stops should make boarding buses as easy as possible and be a secure and convenient place to wait. When upgrading stops priority will

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 1 generally be given to those on corridors designated for improvement and to heavily used stops elsewhere. There will be a need for regular reviews of town centre bus stops in partnership with bus operators. The Council will continue to make improvements to bus stops.

8. The argument for bus priority measures is that cars are the biggest contributors to congestion. Cyclists and hackney carriages are generally allowed to use bus lanes. Following a review of bus lane operating hours in 2006, most bus lanes generally operate for12 hours. Experience in London has shown that effective enforcement of bus lanes is vital if they are to succeed in making buses faster, more reliable and more punctual. The Council will move towards local authority enforcement of bus priority measures using cameras.

9. Various traffic calming measures have been installed over the years, culminating in a rolling programme in residential areas. In all recent schemes only ‘bus friendly’ traffic calming measures on bus routes have been installed and this policy will be continued.

10. In 2004 the Council signed a Quality Bus Partnership (QBP) Agreement with Arriva to work together to improve bus services in Luton. The Council will build on the QBP and will work to make Quality Partnership Agreements with other operators.

11. The Council and the operators will work with the Police to investigate vandalism and assaults on bus staff and to ensure that offenders are prosecuted.

12. All new full size buses need to have low floors and buses of this type already operate on some routes. The Council will work with operators to improve publicity and information concerning facilities for groups with limited mobility, including users of the Access Buses.

13. Two important ways to encourage through travel between bus and rail services, and from one bus service to another, are through ticketing arrangements and interchange facilities. The through ticketing arrangement between First Capital Connect and Arriva has been brought into the country-wide PlusBus scheme. The Council will encourage further moves towards integrated ticketing for public transport in Luton.

14. All three railway stations have potential for interchange between rail and bus. Interchange at Luton station will be greatly improved under the Luton Town Centre Improvements Scheme. Luton Airport Parkway station has good bus interchange facilities but few bus services. Its role is likely to expand with the opening of the Luton Dunstable busway. Leagrave station could be a valuable interchange for north Luton, though the nearby

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 2 bus stops are awkward to reach. The Council will improve the integration between modes by ensuring appropriate provision for pedestrians, cycles, buses and taxis at all three railway stations.

15. A Bus Information Strategy was produced in 2005. It covers timetables, leaflets, information at stops and on buses and information provided through electronic means such as real time information at stops and journey planning facilities on the Internet. The Council will continue to support development of the national public transport information (PTI2000) system and will work with operators to improve information to bus users and potential users in accordance with the Bus Information Strategy.

16. The Council will work for a good network of interurban bus services linking Luton with surrounding major towns and growth areas, plus good quality terminating and interchange facilities in Luton. The Council will also encourage long distance coach services to serve the conurbation and investigate the scope for a coach stop next to the M1 at junction 10a.

17. There is clearly a need to monitor the effectiveness of the Bus Strategy. The Key Performance Indicators will be reported in our Annual Progress Reports (APRs) as part of the LTP process and these will cover bus patronage, satisfaction with local bus services, bus punctuality and the number of accessible buses within the PTU fleet

18. This Bus Strategy will be reviewed on an annual basis and updated where appropriate. A full formal review of this Strategy is anticipated at the end of the LTP2 period. The Council will consult with and work in partnership with the key stakeholders on the formulation on future updates of this Strategy and on the delivery of this Strategy.

19. Funding for implementing this strategy will mainly come from LTP settlement and Council capital and revenue funds, including funds budgeted for supporting socially necessary services.

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 3 1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Transport Act 2000 requires all local transport authorities to prepare a document known as a Bus Strategy, which is to be part of that authority's Local Transport Plan (LTP). The Council published its first Bus Strategy in 2003 followed by a Bus Information Strategy. These formed “daughter documents” to the LTP and were part of a series of strategies covering areas such as cycling, walking, road safety and parking.

1.2 Like the first LTP, the second Plan (covering the period up to 2011) places public transport (buses and rail) as its highest priority modes, followed by walking and cycling. While retaining many of the policies of the old Plan, the new LTP has several new features. The most important of these are action plans to address congestion and to improve access to key facilities, particularly for disadvantaged groups. Buses have a key role to play in both these areas, and these key changes warrant a review of the Bus Strategy. At the same time the commitment to safety and environmentally sustainable transport has not diminished, and here too buses can make a large contribution.

1.3 This Strategy contains the Council’s general policies as to how best to carry out their functions in order to meet the following objectives: • Bus services meet the transport requirements of local people • Bus services are provided to the required standards • Additional facilities and infrastructure connected with bus services are provided (including bus stations, bus shelters, bus priorities, information about bus services, etc but also interchanges and integration with other travel modes) • Public transport measures required or proposed to enable the Council to carry out its local education and social services functions are considered

Some of the concerns raised by bus operators related to the lack of parking enforcement and the impact of roadworks on the reliability of bus services. The first of these issues will be covered in the proposed revisions to the Parking Strategy, which is currently being drafted, and the second will form part of a Traffic Management Strategy being developed. It is planned that both of these strategies will be adopted during 2007. The Traffic Management strategy will also commit the Council to work in partnership with operators in effectively signing temporary repositioning of bus stops during road works.

1.4 One of the cornerstones of the Bus Strategy will be the provision of the Luton Dunstable busway, a high quality rapid transit system serving Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis. In November 2006 the Secretary of State issued his Decision for this £86 million scheme, which went through the

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 1 Public Inquiry process in 2005/06.

2.0 PROGRESS MADE IN DELIVERING THE FIRST BUS STRATEGY

2.1 The 2003 Luton Bus Strategy set out twenty three policy objectives for the improvement and promotion of public passenger transport in the borough. This chapter of the Bus Strategy sets out how many of these objectives have been met over the last four years, although some still require further work.

2.2 In terms of organisational structure, the council took a major step forward in 2004 with the creation of the Passenger Transport Unit. This unit has assumed responsibility for the provision of the council’s social services transport, transport for children with special needs, and public passenger transport, including concessionary fares for the elderly. The process of fully integrating these functions is well advanced, and the unit is now able to provide services more cost effectively than many commercial transport providers.

2.3 In April 2004, the Borough council signed a voluntary Quality Bus Partnership with Arriva the Shires. The partnership has boosted the level of co-operation on a number of levels, has given the company confidence to invest significantly in the Luton area and has helped to shape the council’s strategy for investing in transport infrastructure. The council is working towards entering a similar partnership agreement with Centrebus.

2.4 In addition to the close ties with Arriva under the aegis of the QBP, the council has liaised continually with all Luton bus operators to ascertain their views on a number of major schemes, as well as to enlist their support for council transport initiatives, such as improvements to waiting conditions along specific corridors, real time passenger information and the rationalisation of bus lane regulations in 2007. By making improvements to the waiting environment, including better street lighting and illuminated bus shelters, the council has worked to reduce the fear of crime and to make the public transport network more attractive to non-bus users.

2.5 Since 2003, the council has continued to monitor the provision of commercial bus services and to provide “safety net” services at times and on days when commercial services are not available. However, the increasing cost of service provision – coupled with a huge increase in the cost of concessionary travel – has meant that, in some areas, the council is no longer able to provide the level of bus service that it would wish to see. Nevertheless, the council continues to aspire to a high standard of bus provision and is considering a number of transport solutions to improve service levels and drive down costs. Luton also benefits from the fact that its major operators are willing to experiment with new services in

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 2 the quest for competitive advantage and as a result Luton residents have benefited from several service enhancements, such as increased service frequency along Crawley Green Road, Biscot Road and Leagrave Road, improved service to Luton railway station and commercial Sunday operation on route 10.

2.6 Since the 2003 Luton Bus Strategy, the council has introduced a number of bus priority measures, such as the Dunstable Road bus lane between M1 junction 11 and Chaul End Lane, and electronic vehicle detection at certain town centre traffic signals. The Bury Park improvement scheme has seen the removal of a bus lane, but improved overall journey times through better traffic management and better facilities for waiting passengers. A five year programme of corridor improvements commenced in 2006 with enhancements to bus stops in Marsh Road and Leagrave Road. New shelters, raised boarders (to ease entry to low-floor buses), renewed road markings and bus stop clearways have set standards for improvements across the town. This, coupled with the roll out of real time passenger information, which has been the subject of a two year trial at a number of locations between Luton and Dunstable, will make a significant difference to the attractiveness of public transport.

2.7 For their part, the major bus operators have made significant investment in new, accessible vehicles, publicity, bus stop signs and driver training. In late 2005, Arriva purchased 19 new Scania 44-seat single deckers for service in Luton on their “Breeze” network of frequent services. At the same time, many older vehicles were refurbished to improve passenger comfort. In 2006, Centrebus invested in four new 38-seat buses for service 10 and is steadily updating its fleet with second-hand easy access buses. Coach operators are starting to invest in wheelchair-accessible vehicles for inter-urban services, the first examples having entered the fleets of Green Line, National Express and Stagecoach (for the Virgin Rail Link).

2.8 New vehicles delivered in 2005/6 meet Euro 3 emissions standards and all Luton buses use low sulphur fuel which reduces the emission of particulates and nitrogen oxides. Unfortunately, Arriva’s trial of LPG- powered buses on service 321 was not a success and the vehicles have all been converted to diesel power.

2.9 The council continues to support Traveline as the principal provider of telephone bus information for Luton, and has also invested in printed publicity, producing popular network guides in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The council continues to act as distributor for local operators’ timetable publications. In addition, the council has produced publicity for new or upgraded tendered services, such as Grant Palmer’s south-Luton network which was re-launched with a new vehicle under the “Red Gem” banner in

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 3 2006, and the Luton Access Bus, which acquired a council-owned wheelchair accessible vehicle in 2005.

2.10 In the areas of integrated ticketing and off-bus ticket sales, the council has made great progress but there is still much to do. The Luton Plusbus scheme, launched in 2005, has been very popular with rail passengers and has become one of the most successful schemes in the country, with the help of council funding for publicity and signage at stations. The Savercard for post-16 students was introduced in 2006 and demand has exceeded expectations. The council has yet to make progress in the field of multi-operator ticketing, but there is a determination to achieve this during the life of the next bus strategy.

