Contact Details What is SQPS? SQPS is short for Statutory Quality SQPS general queries: Partnership Scheme and is a legally Statutory Quality Partnership Scheme binding partnership between Nottingham Ian Combellack Nottingham City Centre City Council and local bus operators. Nottingham City Council Development Over the last few years the Council has Exchange Buildings North carried out improvements to bus stop Smithy Row infrastructure in the City Centre, including Nottingham providing modern clean shelters, electronic NG1 2BS displays, raised kerbs and public transport Tel: (0115) 915 5374 information. The Council is keen to protect this level of investment and will therefore Email: [email protected] be introducing minimum quality service standards for any bus operator that wishes Coach bookings at Broadmarsh Bus Station: to use the facilities in place, from Sunday 2nd May 2010. Broadmarsh Bus Station Canal Street Furthermore, the planned growth of the Nottingham City and the surrounding area will inevitably NG1 7LS place additional strain on bus stops which Tel: (0115) 915 3783 will need to be managed in an effective way. To help us achieve this, the Council will be introducing a slot booking system To request this information in an for all bus stops within the City Centre. alternative format, please call: Other Bus Quality Partnership Schemes (0115) 915 5073 have been introduced in Nottingham as voluntary agreements. However, these lack the power of enforcement and do not prevent other bus operators from providing a lower quality of service. The SQPS will A Bus and Coach Operators Guide help us to create and maintain a higher standard of service for all bus users. Effective from 2 May 2010 SQPS leaflet may10 v2.indd 1-3 20/04/2010 14:27:21 d A B C a D E F o Arboretum R h g u M S eet r o h Str a o el n b d to Bus Stop Group s n o A 1 fi o S e W tr l l H e e d e u t e n P t R VBS i Tram Route Y n o or g a Victoria d k o d Bus Station n S S t Pedestrianised Roads r ee tr e e Nottingham t t d Trent University a City Information Panel o Cemetery R l Sh l ak es e pe ar Centrelink route e W S t ree t Nottingham s YMCA n’ Trent University n Coach boarding & A t S 2 G S alighting points (not used by local services) o l a uc u er t a Str h eet s C t e h s e h r 5 minutes walk G o S u St h s NTU e M e d r t S w T i e Newton l J Victoria Park B t Guildhall t e a oo o o r r th e t Building Victoria o n S H e S tre d e t t d r St Shopping a S in w b r ncn t d Talb e o t Street r Corner Centre o E e e (Bath St) R e g House t B Royal n t i r o K ok Centre S V tr P e ee t Str t e Victoria Wollato liamen t n ar S er P treet Low Leisure H E G B Y C Centre C e eet tr r S Q a r eo Elite t l o a u h t t 3 u D n W n a S e M r me e m r b lia Post d b y r g c Pa e b r R r n e o o Lo e a Cathedral o p Office S t a p ng i e U K t o S d r S tr S S e w s k r k K u t e e t c e r Albert i r Nottm S e S r C t e . t t Q t e Arts t P N Hall U r r a e t e Theatre S r d e e l a t ia o t t m Nottingham R e A H n n St n Playhouse ge t o l lt t Row Hockley r Long Row S a n Central t r ee C Library Council t Market B House Mou A Square e X l M w a Bowling a r Alley n NCT S d v B t e M Travel o ncn National r a n s Centre w t id B e Ice ncn City y S S r o Centre S i t R e d r t (Adams) e r n l e t e e F S 4 et n M t s k t La u r a m r r e o a r i a e a i i r t P M S t n F h t . G M t a W B ry’ a L e L o w Pa v s y M ement l la i t tree e t s ot S nyfo G en P r e St. Mary’s te t a n G r Ga a Church er BioCity t sh n i L e F m G e av t r P a gh e a i i H r t F e Galleries of Justice l l i Broadmarsh H e l Shopping Centre EMDA Robin Hood C d d Statue a i s t M l 5 e C Castle BBC R College eet t r o S ‘Ye Olde Trip ollin ad C Broadmarsh Nottingham to Jerusalem’ Bus station NHS Castle t ee tr S Direct al n Ca L P e o v BBS e n ril d D ri v o e n Crown and e County Courts iv r C R D Capital o d t Canalside Area a e ulevar e rr One a p Bo e i d o le r n st g H a C St to Ca Virgin Active ham nal n reet ng d S St i tt r on o tati N o S f l i 6 S W t r e e t Magistrates Court Nottingham Station HM Revenue and Customs Version 1.0 SQPS leaflet may10 v2.indd 4-6 20/04/2010 14:27:23 What is the City Council’s role? What is the bus operators role? As you may be aware, the Council has If the bus operators wish to use the bus provided a large number of bus facilities facilities provided by the Council then in the City Centre over the last few years, they will be required to meet a minimum to improve the environment for bus users. standard of service. In return the Council The facilities include:- undertakes to maintain the facilities that have been provided. The standards of • Installing modern clean, illuminated service will include:- bus shelters for passenger comfort • Providing electronic displays showing • All services to be operated by low either real-time or scheduled floor vehicles to improve accessibility* information • Minimum engine standards for all • A bus stop information pole with up to vehicles, with higher standards for the date timetable information and most frequent services co-ordinated mapping, along with bus • Improvements to customer care and stop plate information driver training to improve the image of • Installing raised kerbs to improve bus services for passengers accessibility for passengers • The introduction of a slot booking * exemptions will apply to high quality system to effectively manage the use coaches used as local services. of City Centre stops • A new Public Transport Information Centre at Broadmarsh Bus Station providing information for all bus operators in the City Centre • A free Centrelink service which operates between Victoria Bus Station and Broadmarsh Bus Station via the City Centre No stopping except local buses 10 mins SQPS leaflet may10 v2.indd 7-8 20/04/2010 14:27:24 Will passengers notice anything At these stands each slot will be 5-minutes different? long and a service may be scheduled to arrive and leave the stand at any point Most passengers won’t notice anything within its slot. In circumstances where very different as to how bus services the slot immediately before your departure operate currently. The main changes “on slot has not been booked, you may street” are that the Council has changed remain on-stand for up to 10 minutes and some of the existing BUS STOP markings this arrangement will have been agreed to BUS STAND. A bus stand will allow between the operator and the Council with local services to layover for up to 10 appropriate arrival and departure times minutes, whilst a bus stop will allow local shown on your scheduled timetable. services to layover for a maximum of 2 minutes. The following example shows the pattern of departure slots for one stand over a How does the Slot Booking 60-minute period between 10.00 am and 11.00 am :- System operate? To regulate the number of buses using Mins past 1000-1100 bus stands and bus stops, a slot booking 01-05 Service 91 system will be introduced. The main 06-10 Service 97 point to note is that bus stands and bus 11-15 Service 91 stops will be treated differently under 16-20 Available this scheme. Bus stands will be used as 21-25 Service 91 terminal layover points for bus services, 26-30 Service 83 while bus stops will be available for passing bus services to use.