Enhanced Engagement Lead Enhanced Partnership Consultation Report 001 R3 22 October 2020 Transport for West Midlands Enha nced Par tne rship Co nsulta tio n Re po rt Trans por t f or West Midla nds Enhanced Partnership Consultation Report Enhanced Engagement Lead Project No: CENTF018 enhanced engagement lead Document Title: Enhanced Partnership Consultation Report Document No.: 001 Revision: R3 Document Status: <DocSuitability> Date: 22 October 2020 Client Name: Transport for West Midlands Client No: Project Manager: Helen Bidwell Author: Charlie Waller File Name: Document5 Please select a legal entity... NONE www.jacobs.com © Copyright 2019 Please select a legal entity from the Change Document Details option on the Jacobs ribbon. The concepts and information contained in this document are the property of Jacobs. Use or copying of this document in whole or in part without the written permission of Jacobs constitutes an infringement of copyright. Limitation: This document has been prepared on behalf of, and for the exclusive use of Jacobs’ client, and is subject to, and issued in accordance with, the provisions of the contract between Jacobs and the client. Jacobs accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever for, or in respect of, any use of, or reliance upon, this document by any third party. Document history and status Revision Date Description Author Checked Reviewed Approved 001 13 Enhanced Partnership Consultation Report CW JD RN HB October 2020 001 R2 21 Oct Enhanced Partnership Consultation Report CW JD RN HB 2020 001 R3 22 Oct Enhanced Partnership Consultation Report CW JD RN HB 2020 001 i Enhanced Partnership Consultation Report Contents 1. Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................................. iii 2. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 1 2.1 Why change? ............................................................................................................................................................................. 1 2.2 The EP Plan ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1 2.3 The EP Scheme ........................................................................................................................................................................ 2 2.4 Structure of the report .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 3. The EP Plan and Scheme Consultation ............................................................................................................. 4 3.1 Summary of engagement .................................................................................................................................................... 4 3.2 Stakeholder events................................................................................................................................................................. 4 3.3 Publicity ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 3.4 Summary of consultation .................................................................................................................................................... 5 3.5 Equalities Impact Assessment ........................................................................................................................................... 5 3.6 What happens next ................................................................................................................................................................ 6 4. Data analysis and interpretation ........................................................................................................................ 7 4.1 Sample ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 7 4.2 Analysis of the responses .................................................................................................................................................... 7 5. Responses to the online questionnaire ............................................................................................................ 8 5.1 Demographics .......................................................................................................................................................................... 8 5.2 Views on the Enhanced Partnership Plan ................................................................................................................... 16 5.3 Views on the Enhanced Partnership Scheme............................................................................................................ 20 6. Key themes and TfWM responses – online questionnaire ........................................................................ 27 6.1 EP Plan ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 27 6.2 EP Scheme .............................................................................................................................................................................. 28 6.3 Enhancements to bus user experience ........................................................................................................................ 29 7. Email responses .................................................................................................................................................. 30 8. Alternative suggestions..................................................................................................................................... 32 8.1 EP Plan ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 8.2 EP Scheme .............................................................................................................................................................................. 33 8.3 Other suggested enhancements .................................................................................................................................... 33 Appendix A. Additional Information 001 ii Enhanced Partnership Consultation Report 1. Executive Summary Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) is responsible for making transport “happen”. They are accountable for delivering improvements in transport across the region, to create a happier, healthier, better connected and more prosperous West Midlands. Whilst significant progress in improving bus services is being achieved through the West Midlands Bus Alliance and the Advanced Quality Partnership Schemes already in place in central Birmingham, Wolverhampton city centre and Solihull town centre, an Enhanced Partnership (EP) is considered the best way to ensure delivery of the more ambitious plans to transform bus travel with Sprint whilst protecting the significant investment levels being made by the authorities and operators. A consultation for the proposed Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme ran for 10 weeks from Monday 6th July to Sunday 13th September 2020. A consultation booklet and online questionnaire were produced and available online throughout the consultation period. Stakeholders were also able to request hard paper copies of all consultation materials with a business reply envelope from TfWM, either by email or phone. The consultation was publicised on buses, at bus stops and transport hubs, on digital bus screens, on local radio, and across TfWM’s and WMCA’s various social media channels. No consultation events were able to take place due to the national and local lockdown rules imposed to limit the spread of Covid-19. A total of 347 responses were received to the online questionnaire, with a further 14 responses received by email. Among the 347 online responses received via the online questionnaire: • 68% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed with the vision laid out in the EP Plan, 11% of respondents either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the vision in the EP Plan, 17% neither agreed nor disagreed • 47% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that the EP Scheme will raise standards along the three route corridors. 12% either disagreed or strongly disagreed that the EP Scheme would raise standards, 26% neither agreed nor disagreed. However, it was noted that 53% of respondents did not use the bus services in the EP Scheme area, so this could explain the higher percentage neither agreeing nor disagreeing. The key themes to arise from the comments in the open questions (Q5, Q7 and Q8) were: • Opposition to the EP Plan and/or Scheme • Support for the EP Plan and/or Scheme • Economics and cost • General travel experience • Onboard experience • Comments on the consultation The consultation responses have been analysed for any modifications to be made to the EP Plan and /or Scheme. It is recommended following the review