2.11 The council continues to balance the needs of existing and potential public transport users with the imperative to bring inward investment into Luton to create jobs, achieve regeneration and improve the built environment. The pedestrianisation of St. George’s Square in 2005 presented a number of challenges to transport providers. One consequence was significant changes to the bus circulation network in the town centre, improving connectivity,between services in the north/west and south/east of Luton by giving greater prominence to Church Street as an interchange point. The growth of London Luton Airport over the last five years, both in terms of passengers and employment has led to service improvements between Luton Airport Parkway Station and the Airport terminal. Passenger numbers using this service has increased, new vehicles have ben introduced, and an onward travel centre set up in the terminal concourse.

2.12 In terms of assessing the views of local residents about whether public transport has improved since the 2003 when the Bus Strategy was introduced, the results of the Best Value survey carried out in Autumn 2006 provide some useful information. The BV survey enables the overall results to be compared with those for residents of different genders, age, and ethnicity, and where there significant differences (more than 5 percentage points) between these groups those are highlighted below.

2.13 Overall 21% of residents felt that the quality of local public transport services had got better and 20% felt it was worse, although for those people over 65, 30% felt the quality of services had improved and only 13% felt they were worse. There was little difference between the overall results and those for residents that had used or not used public transport over the last 12 months.

2.14 Overall 19% of residents felt that the quality of local public transport information had improved and only 17% felt it had got worse. However when considering only those residents that had received or used public transport information the overall proportion who felt the quality of the

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 4 information had improved rose to 27% and those who considered it was worse fell to 9%. In this context there was a significant difference between the proportion of males (18%) and females (30%) who felt the information was better, and those people over 65 (36%).

3.0 POLICY CONTEXT

National Policy

3.1 The Government’s White Paper The Future of Transport (2004) continues to recognise the wide use and the flexibility of bus services and urges that they should be at the heart of Local Transport Plans. It supports partnerships with bus operators to secure improved services and aims to bring about greater use of quality contracts (where a local authority specifies what services should operate in an area and contracts to an operator the exclusive right to provide them). The White Paper also supports coach services as a low cost form of inter urban, and town to airport, transport. To provide services where demand is low and the costs of running conventional bus services are high, the White Paper advocates greater use of demand-responsive transport; typically these use minibuses to provide a service that comes somewhere between bus and taxi services. The Government has introduced various changes to the licensing and tax systems to make the securing of such services easier. The White Paper states that bus services must be:

• punctual - which could mean giving buses priority in congested locations and using more pre-paid ticketing to speed boarding;

• good value - for the traveller and the taxpayer;

• frequent and reliable - with up-to-date travel information that is easy to obtain;

• seamless - with good integration of bus services and other travel networks;

• safe - when travelling on the bus, when walking to and from the bus stop and while waiting at the bus stop; and

• clean, comfortable and attractive - with well-designed and maintained buses.

3.2 Planning Policy Guidance – Transport (PPG13) notes that the likely availability and use of public transport is a very important ingredient in determining locational policies designed to reduce the need to travel by car. PPG13 states that within the context of the local transport plan, local

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 5 authorities should work in partnership with public transport providers and operators, using their planning and transport powers to improve public transport in ways which will reinforce the effectiveness of locational policies in the development plan. The aim should be to establish a high quality, safe, secure and reliable network of routes, with good interchanges, which matches the pattern of travel demand in order to maximize the potential usage of public transport. Through the planning process, PPG13 seeks to ensure that new developments have good public transport access.

The Regional Level

3.3 The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act, 2004, has introduced a new system of strategic planning, replacing Regional Planning Guidance and structure plans with Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS). A draft RSS 14 – “The East of England Plan” was sent to the Deputy Prime Minister on the 25 November 2004 and is presently undergoing Examination in Public. The RSS sets out a strategy to guide planning and development in the East of England to the year 2021. It covers economic development, housing, the environment, transport, waste management, culture, sport and recreation, mineral extraction and implementation. The RSS has a bearing on almost every aspect of the way we live in the region. It aims to improve the quality of life, and sets out proposals that will influence where we choose to work and live and how we move about the region. It also seeks to address issues such as social exclusion, the need for regeneration and the impact of climate change.

3.4 Within the RSS the Luton and Dunstable conurbation has been identified as a Regional Interchange Centre where service coverage and accessibility should meet high standards. Regional Interchange Centres aim to be foci for improved public transport, allowing interchange between interurban rail and coach services and local bus networks. The key regional objectives relevant to bus and coach services are:

• To improve opportunities for all to have access to jobs, services and leisure and tourist facilities

• To enable infrastructure programmes and transport service provision to support both existing development (addressing problems of congestion) and that proposed in the spatial strategy (economic regeneration needs and further housing growth)

• To reduce the need to travel in particular by car

• To minimise the environmental impact of transport provision and travel, protecting and enhancing the natural, built and historic

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 6 environment

• To improve safety and security.

3.5 The Milton Keynes – South Midlands Sub-regional Strategy, published in March 2005, envisages that 10,000 new homes will be built in an area stretching from Luton through Dunstable to Leighton-Linslade by 2011 and 26,300 by 2020, while 12,600 new jobs are to be created. The Sub- regional Strategy’s Policy for Bedfordshire and Luton aims to:

• Reduce the need to travel by private vehicles by integrating land use and transport planning, making walking, cycling and public transport more attractive, implementing park and ride schemes and travel demand management measures

• Ensure that new developments are as sustainable as possible by working out how land uses and transport should be arranged, and the phasing of their provision.

3.6 Apart from existing committed schemes in the conurbation, such as the Luton Dunstable busway and the Town Centre Transport Scheme, the Sub-regional Strategy supports the extension of the Luton Dunstable busway to Junction 10a on the M1 and possible further extensions to serve new developments to the north of the towns.

3.7 Bedfordshire County Council, Buckinghamshire County Council, Luton Borough Council, Milton Keynes Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council have issued a Joint Sub-Regional Statement on their priorities for transport in the Milton Keynes-South Midlands Growth Area. They seek to define a strategic highway and public transport network to link the individual growth areas.

The Local Level

3.8 The Bedfordshire Structure Plan 2011 and the Borough of Luton Local Plan constitute the statutory Development Plan for Luton, although as mentioned above, the Structure Plan is expected to be superseded by RSS14. Policy 39 of the Structure Plan encourages a greater proportion of trips by public transport by measures such as improving the attractiveness, frequency and reliability of services and improving the integration between different modes of transport. Policy 40 sets out how a higher proportion of travel by bus will be promoted by measures such as bus priority, improving the frequency and reliability of services and supporting the development of improved facilities for passengers.

3.9 The Borough of Luton Local Plan sets out the basis of the transportation

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 7 strategy for the Borough, which is to give priority to development proposals which reduce the need to travel or encourage the use of modes other than the car (Policy T1). The Luton Local Plan (Policy T2) states:

“Proposals for development with potential to have significant transport implications will not be permitted, unless it can be demonstrated that either:

[A] the site is well served by public transport; or

[B] public transport will be provided to meet the anticipated demand generated by the development.”

The same policy also requires developers to submit transport assessments and travel plans with their applications.

3.10 The Council endorsed the Luton Town Centre Development Framework (TCDF) in Autumn 2004 following extensive consultation. This sets out the pattern for the centre’s growth in response to local pressures and the requirements of the sub-regional strategy. It identifies three main transport interchange points:

• New Bedford Road • Church Street • Railway station

3.11 The Council is working in partnership with local people and organisations to make dramatic improvements to the quality of life in Luton by 2011 through its Corporate Strategies and Community Plans. These set out a number of exciting and challenging targets for the next seven years including an increase in the use of public transport for travel to Luton Town Centre.

3.12 The LTP accords public transport, walking and cycling the three highest priorities. It is a key policy of the LTP to provide alternative travel arrangements to the private car with special emphasis on integrated transport solutions to encourage public transport, cycling and walking.

3.13 The Council has also published various ‘daughter’ documents to the LTP and many of these are also relevant to the Bus Strategy. They include:

• Road Safety Plan • Speed Management Plan • Cycle Strategy • Walking Strategy • Bus Information Strategy

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 8 • Motorcycle Strategy

Luton’s Regeneration and Economic Development Strategy, published in 2001, emphasises that an important component of regeneration is to revitalise and empower communities and renew the town’s infrastructure, thereby enabling people to reach jobs and training opportunities.

3.14 From the above it can be seen that the Bus Strategy links into many different initiatives and areas of work. Other key linkages include the Road Traffic Reduction Plan, Air Quality Action Plans, Local Agenda 21 initiatives, Community Safety and Crime and Disorder issues and many other cross boundary initiatives. It will be important to ensure these linkages are fully utilised in order to ensure that the maximum benefits of this strategy can be obtained. Local Authorities are now required to draw up an Accessibility Strategy and this Bus Strategy will need to be an integral part of our accessibility planning and the Accessibility Strategy itself.

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 9 4.0 THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL PICTURE

The National Picture

4.1 Bus journeys comprise nearly two thirds of all public transport trips in England. For many trips they are the only public transport alternative to the car. In recent years the number of bus journeys in most areas has fallen, the main exception to this is London. Over the last 20 years the number of bus passenger journeys has fallen by around 20% from nearly 5,000 million per year to less than 4,000 million. There has been a slight increase in recent years but this has been substantially due to high growth in London (which accounts for around 40% of all bus use in England).

Town, People and Economy

4.2 In 2001 Luton had a population of 184,390. Together with Dunstable (33,040) and Houghton Regis (15,880) it forms the largest urban area in the East of England and many bus services pass through two or three of these towns. Under the Sustainable Communities programme substantial growth in all three towns is forecast as well as in the area to the north. According to the 2001 Census, 7.8% of people in Luton aged 16-74 travelled to work by bus, minibus or coach, while another 5.0% travelled by rail. These are above the averages for the East of England and for England and Wales.

4.3 Unemployment and social deprivation in Luton are high compared with other parts of south and east England. Ten of Luton’s sixteen wards have unemployment rates above the national average and of Luton’s 121 Super Output Areas three – in Northwell, Dallow, and Biscot wards – have indices of multiple deprivation that put them in the 10% most deprived such areas in England. Several former manufacturers have contracted or closed and the production of cars at Vauxhall ended in 2002. On the other hand some employment areas, particularly London Luton Airport and Capability Green, remain buoyant and the Sub-Regional Strategy envisages the creation of 12,000 additional jobs in Luton between 2001 and 2021.

