B U S S TRATEGY 2005 - 2011 Executive Summary 1. Strategic Overview Context 8 Objectives 9 Bus Use Trend 11 Bus Use Targets 12 Bus Performance Targets 12 Partnerships 12 Links with Neighbouring Authorities 13 Best Value 13 Consultation 14 2. Understanding the Users Bus Users Expectations 16 User and Non User Requirements 19 3. Developing the Strategy Progress to date 22 Emerging National Polices 24 Regional Transport Policy 25 Refocusing the Strategy 27 Policy Framework 30 Policy Areas 30 4. Policies and Measures Service Delivery Policy 1: Network Operation 34 Policy 2: Local Area and Estate Services 37 Policy 3: Rural Services 39 Policy 4: Demand Responsive Bus Services including Special Needs and Community Transport 40 Policy 5: School Transport and Education Needs 42 Policy 6: Cross Boundary Services 44 Policy 7: Quality Partnerships, Networks and Contracts 45 1 4. Policies and Measures (Continued) User Confidence Policy 8: Community Safety and Safer Travel 48 Policy 9: Information 50 Policy 10: Ticketing 52 Policy 11: Network West Midlands Initiative 54 Policy 12: Customer Care 56 Infrastructure and Schemes Policy 13: Bus Shelters and Stops 58 Policy 14: Interchanges and Bus Stations 60 Policy 15: Bus Showcase 62 Policy 16: Bus Rapid Transit 65 5. Funding the Bus Strategy Funding Issues 68 Revenue Implications 68 Capital Implications 69 6. Bus Strategy Standards and Monitoring Monitoring Approach 70 Performance Standards 71 Target Standards 72 7. Appendices A: Key Network West Midlands Corridors 80 B: Showcase Corridors 82 C: Interchanges 84 D: Funding 88 2 3 Executive Summary The Transport Act 2000 requires the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority (WMPTA), in conjunction with Centro and the District Councils, to prepare a bus strategy containing policies as to how best to carry their various functions in order to secure the provision of appropriate bus services in the area. The Act allows the strategy to be reviewed and altered if it is considered appropriate to do so. This Bus Strategy replaces the previous strategy adopted in • To transfer some car use to public transport in the 2001and outlines the aspirations for the provision of bus Metropolitan Area at busy times to reduce congestion, and services in the West Midlands for the period up to 2011. at other times to maintain public transports’ universality and This revised strategy has been prepared to address among commercial viability. other things the recommendations of the West Midlands Area • To enable people without access to a car to easily Multi Modal study (WMAMMS) and the complementary reach a wide range of education, training and employment Coventry Area Network Study (CANS). It also responds to opportunities. new Government initiatives, guidance and legislation and incorporates recommendations of recent Best Value reviews. • To enable people without access to a car to easily reach a wide range of shopping, service, health facility, The strategy contains general policies on how best to carry leisure and entertainment opportunities. out the duties and responsibilities vested on the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority by the Transport Act To achieve these objectives, this revised Bus Strategy 2000. The objectives and resulting actions are also in line outlines a vision of the quality required for bus travel by with Government Guidance on the issues that should be 2011 with tangible service improvements across the whole covered in a Bus Strategy. of the West Midlands that offers a real alternative to car Through the drafting of the revised Bus Strategy, extensive use. This will require concerted action in four key areas, consultation and market research has been carried out to namely: ensure a full understanding of people’s needs and • Local Area Bus Services; expectations. This has enabled us to design a Bus Strategy • Interchange, District/Local Centre and Station that properly addresses the aspirations of current and Upgrades potential bus users. • Showcase/Bus Rapid Transit routes; and To fulfil its role in the urban renaissance of the West Midlands Metropolitan Area, bus provision must achieve three • Complementary measures to assist bus users and overarching objectives: attract non-users. 4 The four elements are complementary to each other and introduction of the network stability code of conduct, will will assist people in residential areas to achieve better links assist in meeting the bus patronage increase target. to centres, popular destinations and jobs via high quality To achieve the improvements required the revised strategy and frequent routes, and improved interchanges between contains 16 policy areas grouped under three broad Showcase routes and local services. themes. These are detailed below: The revised strategy provides greater clarity about the Service Delivery: This theme aims to provide and maintain improvements required to help meet customer needs and reliable, attractive and accessible high quality bus services aspirations over the strategy period. This includes easy-to for the people in the West Midlands. understand information at all