4.4 The conditions in Luton suggest that demand for bus travel among certain sectors of the population will remain high. There will also be a need to ensure that both existing and newly developed areas, both in and outside the town, have an attractive and useful bus service that will give an alternative to travel by car.

Current Bus Use

4.5 Bus use in Luton has continually fallen over the last five years, from 11

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 10 million bus journeys per year in 2000 to 8.7 million journeys in 2004; a fall of over 20%.

4.6 Commuting by bus is most important in two sectors of Luton: the first running west and northwest of the town centre and extending from Runfold and Marsh Farm round to Farley Hill, and the second smaller sector running roughly along Crawley Green Road and Ashcroft Road to Stopsley. Sectors with relatively little bus use include the ‘Bedford’ roads corridor to Barton Hills and Bramingham, the Wigmore area and the Tennyson Road area. This last may arise from its closeness to the town centre. This, however, does not show the whole picture as buses are widely used for school, shopping and social journeys as well as commuting. The introduction of free bus travel for over-60s and disabled people in April 2006 will probably increase off-peak bus use.

4.7 Most bus services (about 96% of bus-kilometres) in Luton are provided commercially. The operator registers any proposed service with the Traffic Commissioner for the East of England, giving its route, timings and fares, eight weeks in advance. The Council receives a copy of this registration but cannot object to it except on the grounds of safety.

4.8 Arriva operate 19 commercial services in Luton, Centrebus five and UNO one (interurban and coach services are listed elsewhere). In addition, London Luton Airport supports a free shuttle service to Luton Airport Parkway station. As in many other parts of the country operators are tending to focus their resources on core commercial services to the detriment of marginal non-core services.

4.9 In 2005, most of the bus operators in Luton joined the PlusBus scheme, which allows discounted through booking between rail and bus. This superseded the previous arrangement which gave free bus add-ons to rail travel to and from Luton, but on Arriva services only. The Plusbus scheme has proved very popular with passengers and has rapidly become one of the most successful schemes in the country.

Luton Borough Council’s Responsibilities

4.10 The Council has set up a Passenger Transport Unit (PTU) which carries out all functions related to the provision or securing of public transport for the general public, for people with special needs and for students. The PTU is responsible for meeting statutory needs for transport, and these in turn depend upon policies for schools, social services and other areas.

4.11 The Council may not directly subsidise any bus operator. However, the Council has powers under the Transport Act 1985 to support a service

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 11 where there is a social need but no operator is prepared to provide it commercially. Operation of the service must be put out to competitive tender and in doing so the Council must have regard to efficiency, economy, effectiveness and environmental issues as well as the interests of the public and the operators. As well as administering the contracts for tendered bus services within Luton, the Council contributes to the cost of many cross-boundary services from Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, while Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire County Councils also support a few services running into Luton.

4.12 In summer 2006 there were 21 bus routes wholly or partly operated under contract to the council, operated by Arriva, Centrebus, Grant Palmer Passenger Services, Red Rose Travel and Stagecoach. This includes an Access Bus which links sheltered housing developments with Luton town centre and various superstores, the route varying from day to day during the week. It uses a low floor minibus, owned by the Council but operated under contract by Grant Palmer. Since acquisition of the new vehicle patronage has been steadily growing. Pressure on budgets forced the Borough Council to terminate prematurely a number of contracts for Sunday bus services in spring 2006. The remaining Sunday services in Luton, apart from some cross-boundary services, are provided commercially.

4.13 The other major payments to bus operators are reimbursements for carrying elderly people and people with specific disabilities. Under the Transport Act 2000 and policies announced in the 2005 Budget, from April 2006 all local authorities in England must grant all such people free travel in off-peak periods. The Council extended the statutory minimum scheme to allow free travel at any time within the Luton-Dunstable-Houghton Regis conurbation and half fare travel to selected destinations in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. The Council also offers concessionary travel to users of South Bedfordshire Dial-a-Ride services. From April 2008, the Government intends to extend the free local concessionary travel to cover any services in England.

School Transport

4.14 The Council provides assistance with transport to school or college under the following circumstances:

• On medical grounds, provided that the child is attending their catchment school and the request is supported by medical evidence.

• When a child cannot gain a place at the catchment school and has been placed at a school more than three miles from its home address (two miles if the child is under the age of eight).

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 12 • Year 10 or 11 students who have moved address within Luton, are still attending the catchment school of the old address and the new address is more than three miles from the school.

• On denominational grounds. Students must attend the nearest denominational school and must live more than three miles from it.

• Where a statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) includes a transport requirement.

4.15 All students must live in Luton. In the case of statemented SEN students, transport is provided either by the PTU or by a contracted transport provider. Scholars attending mainstream schools, who qualify under the above criteria, are generally provided with a season ticket purchased from the appropriate bus operator.

Post-16 Students

4.16 The Council has formed a partnership with further education institutions in Luton (and with Connexions, Dunstable College, Bedford College and the Learning and Skills Council) to ensure that full time students are able to travel to attend the courses of their choice. Any Luton student attending a college in Luton or Dunstable may buy a saver card, currently priced at £10, from Luton Borough Council. This entitles them to discounts on Arriva’s and Centrebus’ weekly tickets which in turn allow unlimited travel within the Luton-Dunstable-Houghton Regis conurbation and are valid throughout the day and at weekends. Although these discounts are less than the previous 50% discount, they are available to all students whereas in the past they were only available to students living more than three miles from their college. In September 2006 Luton Borough Council sold 300 more saver cards than the total number of discounted tickets that they had sold in the previous college year, and by the end of 2006 809 saver cards had been issued.

4.17 Mainstream school bus services in Luton are mostly provided commercially by Arriva and financed by sales of season tickets to the Council (on behalf of students eligible for assisted travel) and cash fares. The main foci of school bus services are Cardinal Newman School, a denominational school near the northern boundary, and South Luton High School, where contracted school services are being phased out. Additional services are provided commercially to relieve overcrowding at college start times on routes to Barnfield College and Luton VI Form College.

Social Services and Community Transport

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 13 4.18 The PTU is also responsible for social services transport (although the procurement body is the Department of Housing and Community Living). It operates a fleet of 20 buses which are mainly used to take clients from their homes to day care centres.

4.19 South Bedfordshire Dial-a-Ride, a voluntary sector organisation, provides a pre-booked door to door transport service to those who are unable, because of age or disability, to use ordinary local bus services. Intending users have to register with the organisation. If registered users are aged over 60 or have one of the qualifying disabilities, they are entitled to concessionary travel on both Dial-a-Ride and the buses. The organisation receives financial support from local authorities, including Luton Borough Council. The Women’s Royal Volunteer Service operates a voluntary car scheme which provides a similar door-to-door service, mostly for hospital journeys.

4.20 The PTU is developing a "one stop shop" approach to transport services for the community. The unit manages concessionary fares for the elderly and for Dial-a-Ride users, bus information, school transport for children with special needs and transport to Social Services facilities and establishments in and around Luton.

Interurban Services

4.21 Several inter urban services operate from Luton. Many of them are continuations of local services. The principal places served on weekdays, outside the Luton-Dunstable-Houghton Regis built-up area, are Leighton Buzzard, Hitchin, Stevenage, Harpenden and Watford (all half-hourly), Hatfield (hourly with some additional journeys), Aylesbury (hourly), Toddington (seven journeys) and Hemel Hempstead (seven journeys). Services in the evenings and on Sundays are much reduced and most are tendered. Some express services also link with neighbouring towns, including Milton Keynes town centre (16 journeys), Milton Keynes Coachway (18 journeys), Hitchin (17 journeys), Stevenage and Hatfield (eight journeys) and Hemel Hempstead (27 journeys).

Airport and Coach Services

4.22 Luton has a large number of express coach services to central London, nearby airports and other places as shown in the table below. Almost all serve London Luton Airport and, currently, only about half the 757 “Green Line” services to London call at the town centre (Bute Street) bus station. The Virgin London Luton Airport - Milton Keynes coach service calls at Luton station rather than the bus station in order to strengthen its integration with rail services.

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 14 4.23 Coaches are a growth area. Although originally intended as a link between the airport and the West Coast Main Line railway, the Virgin service has opened up a new market for interurban travel. The 737 Oxford – Stansted service was only introduced in 2005, and National Express have expanded their service to Stansted with a new route 767 to Nottingham via Luton. Arriva have introduced coaches with disabled access onto their 757 Airport service.

Table4.1: Express services calling at Luton (total daily number of journeys)

Service Operator Main places served Buses per day in one direction EZ1 EasyBus Luton Airport – London 18 Baker Street X1 Stagecoach Luton - Bedford 13 VT99 Virgin Luton Airport – Milton 16 Keynes 230 Nat Exp Mansfield – Nottingham – 8 Heathrow – Gatwick 422 Nat Exp London – Manchester – 1 Burnley 591 Nat Exp London – Edinburgh 1 707 Nat Exp Northampton – Heathrow – 9 Gatwick 737 Nat Exp Oxford – Stansted Airport 8 755 Arriva North Luton – London 3 Moorgate 757 Arriva North Luton – London 3 Victoria 757 Arriva London Luton Airport – 40 London Victoria 767 Nat Exp Nottingham – Luton – 8 Stansted Airport 772 Marshalls Houghton Regis – Lewsey 1 Farm – London 777 Nat Exp Birmingham – Stansted 8 Airport 787 Nat Exp Cambridge – Heathrow 9 861, Nat Exp London - Holyhead 2 871

Problems and Opportunities

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 15 4.24 The Bus Strategy comprises of a number of different policies and related actions that need to work together to establish a high quality, safe, secure and reliable network of routes and infrastructure, with good interchanges, which matches the pattern of travel demand in order to maximize the potential usage of public transport. In order for the Strategy to be successful it needs to address real and perceived problems and grasp the many opportunities that bus travel offers. The main problems and opportunities associated with bus travel have been outlined below.

Problems

• The number of passengers carried on local buses has fallen by 20% since 2001 and the decline has steepened of late .

Year Million passengers per year 2000/01 11.020 2001/02 10.435 2002/03 10.325 2003/04 9.626 2004/05 8.744 2010 target 8.947

• Dispersal of businesses and service establishments to outer parts of the town, such as Capability Green and the Airport area.

• Rising car ownership.

• Increasing congestion

• Higher costs of operation, resulting from increases in the cost of fuel and of wages.

• Problems with recruiting drivers, which from time to time have led to service cuts in order to reduce the risk of cancellations.

4.25 The 2002 Citizens’ Panel survey suggested that the following factors (listed in decreasing order of importance) deter people from using buses more often:

Buses do not go where people want to go

Buses are not punctual enough

Buses are not frequent enough

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 16 The journey takes too long

Buses are too expensive

The respondent needs a car in connection with their work

Bus stops are too far from home

This seems to imply that measures to improve network coverage and service quality are more important to many people than keeping fares down.

Opportunities

• Luton is densely built up, making bus services reasonably accessible to most households, at least during the working day. Analysis of public transport services within the Luton-Dunstable conurbation indicates that 98% of all households without a car are within 400 metres of public transport giving four or more daytime services per hour.

• Current major schemes, principally the Luton Dunstable busway, the Luton town centre transportation scheme that includes a new bus interchange and the East Luton corridor will all improve facilities for buses and coaches.

• The major proposals for growth in Luton and surrounding areas will include new residential developments in and to the north of the urban area, expansion of Luton town centre and continued growth in employment in the airport area. These offer the opportunity for coordinated planning with public transport infrastructure.

• Similarly, the expected growth at London Luton Airport will call for additional services for passengers and employees.

• The signing of a Bus Quality Partnership between the Council and Arriva in 2004 represents a common commitment to improving vehicles, services and infrastructure in a coordinated way.

• The introduction of new buses and a higher frequency of service on route 27 to Marsh Farm are intended as the first in a series of service improvements on core routes in Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis. New and refurbished vehicles have also appeared on services 12, 31 and 38.

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 17 5.0 THE STRATEGY

A co-ordinated and partnership approach to the role of buses

5.1 Public transport is integral to the functioning of Luton. Policies for provision of local services, regenerating the local economy and social inclusion rely on buses being able to make the town’s facilities accessible. It is essential that policies towards public transport support policies in other areas. We will aim to strengthen partnership working across Council services and with the key stakeholders, including bus operators.

Quality Bus Partnerships

5.2 In 2004 the Council signed a Quality Bus Partnership (QBP) Agreement with Arriva to work together to improve bus services in Luton. It affirms both parties’ commitment to promote the use of public transport and to develop public transport policies. Most of the key clauses in the QBP Agreement are reflected in this strategy and are summarised in Table 5.1.

Consultation with bus operators and users

5.3 In connection with the QBP agreement, Council Members and officers hold quarterly Partnership Forums with management staff from Arriva. A Public Transport Liaison Group, involving Council officers and management from all the bus and rail companies serving Luton, also meets quarterly to deal with operational issues of common concern.

5.4 Consultation with bus users remains a challenge. The Council has supported the bus surgeries which Bus Users UK have organised in the town. There has also been an extensive consultation process to guide the production of the Local Transport Plans and this Bus Strategy, involving working with Bus Users UK and others.

Table 5.1 Provisions of the Quality Bus Partnership agreement between Luton Borough Council and Arriva The Shires and Essex

The Borough Council will: Arriva The Shires will: In deciding to financially support services, Monitor the reliability of commercial services, secure these by competitive tender and submit reports to the Council every 3 months. Consider opportunities for bus priority measures Endeavour to limit the number of local bus with bus operators, where bus passengers and service changes to no more two per year, except services can benefit without disproportionate where the actions of other operators or effect on other traffic. developments in the operating environment necessitate change.

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 18 The Borough Council will: Arriva The Shires will: Provide and maintain safe, well-lit and attractive Confidentially consult the Council about pedestrian access to, and passenger facilities at, proposals to register a new service or amend or bus stops appropriate to the level of service and cancel an existing service, at least 14 days use. before submission to the Traffic Commissioner Progressively introduce facilities at bus stops to Take appropriate measures to notify in advance faciltitate level boarding at stops. passengers and local residents likely to be affected by any service change, prior to the change. Endeavour to ensure that damaged shelters are Devote resources and use best endeavours to made safe within 24 hours. provide services in line with the registered times and routes. Provide, annually, a public transport guide for Adopt a programme of information provision at residents. all bus stops that it serves, with priority given to key interchange locations. Provide real time information display systems in Provide on-bus equipment and systems to the town centres and along defined local bus facilitate efficient operation of real time service routes. information displays. Consult the Operator when preparing to Develop fares, ticketing and other initiatives implement highway schemes and carry out other (individually or in partnership with other road works to minimise disruption to local bus operators and/or the Council) to encourage services during the works regular use of public transport. Mediate between operators where necessary Supply information on passenger loadings to the with regard to fares and ticketing initiatives. Council Develop opportunities to improve the Invest in suitable vehicles in order to enhance interchange between buses and other forms of customer facilities. transport. Develop transportation policies and strategies Pursue a policy of using environmentally friendly that promote the use of buses in conjunction or ‘green’ fuels. with the bus operators Implement customer care through improved driver training and qualification. Ensure that the public have easy access to information through the use of different media (e.g internet, telephone enquiries, on-bus).

Statutory Quality Bus Partnerships and Quality Contracts

5.5 Apart from QBPs, the Transport Act 2000 introduced two other means of securing service improvements:

• Statutory Quality Partnerships (SQP), where the partners have powers to exclude operators from using improved facilities if they have not signed up to the agreement or do not provide services of the required standard; and • Quality Contracts (QC), where the Council specifies the level of service to be provided in an area and contracts out the exclusive right to

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 19 operate them.

5.6 In December 2006, the Government announced further reforms to these arrangements, which were subsequently presented to Parliament as the draft Transport Bill in May 2007. The proposals include amendments of SQPs to include fares and a minimum service frequency, and replacing the requirement to demonstrate that a QC is the only practicable way to implement an authority’s bus strategy by the need to show that it is in the public interest.

5.7 The Council does not see a role for SQPs or QCs at present although certain improvements such as the Luton Dunstable busway or Park and Ride buses may require arrangements of this kind. For the time being we will build on the present QBP agreement with Arriva and will work to make similar agreements with other operators. We intend to follow these with specific agreements related to individual corridors or areas in Luton, as dealt with below.

Major schemes

5.8 Through the LTP process, Luton Borough Council has secured funding for three major transport schemes and two of these, the Luton Dunstable busway and the Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme, have a direct bearing on the Bus Strategy.

Luton Dunstable Busway

5.9 The Luton Dunstable busway scheme forms a key element of the transport strategy for the Luton-Dunstable-Houghton Regis area. Consistent with the Local Transport Plan and national policy considerations, Luton Borough Council and Bedfordshire County Council have defined a number of objectives for a high quality rapid transit system serving Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis. These are that the system:

• provides an attractive alternative to the car; • maximises mobility and accessibility for all, and is easy to use; • is environmentally friendly; • is safe from both a personal and technical viewpoint; and • contributes to integration of land use and transport planning by supporting wider planning and regeneration policies, and provides the maximum opportunities for interchange between different modes of transport.

5.10 Much of the evidence presented by Objectors at the Public Inquiry into the Luton Dunstable busway system related to alternative public transport solutions. The Inspector concluded that none of the heavy and light rail

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 20 alternatives proposed would perform materially better than the Luton Dunstable busway scheme and none would be viable or deliverable. The only other alternative would be to introduce further bus priority measures along Hatters Way and the dual carriageway sections of the A505. This option has already been assessed as the low-cost alternative (LCA) to the Luton Dunstable busway. The LCA results in a negative benefit:cost ratio, principally as a result of the re-allocation of road-space necessary to accommodate bus priority measures on what are some of the heaviest trafficked roads in the towns.

5.11 The Luton Dunstable busway provides a segregated bus-only route connecting the three town centres with London Luton Airport, enabling buses to bypass the congested Dunstable High Street, Luton Road and Dunstable Road corridors. In addition to serving stops in the three town centres and at Luton and Luton Airport Parkway stations, there will be stops on the busway at Portland Ride, Dunstable White Lion retail park, Caddington Park, Stanton Road, and Clifton Road.

5.12 The Luton Dunstable busway network will include several off-guideway routes to provide good access to residential, business and commercial areas. Within Luton these will include the Luton & Dunstable Hospital, Lewsey Farm and sections southeast of Windmill Road (where some of the infrastructure will be provided as part of the East Luton Corridor scheme). These routes will have high quality stops and other infrastructure so that they contribute to an identifiable network with a consistent quality of service. In view of the proposals for new housing developments on the fringes of the towns, the potential for extending the Luton Dunstable busway network to serve these areas is being investigated.

5.13 The operation of Luton Dunstable busway will be governed by a Quality Bus Partnership. Any bus fitted with the correct guide-wheels will in theory be allowed to use the guideway but the agreement will specify quality of design and information and a branding to give services using the Luton Dunstable busway a strong identity among the travelling public.

5.14 In the centres of Lutonand Dunstable, the busway route will be an unguided bus-only road between New Bedford Road and Church Street. This section will be available to other local bus services and coaches, giving them access to the railway station and the new interchange or bus station (see para. 5.15, below). The Luton Dunstable busway will also link into the bus circulation system for the town centre and this will be marketed as an integral part of the scheme.

Luton Town Centre

5.15 In addition to the changes mentioned in paragraph 5.14, the town centre

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 21 will be reshaped and strengthened to fit it for its new role in the Luton and South Bedfordshire growth area. The objectives of the Luton Town Centre Development Framework, drawn up in 2004, include making the centre far more accessible by all modes, including public transport. It proposes three main concentrations of bus stops at St George’s Square, Church Street and the bus station and interchange by the railway station (para. 5.43). All parts of the town centre will be within 400 metres of at least one of these groups of stops.

5.16 The Council will continue to work in partnership with bus operators, developers and other concerned parties to ensure that: • buses have easy and congestion-free access to the three stopping areas; • individual services can serve as many of the three stopping areas as possible without suffering undue delay; • walking access from bus stops to all parts of the town centre is attractive, convenient, secure and easy to follow; • bus waiting facilities in the town centre are of high quality, sheltered, attractive and secure, with ample information and seating.

Regeneration and new developments

Commercial and employment areas

5.17 Work to regenerate the local economy will focus on revitalising old industrial areas, such as the Vauxhall site, and on developing new sites such as Capability Green and the Wigmore area. Many of these sites are poorly served by public transport and providing efficient commercial services will often be difficult.