stops; an enhanced comprehensive telephone/ internet inquiry service; a series • Policy 1: Network Operation of personal security measures to reduce concerns over • Policy 2: Local Area and Estate Services getting to and waiting at stops and using buses, particularly for women and the elderly; and complementary measures • Policy 3: Rural Services particularly tailored to retaining young people as public • Policy 4: Demand Responsive Bus Services transport users after they leave school. including Special Needs & Community Transport The Bus Strategy is designed to deliver high quality bus • Policy 5: School Transport and Education services with the aim of increasing bus patronage to a revised 355 million bus trips a year by 2010/11. This • Policy 6: Cross Boundary Services is consistent with the revised target in the LTP2. There has • Policy 7: Quality Partnerships, Networks and been a decline in bus patronage since 1998 reaching Contracts 325 million passenger journeys in 2003/2004. The revised target means increasing bus patronage by User Confidence: This theme aims to create and maintain 8.5% (30 million trips) from current levels. Although this is a an environment with the right level of information, customer challenging target, it is considered achievable if all aspects care and safety that allows people in the West Midlands to of the Bus Strategy and LTP funded bus improvements are take advantage of bus transport. delivered. • Policy 8: Community Safety & Safer Travel In future, improvements implemented through the revised • Policy 9: Information Bus Strategy, in particular the impact of Network West Midlands branding, in conjunction with bus vehicle quality • Policy 10: Ticketing improvements, bus priorities, red routes, increased • Policy 11: Network West Midlands traffic management enforcement, Bus Showcase/Bus Rapid Transit and improved at-stop information, will help to create • Policy 12: Customer Care a virtuous circle of increased use, increased investment, Infrastructure and Schemes: This theme aims to develop improved services, increased use and so on. In addition, and maintain high quality infrastructure and schemes, which a projected 5% change in travel mode arising from are convenient and attractive to the people in the West promotional campaigns such as ‘Hearts and Minds’ and Midlands and the service providers. 5 • Policy 13: Bus Stops and Shelters Reduce the chances of being involved in a “criminal” incident while travelling by public • Policy 14: Interchanges and Bus Stations transport by 20% by 2011. • Policy 15: Showcase The delivery of this strategy will rely heavily on partnership • Policy 16: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) working between the PTA/Centro, District Authorities, Bus Operators, and other stakeholders. Partnerships will be key Lack of revenue funding could be a factor in preventing to increase the number of people using, and the number of this strategy from being successful and this will need to be journeys made by bus. The step changes in bus services addressed by all partners in the bus industry and through needed to give real alternatives to the car for many discussions with the Government. journeys will only be achieved by developing and To demonstrate progress against achieving the aims of the extending current partnerships, and to be innovative in Bus Strategy, a series of standards have been derived. establishing new partnerships including Quality Contracts Some standards are common across the whole bus if deemed necessary. network. Others are specific to Network West Midlands This strategy aims to achieve significant improvements in high frequency services, whilst others relate to Bus bus service provision for the benefit of existing and Showcase routes. These targets form a step towards the potential local bus users and visitors to the area. To meet targets set out in the WMPTA/Centro 20-Year Public this aim it is necessary to have a plan that is user-focused. Transport Strategy. Our ability to address the needs and expectations of cur- Other performance targets which complement the rent and potential users will determine the success of the patronage increase target are summarised below: strategy. Improve percentage of users satisfied with local bus services from a 2001 baseline of 61.5% to 75% by 2011. 92% of the metropolitan built-up area to be within 250m of a stop with a weekday daytime service by 2006. 97% of bus services to operate within 5 minutes of publicised times by 2011. On routes where buses run at least every 10 minutes, no more than 5% of service intervals should exceed 1.5 times the published service interval by 2011. Improve morning peak (08:00 – 09:00) bus speeds relative to private car speeds on completed Bus Showcase corridors 6 7 Strategic Overview Context The Transport Act 2000 requires the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority (WMPTA), in conjunction with Centro and the District Councils, to prepare a bus strategy containing policies as to how best to carry out their various functions in order to secure the provision of appropriate bus services in the area.