5.18 The Council will encourage the creation of jobs in areas with good public transport access. Where this is not possible, we will ensure that access is provided, particularly from areas of high unemployment, and we will work with developers to promote public transport and make it easy to use. The measures could include bus stops, traffic management measures and contributions to support new or improved services. Most funding for these improvements is expected to come from the developers themselves through section 106 obligations.

Access to new residential developments

5.19 We will ensure that all new housing is within 400 metres of an existing bus route or a road where a bus service can be provided. Where there is an element of car-free, affordable or special needs housing the required proximity will be 200 metres. Where accessibility by public transport is not satisfactory the Council will require, through Section 106 obligations, the

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 22 provision of similar measures to those in paragraph 5.24.

Airport services

5.20 London Luton Airport released a consultation draft of its Master Plan in October 2005. It proposes developments to enable the Airport to handle 30 million passengers per annum by 2030, as envisaged in the 2003 White Paper The Future of Air Transport. The Airport has also produced a draft Surface Access Strategy to support these developments. By 2015 it plans to introduce a tracked transit system or people mover between Luton Airport Parkway station and the Airport, and a transport reception centre at the Airport. In addition, the Airport supports the principles of a coach interchange and park and ride facility at Junction 10a on the M1 (see paragraphs 5.29 and 5.71).

5.21 The Airport aims to maintain the number of employees travelling to work by solo car at 60% or less up to 2015. Targets have also been for the modal split of passengers travelling to and from the Airport, as shown in Table 5.2:

Table 5.2 Current and target modal split of passengers to and from the Airport

Mode Actual share in 2004 Target share in 2015 Bus and coach 7.9 11.3 Rail 16.6 23.7 Taxi 11.2 9.7 Car and hire car 63.4 54.7 Other 0.8 0.8 Source: London Luton Airport Project 2030 Surface Access Strategy, p. 21

5.22 The Council will work to secure improved public transport services to the Airport, in partnership with London Luton Airport Operations Ltd where appropriate. The East Luton Corridor scheme will provide bus and coach lanes between Luton Airport Parkway station and the Airport (para. 5.12) and will play a major role in improving its public transport links, locally and regionally.

Service coverage

5.23 To achieve acceptable accessibility in Luton and to make buses an attractive alternative to cars, it is essential for services to be frequent, to run close to housing and to serve the places where residents want to go. Where operators cannot offer this level of service commercially, the Council may be called upon to support services through the tendering

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 23 process and alternatives to conventional fixed route timetabled services may have to be considered.

Subsidised routes

5.24 The 2003 Bus Strategy reaffirmed standards for service frequency and coverage that were originally set out in a Statement of Public Transport Policies in the 1990s and are similar to those contained in the East of England draft Regional Transport Strategy. They are shown in Table 5.3. These standards are still felt to be appropriate for residential areas in Luton.

Table 5.3 Service accessibility and frequency

Weekdays Evenings and (buses per Sundays (buses Notes hour) per hour) To within 400 metres of all Within Luton 4 2 households Within conurbation 2 1 To nearby towns 1 1 Minimum requirement is enough buses to facilitate To nearby villages 1 Not specified work and shopping trips Source: Luton Bus Strategy 2003 Table 6

5.25 The weekday service standards are achieved in many parts of Luton. The main exception is the Hockwell Ring – Sundon Park corridor, much of which has three buses per hour or less, while part of New Town only has two buses an hour. Some parts of Round Green and the New Bedford Road corridor also have less than the desired level of service.

5.26 The evening service to most parts of Luton is no more than one bus per hour and the Sunday service is even less. The only places with the desired level of service are along Dunstable Road and Crawley Green Road, and in parts of Stopsley, Lewsey and Marsh Farm.

5.27 The Council will continue to aspire to the service levels in Table 5.3 as the basis for supporting unremunerative bus services. It is recognised that limitations on available funding prevent us from obtaining this level of service at present. When budget pressures force a review of the subsidised network, the general principle will be to evaluate individual services (or sections of the route) for ridership, level of subsidy and the feasibility of offering alternative transport arrangements.

Cross-town accessibility

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 24 5.28 It is not sufficient to ensure that all residential areas have bus services; the buses must take people where they want to go. We will investigate how the pattern of bus services can be adjusted to improve access to facilities throughout Luton, particularly for people from more disadvantaged or less mobile groups. This could be achieved by improving connections between services in the town centre, co-ordinating arrival and departure times and allowing through ticketing.

Park and ride

5.29 The Luton Parking Strategy calls for park and ride facilities to reduce congestion and the demand for parking spaces in the town centre and other busy areas. The Council will investigate the feasibility of park and ride facilities at Butterfield (where land has already been set aside as part of a Section 106 agreement), at junction 10a on the M1 and at other sites around the edge of the conurbation. Where park and ride schemes are set up the Council will ensure that significant bus priority measures are installed in the appropriate corridors to allow a fast and reliable service.

Bus corridors and bus priority

Reliability and punctuality requirements

5.30 The Traffic Commissioners specify that 95% of bus services must run no more than one minute early or five minutes late. For frequent services (six buses per hour or more), the specified number of buses must run and the interval between them must be no more than 15 minutes on 95% of occasions. Failure to comply, without reasonable excuse, can lead to a financial penalty; for a compliance level of below 70% this could amount to £550 per bus. The December 2006 Green Paper Putting Passengers First proposes that local transport authorities be made accountable, in part, to the Traffic Commissioners for shortcomings in punctuality.

5.31 The Council’s Conditions of Contract for tendered services lay down similar standards for timekeeping. In these cases the sanction for non- compliance would be reductions in contract payments or, as a last resort, termination of the contract.

Punctuality Improvement Partnership

5.32 As part of the Quality Bus Partnership arrangements, the Council will set up a Punctuality Improvement Partnership with bus operators. This is an agreement to collect and analyse timekeeping data (including monitoring of punctuality by operators) and to act upon complaints about poor performance. The Council and its partners will identify the causes of delays and develop action plans that could cover a range for measures

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 25 from regulating parking to infrastructure work. The roll-out of Real Time Passenger Information (para. 5.61) will assist in this process by providing data to help identify congested locations and other sources of delay.

Bus corridor improvements

5.33 To help tackle poor punctuality and give faster and more attractive services, we will focus improvements on specific corridors in the town where they can have a greater cumulative impact and a strong image among the travelling public. Thus engineering measures will go hand in hand with information and promotional work. These corridors can also be the subject of partnership agreements with bus operators to assure joint action.

Bus lanes

5.34 The argument for bus lanes and other priority measures is that buses are efficient users of road space and should be able to escape some of the delays caused by other vehicles, particularly private cars. Most of Luton’s bus lanes were introduced to ease the circulation of buses around the town centre. The only radial corridor with bus lanes is Dunstable Road at three locations, all of them in the eastbound direction. We will introduce further bus lanes where where they can be shown to be cost-effective.

Vehicles permitted in bus lanes

5.35 The Council will standardise, as far as possible, the vehicles permitted to use bus lanes. Cycles are allowed to use nearly all bus lanes and this will continue. Hackney carriages are allowed to use bus lanes (unless there are safety reasons not to) because they are wheelchair accessible and therefore perform an important social inclusion function. The Council’s Executive confirmed in January 2006 that Private Hire Vehicles should not be permitted to use bus lanes. Emergency service vehicles responding to calls may use bus lanes at any time.

5.36 Although the DfT’s Local Transport Note 1/97: Keeping Buses Moving recommends against allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes, this guidance is being reviewed and experience in several authorities’ areas so far suggests that there are no safety problems. We will consider the use of bus lanes by motorcycles in the light of the Government’s review.

Times of operation

5.37 Following a review in 2006, the operating times of most bus lanes have been standardised to 12-hour operation. This is because of the low numbers of evening bus services and the need to allow loading and

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 26 unloading in the evening, particularly to support the evening economy of the town.

Enforcement of bus lanes

5.38 Effective enforcement of bus lanes is vital if they are to achieve their objectives. In accordance with guidance from the DfT, the Council will move towards local authority enforcement of bus priority measures using cameras. Consultation with the public and concerned groups, including the Police, will take place and there will also be appropriate publicity before a scheme is adopted. The Orders published following the Council’s review of bus lanes (para. 5.37) will include the necessary clauses to allow the Council to implement a camera-based system of bus lane enforcement when the necessary regulations are approved by the DfT.

Bus priority at traffic signals

5.39 On most roads bus lanes will not be practical and other forms of bus priority will need to be considered. Arrangements to change traffic signals to green as a bus approaches are being installed on the Dunstable Road and Leagrave Road corridors and will be extended as Urban Traffic Management and Control is introduced. We will investigate the feasibility of bus priority measures at signals on Crawley Green Road, Biscot Road, the Bedford Roads and Leagrave High Street. We will also consider extending this technology to emergency service vehicles. The proposed Real Time Passenger Information system (see paragraph 4.61) will also be able to give priority at traffic signals to buses fitted with the necessary equipment.

Obstruction at bus stops

5.40 The Council will act to prevent standing vehicles from obstructing bus stops by marking the stopping area on the road and designating it as a Bus Stop Clearway, with parking and loading prohibited, except where this would conflict with other essential vehicular demands.

5.41 At the same time, the Council will work with bus operators to develop operating practices to avoid congestion in stopping areas. This could include, for example, minimising the use of buses to ferry drivers between these areas and their depots, and parking out-of-service vehicles at the Bus Station rather than allowing them to occupy town centre bus stops.

Traffic Calming

5.42 Luton Borough Council aims to install traffic calming measures throughout all residential areas in the town. Several major bus routes like Tomlinson

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 27 Avenue and Biscot Road are traffic calmed. Unlike some early schemes, all recent traffic calming measures on bus routes have been ‘bus friendly’. We will continue with this policy and we will review earlier traffic calming features as maintenance work on those roads is carried out.

Interchange

Luton station: town centre bus interchange

5.43 As noted in para. 5.15, the Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme will provide for a new interchange or bus station alongside the railway station. It will be much more attractively designed than the existing bus station in Bute Street and will have better passenger facilities, including real-time information screens. The use of a proposed new bus interchange at Luton station will be discussed with bus operators as part of the design work for the Luton Town Centre Transport scheme. Its main role will be as a terminus or calling point for interurban bus and coach services. Buses using the Luton Dunstable busway will have stops immediately next to the railway and bus stations. A high quality pedestrian route will be created from the station and interchange to the town centre and there will also be cycle and motorcycle parking facilities. The Council continues to press for the railway station to be modernised and provided with step-free access to the platforms.

Luton Airport Parkway station

5.44 This station has good bus interchange facilities but few bus services apart from the almost 24-hour shuttle bus that links with the Airport. Its role is likely to expand with the opening of the Luton Dunstable busway. When the Napier Park development goes ahead the developer will be required to provide a new entrance on the east side of the station; this will allow interchange with buses along Kimpton Road. In the longer term a major entrance on this side with a forecourt to allow interchange with buses is planned.

Leagrave station

5.45 Leagrave station could be a valuable interchange for north Luton and the northwest parts of the conurbation. However, the nearby bus stops are awkward to reach. In consultation with the bus and rail operators, the Council is investigating:

• improvements to pedestrian access on both the east and west sides of the station, including better facilities for disabled people and better lighting; • provision of safer routes for cyclists and additional cycle parking

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 28 facilities; • provision of signs directing passengers to bus stops and cycle routes; • provision of information on bus connections, particularly timetables and maps of stops; and • relocation of bus stops and/or re-routeing of bus services to make them more accessible.

Ticketing

5.46 Through ticketing can greatly simplify travel on public transport, shorten boarding times and make interchange between buses easier. Arriva and Centrebus offer day and period tickets giving unlimited travel throughout Luton, Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Caddington (season tickets for Green Line services are also available). They give some savings, especially where a change of buses is needed, but as they are limited to one operator they are less versatile than they could be.

5.47 The former through ticketing arrangement between Thameslink Rail and Arriva has been brought into the country-wide PlusBus scheme. For a small additional fare, passengers travelling by rail to any of the three Luton stations can buy a ticket that allows travel on most bus services within an area slightly larger than the Luton-Dunstable-Houghton Regis built-up area. Day tickets and season tickets are available. Unlike the system it replaced, PlusBus tickets cannot be bought on buses, though they can be bought in advance at a Luton station. PlusBus is promoted by posters at the stations, by leaflets and a national website.

5.48 The 2000 Transport Act provides for passenger transport authorities to introduce through ticketing arrangements covering all operators in their area. These would usually take the form of daily or period tickets, perhaps for a series of zones. The Council will investigate the potential for introducing these in Luton and possibly, in co-operation with neighbouring authorities, over a wider area.

Child fares

5.49 Most operators in the Luton area set child fares at, or close to, half of adult fares although Arriva currently charge three-quarter fare during school terms. The Council will keep open the option of exercising its powers under the Transport Acts (1985 and 2000) to incorporate child fares into its concessionary programme in order to standardise or reduce them.

Off-bus sale of tickets

5.50 Selling tickets on the bus is time-consuming and causes delay. Arriva already sell period tickets through shops that have PayPoint facilities. The

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 29 Council will encourage this practice and the sale of tickets from machines, which could be installed in public places such as the Arndale Centre or the Luton and Dunstable Hospital. Both arrangements could also be used for discounted multi-operator ticketing.

Bus stops

5.51 Bus stops embrace a variety of infrastructure. Poles and flags are mostly the property of the bus operators, while shelters may be owned by the Council or by advertising companies. The Council is also responsible for the highway (including road markings) and for the footway and kerbs. The Council will aim for high and consistent standards of design and accessibility, working in partnership with operators and others where appropriate.

5.52 When upgrading stops priority will generally be given to those on corridors designated for improvement and to heavily used stops elsewhere. At locations with multiple stops or where interchange is possible (as is already done in the town centre and around Leagrave station), different stops will have distinctive letters which will also be shown in timetables and on signs. Bus stops will display information in accordance with the Bus Information Strategy, including RTPI as this is introduced.

5.53 In partnership with operators, the Council will carry out regular reviews of the town centre bus stops and their facilities. As an initial measure it will install improved lighting and waiting facilities at the busy stops in Silver Street.

Standing and boarding

5.54 Bus stops will have a paved area where waiting passengers can stand. The Council will continue to invest in raised bus boarders to allow level boarding for elderly, disabled and other mobility impaired people. The bus stops on the Luton Dunstable busway, combined with the guidewheels on the buses, will allow particularly easy boarding.

Shelters

5.55 Where significant numbers of people wait (or are expected to do so in future) the Council will arrange for shelters to be provided, taking into account the possibility of inconvenience to pedestrians or local residents. The shelters will be designed to give protection from the weather while giving waiting passengers a good view of approaching buses and allowing the display of information. Concessionaires for advertising shelters will be required to adhere to these standards.

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 30 5.56 Where stops and shelters are the responsibility of the Council, cleaning and repair to any damage will be carried out as soon as practicable. Shelters which, through vandalism or accident, present a danger to the public will be made safe within 24 hours. Cleaning and maintenance of advertising shelters are the responsibility of the concessionaire and the Council will notify them if any are dirty, vandalised or unsafe.

Bus lay-bys

5.57 Bus lay-bys can be useful at stops and can help keep other traffic moving. However, other drivers frequently use lay-bys as parking and loading bays, preventing the buses from pulling in and resulting in passengers having to walk between parked cars. On busy roads buses can also have difficulty in re-joining the main traffic flow from lay-bays. Half width lay-bys can overcome some of the above problems. In order to obtain the full accessibility advantages of low floor buses, the buses need to draw close to the kerb; this can be problematic at both full width and half width bus lay-bys. In reviewing the provision of existing bus lay-by facilities, the Council, in conjunction with bus operators, will determine the most appropriate form of new lay-bys based on conditions in the vicinity of the bus stops. Information

5.58 The Council produced a Bus Information Strategy in 2005. It covers timetables, an annual map of bus services, information at stops and on buses, and information provided through electronic means such as the internet. The Strategy will be updated in 2008 and will take into account the findings of an Equalities Impact Assessment that highlighted the need to consider the dissemination of information to visually impaired people.

5.59 The Council will continue to support development of the national public transport information (PTI2000) system. An inventory of bus stops in Luton has been completed. It forms part of a national database and will include, in partnership with the local operators, a standard set of timing points for local bus services at no more than ten minutes journey time apart. These timing points will be used in registrations of new and amended local bus services. In the last two years this information has also featured in some timetables.

Real time passenger information (RTPI)

5.60 Following a trial of an RTPI system on routes 8 and 38 between July 2004 and March 2006 the Council decided in December 2006 join a partnership set up by Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire County Councils and Peterborough City Council to introduce an RTPI system supplied by ACIS. In Luton the Council will work with the partnership and with operators over

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 31 the next five years to introduce RTPI at bus stops in the key bus corridors and at other locations such as shopping centres, railway stations and information points such as that recently installed in St George’s Square.

5.61 The RTPI system produced by ACIS is compatible with the proposed bus priority system at traffic signals, and is also capable of relaying information to a dedicated web-site or sending text messages. Future uses could include small real-time displays that can be wall-mounted in public areas and in homes (similar to a trial installation in a new development served by the Fastrack system in Kent-Thameside). This could be a useful means of encouraging residents in the planned Luton and South Bedfordshire growth area to use more sustainable modes of transport. The Council will work with the designers of the ACIS system on other means of disseminating real time passenger information.

Accessible information

5.62 The Bus Information Strategy specifies that information about bus services should be available in an accessible form. The Council will work with operators to improve publicity and information concerning facilities for groups with limited mobility, including users of the Access Buses.

Publicity and promotion

5.63 The Council will seek to change attitudes to bus use through programmes such as Travelwise and In Town Without My Car and through encouraging schools, workplaces and other organisations to produce and implement travel plans. A School Travel Plan Strategy was adopted in 2005 and a strategy for other travel plans is currently being drawn up. We will also publicise our programmes of co-ordinated improvements to infrastructure, services and bus stops in key corridors.

Vehicles

Access

5.64 People should be able to board buses easily, to move within the vehicle comfortably, to stand luggage, buggies or wheelchairs and to read destination blinds and timetables. Under the provisions of the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act, all new full size buses must have low floors and operators are phasing in buses of this type. The Council encourages companies providing tendered local services to use buses which meet specifications set by the Disabled Persons’ Transport Advisory Committee (DiPTAC). In addition the Council’s integrated Passenger Transport Unit will invest in more accessible vehicles over the next four years.

Environmental standards

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 32

5.65 The Corridor Partnerships and the arrangements for use of the Luton Dunstable busway will set out age, emissions and energy efficiency standards for the vehicles concerned. (Many of the low floor buses introduced by Arriva, Centrebus and Grant Palmer in 2005-2006 already meet the Euro3 standards for emissions.) When tendering out services, the Council will reserve the right to give preference to bids which specify vehicles meeting these standards. The Council will support further initiatives for quieter and less polluting buses, including buses powered by alternative fuels.

Crime reduction

5.66 Although the probability of a passenger being assaulted on a bus journey is small, fear of crime (particularly at night) can deter people from travelling or lead them to use cars. At bus stops and on their approaches adequate lighting and surveillance will be provided to improve actual and perceived safety, particularly for women. As part of a “safer routes at night” initiative, ‘white’ lighting has been introduced at the Silver Street boarding area and as part of the Marsh Road corridor improvements. Agreements relating to Quality Corridors will also set standards for security at and around stops and for prompt attention to damage and graffiti.

5.67 The Council and the operators will work with the Police to investigate anti- social behaviour, vandalism and assaults on bus staff and to ensure that offenders are prosecuted. Communication links between the bus depot and each vehicle provide improved security for drivers and passengers.

Emergency plans and mass evacuations

5.68 It may be necessary in times of emergency to move large numbers of the public from one location to another. This could include major disruptions to the transport network as well as events like fires. The Council will develop, with bus operators and other concerned bodies, a plan for mobilising, routeing and organising vehicles to provide the mass transport needed.

Interurban bus services

5.69 The Regional Transport Strategy and the Milton Keynes-South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy both call for public transport networks to link with other important towns including Leighton Buzzard, Aylesbury, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead, St Albans, Watford and Hitchin. The Council will promote, with neighbouring authorities, the provision of frequent (preferably at least half hourly) bus or coach services to these towns. Where there is no rail link, such services should be fast,

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 33 with intervening villages served by other routes. In Luton the Council will encourage operators to terminate these services at the new interchange or bus station (next to Luton rail station) although additional stops in other parts of the town centre and at the Airport will improve access further.

Express coaches

5.70 The Council will encourage the further development of coach services for Luton and our policies for interurban services apply equally to coach services. The Council will encourage coach operators to serve the new interchange or bus station in central Luton as well as the Airport. However, many long distance coaches travel along the M1 motorway without stopping at Luton. A coach stop facility adjacent to junction 10a would offer the opportunity to serve Luton with little delay and the Council will retain this as an option for any development of the area, combined with the proposed park and ride site. If a stop is built, the Council will require it to have appropriate waiting facilities, including toilets, and to offer a comfortable and secure environment. Preferably it should be served by local public transport services, such as those using the Luton Dunstable busway.

Tour coaches

5.71 Many tour companies operate coaches to take holidaymakers from Luton to airports and elsewhere. Some coaches originate in Luton while for others Luton is just one call on the way to and from other towns. Many coaches use the eastbound bus lane on Dunstable Road, just west of Chaul End Lane, to set down and pick up passengers. It is convenient for them as it is close to the M1 (junction 11) and coaches can loop at the roundabout and head back to the motorway. However, it blocks the bus lane (as coaches may stand for up to ten minutes while passengers and luggage are transferred) and it may encourage cars and taxis to stop in the bus lane when depositing or collecting coach passengers.

5.72 The Council aims to facilitate the operation of tour coaches while ensuring that they do not disrupt traffic or local bus movements. In consultation with tour operators we will investigate the provision of alternative facilities, such as a designated stopping area for coaches on the opposite side of Dunstable Road.

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 34 6.0 CONSULTATION AND PARTNERS

6.1 As previously mentioned this Strategy needs the ownership of all the key stakeholders if the aims and objectives are to be fully met. The Strategy has been developed in consultation and in partnership with a wide range of groups and organisations including:

• All Members • Cyclists Touring Club • Bus Operators • Luton Cycle Forum • Coach Operators • Sustrans • Train operators • Friends of the Earth • Luton Bus Forum • Freight Transport Association • Bus Users UK • London Luton Airport • Public Transport Liaison • Fire and Rescue Service Group • Ambulance and Paramedic • Senior People’s Forum Service • Age Concern • The Chamber • Traffic Management Liaison • Luton and Dunstable Hospital Meetings NHS Trust • Barnfield College • Private Hire association • Luton 6th Form College • Luton Hackney Carriage • British Motorcyclists Association Federation • Post 16 Partnership • Beds and Luton Motorcycle • Arndale Centre Forum, Motorcycling Matters • Hertfordshire County Council • Safer Luton Partnership • Bedfordshire County Council

6.2 The provisional bus Strategy adopted by the Council in July 2006, which accompanied the Luton Dunstable Houghton Regis LTP submission to the Government, was reviewed at meetings of the Council’s Environment and Non-Executive Functions Scrutiny Committee between September 2006 and January 2007. The provisional Strategy was amended to reflect the issues discussed at those meetings and incorporates the views of the main bus operators and the Luton Older People’s Forum who responded to consultation carried out during the Scrutiny process. The Council will consult with and work in partnership with the key stakeholders on the formulation on future updates of this Strategy and on the delivery of this Strategy.

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 35 7.0 MONITORING AND REVIEW

7.1 There is clearly a need to monitor the effectiveness of the Bus Strategy and other associated strategies. We have sought to ensure that all of our targets are SMART i.e. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-related. The key Performance Indicators will be reported in our Annual Progress Reports (APRs) as part of the Local Transport Plan process.

7.2 Under the Local Transport Plan process we will collect data on bus patronage, public satisfaction with bus services and bus reliability. In addition, we may conduct one-off, or before and after, surveys in connection with specific policies. These data will help to show whether the Strategy is achieving its objectives and the Bus Quality Partnership Agreement provides for the data to be made available.

7.3 In collaboration with the operators, we will monitor this strategy to measure progress towards targets and to test the success or otherwise of policies.

Performance Indicator Base level Target Bus patronage 8.776 million 8.947 million in in 2004 2010 Satisfaction with local bus services 49% 2003/4 55% in 2009/10 Bus punctuality 42.5 seconds 36 seconds per journey in per journey in 2005/06 2010/11 Number of accessible buses within the 22 (66%) in 30 (75%) in PTU fleet 2004 2010/11

7.4 This Bus Strategy will be reviewed on an annual basis and updated where appropriate. This could be in the light of new guidance or best practice but could also be due to the performance monitoring. Where targets are not on track to be met remedial action will need to taken and where targets are met early, stretched targets may be appropriate. A full formal review of this Strategy is anticipated at the end of the LTP2 period.

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 36 8.0 FUNDING

8.1 Funding for implementing this strategy comes from the following sources:

The Local Transport Plan (LTP) capital settlement for Integrated Transport.

Major scheme capital funding from the Local Transport Plan.

Borough Council capital and revenue funds, including funds budgeted for supporting socially necessary services.

Resources from partner organisations.

Other ad hoc sources.

8.2 Local Transport Plan funding will be the main source of capital funding for bus schemes. Following appraisal of the provisional second Luton- Dunstable-Houghton Regis LTP which was submitted in July 2005, the Government has allocated £2.5m for Integrated Transport in Luton in 2006/07, £2.6m in 2007/08, £2.5 million in 2008/09, £2.4 million in 2009/10 and £2.3 million in 2010/11. These settlements are well below what we received under the first Local Transport Plan (2001-06) and may be further affected by the Government’s annual review of public expenditure plans.

8.3 The Council has agreed that public transport will receive the highest priority in the LTP. It is envisaged that around £300K per year will be allocated for bus priority, improvements to bus stops (lighting, shelters, seats, bus stop clearways etc) and Real Time Passenger Information. Public transport will also benefit from expenditure on other measures such as Urban Traffic Management and publicity campaigns.

8.4 Over the last five years around £8 million has been spent developing three ‘Major Schemes’ (schemes over £5 million); most of this has been funded from the LTP Integrated Transport budget. These schemes are:

• The Luton Dunstable busway – an £85 million guided bus project

• East Luton Corridor – a £22 million scheme that includes significant bus priority measures

• Luton Town Centre Transport Scheme – a £12 million scheme that includes a new interchange or bus station

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 37 8.5 Under the provisions of the Transport Act 1985, the Council is required to provide revenue support for bus services that it considers are socially desirable. The Council encourages bus operators to look at new commercial routes that assist journeys to work. These services sometimes take time to become financially viable, and at the initial stages require financial support from the Council.

8.6 The tendered services identified in the following table, which principally fall under the category of socially desirable services (mainly evenings and Sundays) are provided under contract to the Council:

Service Contract Route Days and Period of Number Operator Operation 1, 4 Arriva Town Centre - Farley Hill Monday to Saturday Evenings 3 Grant Palmer Town Centre - Cutenhoe Road Mondays - Saturdays 5, 15 Arriva Town Centre - Hockwell Ring Monday to Saturday Evenings 7, 38 Arriva Town Centre - Lewsey Farm - Monday to Saturday Dunstable Evenings 12, 12A Arriva Town Centre - Stopsley Monday to Saturday Evenings 16 Grant Palmer Town Centre - St. Thomas's Road Mondays and Saturdays 24 Arriva Town Centre - Bramingham - Monday to Saturday Marsh Farm - Lewsey Farm - Evenings Dunstable 27 Arriva Town Centre - Marsh Farm Monday to Saturday Evenings 29 Arriva Town Centre - Runfold - Marsh Monday to Saturday Farm Evenings 30 Grant Palmer Town Centre - Parkway Station - Mondays to Saturdays Capability Green 35 Grant Palmer Town Centre - Culverhouse Rd Mondays to Saturdays 53 – 58 Grant Palmer Access Bus Network Mondays to Fridays 366 Centrebus Luton – Harpenden Mondays to Fridays; at 6:06 366 Centrebus Hatfield – Luton Mondays to Fridays, at 18:35 823 Grant Palmer Sundon Park - Cardinal Newman Schooldays; AM and PM School 823 Lutonian St Joseph's School - Hockwell Schooldays; PM Ring

8.7 In addition to LTP capital funding, Council capital and revenue funding may be used where appropriate to support the implementation of policies set out in this Strategy. This will cover matters such as publicity campaigns, maintenance of bus priority measures, the Urban Traffic Control system and enforcement of relevant Traffic Regulation Orders. In addition, whilst the capital costs of bus stops, flags, cases and shelters are

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 38 modest, their maintenance and upkeep requires revenue contributions.

8.8 Planning obligations are agreements made with developers under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1990 (Section 106). They can be used to ensure that appropriate infrastructure is provided and to assist bus operators in setting up or improving services, in particular to new residential or commercial developments. However, the Council needs a mechanism to channel the funds to bus operators and the draft Luton Supplementary Planning Guidance on Planning Obligations endorses such an approach. In addition, the requirement for major commercial developments to implement a Travel Plan as part of Planning conditions can result in specific services being contracted to the site. Funding from this source will only help in providing public transport services related to new developments.

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 39 Action Plan

Action (with paragraph number) Timescale Who Shared Priority 5.1 Strengthen partnership working 2011 Relevant Integration across Council services and with our key Council stakeholders, including bus operators. services, stakeholders 5.7 Build on the Quality Bus Partnership 2011 Council and Integration agreement with Arriva and work to make operators; similar agreements with other operators, possibly followed by agreements covering specific neighbouring bus corridors or areas in Luton. authorities 5.11-2 Continue the development of the 2009 Council, Integration Luton Dunstable busway and linkages to Beds CC it so as to offer a high and uniform standard of facilities on the services concerned. 5.12 Investigate the potential for 2011 Growth Area Integration extending the Luton Dunstable busway Joint network to serve the growth areas north Committee of the conurbation 5.13 Set up a Quality Bus Partnership to 2009 Council, Integration govern the operation of the Luton Beds CC, Dunstable busway operators 5.15 Continue development of the Luton 2009 Growth Area Integration Town Centre Transport Strategy in line Joint with the Development Framework Committee 5.16 Ensure satisfactory conditions for 2009 Council, Accessibility buses and passengers in Luton town stakeholders centre as listed in this paragraph 5.18 Encourage creation of jobs in areas 2011 Council, Accessibility, with good public transport access; developers regeneration otherwise work with developers to provide good access, especially from areas of high unemployment, through planning obligations if necessary 5.19 Ensure that new housing develop- 2011 Council, Accessibility ments are within 400 metres of a feasible developers bus route (200 metres if they include affordable housing); otherwise work with developers to provide good access, through planning obligations if necessary 5.22 Secure improved public transport 2011 Council, Accessibility access to London Luton Airport Airport, Net- work Rail, operators 5.27 Aim to support the levels of service 2011 Council Accessibility in Table 5.3 as resources allow 5.27 Where the supported network has to 2011 Council Accessibility

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 40 Action (with paragraph number) Timescale Who Shared Priority be reduced, take into account ridership, level of subsidy and the feasibility of alternative transport arrangements on each route 5.28 Investigate means of improving 2011 Council, Accessibility cross-town connections operators, stakeholders 5.29 Investigate the feasibility of park and 2011 Council, Congestion ride schemes at Butterfield, Junction 10a developers and other locations and ensure that significant bus priority measures are provided in the corridors concerned 5.32 Set up a Bus Punctuality 2008 Council, Accessibility, Improvement Partnership with operators operators Environment 5.32 Identify causes of delays and 2008 Council, Accessibility, develop and implement action plans operators Environment 5.33 Focus engineering, information and 2011 Council, Accessibility, promotional efforts on corridors where operators Environment they will have a cumulative impact 5.34 Introduce further bus lanes where 2011 Council, Accessibility, they can be shown to be cost-effective operators Environment 5.35 Standardise, as far as possible, the 2009 Council Accessibility, vehicles allowed to use bus lanes: Environment usually cycles, hackney carriages and emergency vehicles responding to calls but not private hire vehicles 5.36 Consider the case for allowing 2008 Council Environment motorcycles to use bus lanes 5.38 Consult with the public and 2009 Council Environment concerned groups on local enforcement of bus lanes 5.38 Orders for revised timings and use 2008 Council Environment of bus lanes to include provision for local enforcement, using cameras, at a later date 5.39 Extend bus priority at traffic signals 2011 Council, Accessibility, as Urban Traffic Management and operators Environment, Control is introduced Congestion 5.39 Investigate the feasibility of bus 2011 Council, Accessibility, priority at traffic signals on Crawley operators Environment, Green Road, Biscot Road, the Bedford Congestion Roads and Leagrave High Street – also giving priority to emergency vehicles responding to calls 5.40 Designate and mark the stopping 2011 Council Accessibility area at bus stops as a bus stop clearway 5.41 Work with operators to develop 2008 Council, Accessibility, operating practices to avoid congestion in operators Congestion

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 41 Action (with paragraph number) Timescale Who Shared Priority stopping areas 5.42 Review traffic calming measures for 2011 Council Accessibility “bus friendliness” when maintenance is carried out 5.43 Develop a new bus station and 2011 Council, Accessibility, interchange next to Luton railway station developers, Environment Network Rail 5.43 Discuss the design of the bus 2008 Council, Accessibility, station and interchange with operators developers, Environment operators, Network Rail 5.43 Press for Luton railway station to be 2011 Council, Accessibility, modernised and provided with step-free developers, Environment access to the platforms Network Rail, rail operators 5.44 Ensure the provision of an east side 2009 Council, Accessibility, entrance to Luton Airport Parkway station developers, Environment Network Rail, rail operators 5.44 Ensure the provision of a major 2011 Council, Accessibility, entrance to Luton Airport Parkway station developers, Environment on the east side with bus interchange Network facilities on the forecourt Rail, rail operators, bus operators 5.45 Improve interchange at Leagrave 2011 Council, Accessibility, station Network Environment Rail, rail operator, bus operators 5.48 Investigate the potential for 2011 Council, rail Accessibility, introducing a multi-operator ticketing operators, Environment, scheme for Luton and possibly beyond bus Congestion operators, neighbouring authorities 5.49 Keep open the option of exercising 2011 Council, Accessibility powers to incorporate child fares into the operators, concessionary fares programme neighbouring authorities 5.50 Encourage the off-bus sale of tickets 2011 Council, Accessibility and investigate the feasibility of locating operators, ticket machines in public areas developers and facility

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 42 Action (with paragraph number) Timescale Who Shared Priority managers 5.51 Aim for high and consistent 2011 Council, Accessibility, standards of design and accessibility for operators, Safety bus stops advertisers 5.52 Priority for bus stop upgrades will be 2011 Council, Accessibility, on corridors designated for improvement operators, Environment and heavily used stops elsewhere advertisers 5.52 Stops given names and 2011 Council, Accessibility, distinguishing letters at multiple stop operators, Environment locations and interchanges advertisers 5.52 Bus stops to display information in 2011 Council, Accessibility, accordance with the Bus Information operators, Environment Strategy, including Real Time Passenger advertisers Information as the system is introduced 5.53 Carry out regular reviews of town 2011 Council, Accessibility, centre bus stops operators Environment 5.53 Install improved lighting and waiting 2008 Council, Accessibility, facilities at the stops in Silver Street operators Environment, Safety 5.54 Provide paved standing areas at all 2008 Council Accessibility, bus stops Safety 5.54 Provide raised boarders at all bus 2011 Council Accessibility, stops, especially those services using the Safety Luton Dunstable busway 5.55 Arrange for shelters, of suitable 2011 Council, Accessibility, design, to be provided at stops where advertisers Safety significant numbers of people are expected to wait 5.56 Clean and repair damaged Council- 2007 Council, Safety owned stops and shelters as soon as advertisers possible and make hazardous shelters safe within 24 hours of being reported. Notify concessionaires of advertising shelters that need attention 5.57 CLARIFY POSITION ON BUS LAY- BYS 5.58 Update the Luton Bus Information 2008 Council, Accessibility, Strategy operators, Environment stakeholders 5.60 Support development of the national 2011 Council, Accessibility, public transport information system and operators Environment promote use its designated timing points in service registrations and timetables 5.61-2 Install a Real Time Passenger 2012 Council and Accessibility, Information System using ACIS consortium Environment technology at stops, public areas and partners, other cost-effective locations operators 5.63 Improve the presentation of bus 2011 Council, Accessibility,

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 43 Action (with paragraph number) Timescale Who Shared Priority information to disabled groups and those operators Environment with limited mobility 5.64 Change attitudes to bus use through 2011 Council with Environment programmes such as Travelwise and by employers, promoting travel plans schools and other organi- sations 5.64 Produce a travel plan strategy 2007 Council with Environment employers, schools and other organi- sations 5.64 Publicise corridor improvement 2011 Council, Accessibility, programmes operators Environment 5.65 Encourage operators to use buses 2011 Council, Accessibility, that meet DiPTAC specifications on operators Safety tendered services 5.66 Set out age, emissions and energy 2011 Council, Environment efficiency standards for vehicles and operators support initiatives for quieter and less polluting vehicles 5.66 Give preference to bids specifying 2011 Council, Environment vehicles meeting Euro3 standards for operators emissions when tendering services, where appropriate 5.67 Provide adequate lighting and 2011 Council, Accessibility, surveillance at bus stops and on their advertisers Safety approaches 5.67 Set standards for security at bus 2011 Council, Accessibility, stops in agreements related to quality operators Safety bus corridors 5.68 Work with the police to investigate 2011 Council, Safety anti-social and criminal activity and operators, prosecute offenders police 5.70 Promote half hourly interurban 2011 Council, Accessibility, services to major centres identified in the other environment regional and sub-regional transport authorities, strategies operators 5.70 Encourage operators to terminate 2011 Council, Accessibility interurban services at the new operators interchange or bus station 5.71 Encourage express coach services 2011 Council, Accessibility, to and from Luton, serving the town operators environment centre as well as the Airport 5.71 Retain option of a coach stop at 2011 Council, Accessibility junction 10a on the M1, with appropriate operators, waiting facilities and preferably public developers transport links to the town

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 44 Action (with paragraph number) Timescale Who Shared Priority 5.73 Investigate the provision of 2008 Council, Congestion alternative pick-up and set-down facilities operators for tour coaches on Dunstable Road 5.73 Encourage tour operators to use the 2011 Council, Accessibility, town centre interchange or bus station operators environment

*These are the four ‘Shared Priorities’ between the Government and local authorities

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 45 References

Full Guidance on Local Transport Plans: first and second editions

Government’s White Paper ‘A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone’. HMSO. 1998

Government’s White Paper ‘Transport 2010 – The 10 Year Plan’. HMSO. 2000

Government’s White Paper ‘The Future of Transport, a network for 2030’. HMSO. July 2004

Planning Policy Guidance on Transport (PPG 13: Transport. 2004

Draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS14) ‘The East of England Plan’. November 2004.

The Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis provisional Local Transport Plan (LTP) 2006-2011. July 2005

Tomorrow’s roads: safer for everyone 2000

Tomorrow’s roads – safer for everyone: The first three year review. April 2004

Local Transport Note 1/97: Keeping Buses Moving HMSO

“Putting Passengers First”. December 2006

“Strengthening local delivery:The draft Local Transport Bill” (Cm7043). May 2007

Further Information and Contacts

Arriva the Shires and Essex (including Green Line) 487 Dunstable Road Luton Beds LU4 8DS

CentreBus Ltd 34 Humphreys Road Dunstable Beds LU5 4TP

Stagecoach East (including Virgin Rail Link) Rothersthorpe Avenue Northampton NN4 9UT

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 46 Grant Palmer Passenger Services Unit 2 Lawrence Way Dunstable Beds LU6 1BD

Red Rose Travel 110 Oxford Road Aylesbury Bucks HP21 2PB

UNO Gypsy Moth Avenue Hatfield Herts AL10 9BS

National Express 4 Vicarage Road Edgbaston Birmingham B15 3ES

Marshalls Coaches Firbank Way Leighton Buzzard Beds LU7 8YP

OTHER ORGANISATIONS

South Beds Dial-a-Ride Mumford Lodge 165a Castle Hill Road Totternhoe Dunstable Beds LU6 1QQ

Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 47 Further copies of this report

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Luton Bus Strategy - May 2007 48