MOVING FO RWA RD NEW OPPORTUNITIES, NEW PASSENGERS Confederation of Passenger Transport UK Drury House 34-43 Russell Street London WC2B 5HA Telephone: +44 020 7240 3131 Facsimile: +44 020 7240 6565 Email: [email protected] Members’ Website: www.cptmembers-uk.org 2 / 3 CONTENTS Introduction 4 Executive Summary 6 What Bus Passengers Want 8 Why Partnership Works 10 Opportunity for Growth 12 The Success Stories – the Fastest Growing Networks 14 Investing for Success 16 Success in Major Urban Areas 18 - Greater Manchester 20 - Merseyside 22 - South Yorkshire 24 - Tyne and Wear 26 - West Midlands 28 - West Yorkshire 30 Partnerships Working 32 - East of England 32 - Midlands 32 - North 33 - North West 33 - Scotland 34 - South East 35 - South West 37 - Wales 38 Jargon Buster 39 4 / 5 INTRODUCTION BUSES MUST BE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO OPERATE done. This report outlines what IN THE BEST CONDITIONS POSSIBLE. happens when working in partnerships works. In the report we set out a vision As car ownership continues to grow achieved by working with other of how bus users, operators and disproportionately to road capacity, organisations to develop solutions transport authorities can move congestion continues to choke our that cut through congestion. forward in partnership. Crucially roads. One solution has been Buses must be given the chance it highlights that there are new around for a long time, is very to operate in the best conditions and exciting opportunities for bus familiar to people and is proven to possible. growth that are within our grasp. remove cars from roads. The bus. The bus is the safest and most More people are using the bus and important mode of local transport. a great deal of work around the THE CPT HAS WORKED It has great potential to provide country has made buses even more WITH THE UK’S LEADING more and making it more attractive attractive to car users. But the aim SPECIALIST PUBLIC has to lie at the heart of any public of this report is not just about transport strategy. We have to TRANSPORT highlighting current success stories. stimulate demand from current CONSULTANCY, TAS, It offers a glimpse of what could be non-users and encourage them to TO LOOK INTO WHAT HAS as well. take the bus rather than the car, as WORKED IN THE PAST TO The CPT has worked with the UK’s well as cater for the current market HELP OFFER SOLUTIONS leading specialist public transport of bus users. Responding to people’s FOR THE FUTURE. consultancy, TAS, to look into what needs and creating congestion- has worked in the past to help busting solutions has to be done offer solutions for the future. in a cohesive manner, through the pooling of resources, knowledge What we have found is that bus and expertise. operators cannot do it alone. Clearly operators have plenty to Plenty of good work goes on in the contribute, but the best results are bus industry, but more could be 6 / 7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BUS SERVICES HAVE A PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE • Evidence shows there are two - Line based bus priority REQUIRING INTERVENTION TO KEEP THEM FRESH. common routes to success in measures, which involve major urban areas: extensive action to reallocate - Focus on individual highway space to buses, such • By increasing bus speeds by • Operators have an corridors to generate high as, bus lanes or remodelling 10 per cent across 10 per cent entrepreneurial spirit levels of growth junctions of the network, improving the and expertise in product - Focus on networks through - Fares and ticketing waiting environment, development, pricing and low cost interventions simplification punctuality and reliability and marketing. Local authorities supported by targeted - Promotion increasing frequency through have skills in management of investment • Delivering successful bus simplifying services, there is public assets and infrastructure. services requires closer the potential to improve • A range of partnership • Punctual, reliable and frequent working between operators passenger numbers by: measures produces the services are passengers’ top and local authorities. - 12.4 per cent in Greater best results. priorities. Manchester • Bus services have a product life - 12 per cent in Tyne and Wear • A one size solution does not fit cycle requiring intervention to - 13.3 per cent in West all. There needs to be careful keep them fresh. Interventions Midlands planning between partners to include: - 10.5 per cent in West deliver change, responding to - Kickstart (Government fund Yorkshire unique regional circumstances. which delivers “one-off” - 9 per cent in South Yorkshire • There are fantastic short term public investment - 13.2 per cent in Merseyside in otherwise unviable bus opportunities for growth OVERWHELMING projects) • Overwhelming evidence shows in major urban areas: EVIDENCE SHOWS - In densely populated areas - New fleet investment that more can be achieved THAT MORE CAN BE with lower than average - Point based bus priority through a partnership approach ACHIEVED THROUGH rather than organisations car ownership measures, which are small A PARTNERSHIP working in isolation. Each - In areas of high car to medium interventions, APPROACH RATHER stakeholder should play ownership but high levels such as, traffic signal phasing THAN ORGANISATIONS to their strengths. of congestion and parking restrictions WORKING IN ISOLATION. 8 / 9 WHAT BUS PASSENGERS WANT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE A PERSON’S DECISION TO CATCH A BUS. OUR RESEARCH REVEALS THE MOST DOMINANT: • Safety – is a priority, with good understand, and helps to break maintenance standards and down barriers, particularly for well-trained drivers a must. those who haven’t used a bus • Punctuality and reliability – for some time. gives passengers confidence • Information – if there is a free- that a service will arrive and flow of information, easily arrive on time. accessible and effectively • Frequency – high frequency promoted, people are more maximises choice. If the likely to respond positively. waiting time at bus stops is • Security – use of CCTV along reduced then it increases the with well-lit bus stops helps to ease and convenience of using put passengers’ minds at ease. the bus. Where services are required at sufficiently high • Customer care – highly trained frequencies, a ’turn up and go’ customer service staff give service adds to the attraction of passengers confidence, leave a the bus. lasting impression and improve perceptions of bus travel. • Fares and ticketing – a simple, easy to understand fare • Quality vehicles – passengers structure offers passengers the want to complete their journeys opportunity to get best value on clean, accessible and for money possible, is easier to comfortable vehicles. 10 / 11 WHY PARTNERSHIP WORKS BUS COMPANIES HAVE AN ENTREPRENEURIAL By aligning investment, skills and Partners Improvements Results OUTLOOK, UNIQUE MARKET KNOWLEDGE, THE knowledge more can be achieved. Blackpool Transport Focused networking 4.8% growth ABILITY TO DESIGN AND OPERATE PASSENGER- Working independently can create Blackpool Borough Council Increased frequencies Network expanded beyond the original PLEASING SERVICES AND EXPERTISE IN PRICING division and confusion. Lancashire County Council Strong branding core area of Blackpool Improved ticketing and marketing AND MARKETING. Some partnerships operate on a formal context, others are Brighton and Hove Pioneering fare initiatives Successfully grown the market by 5% per Brighton and Hove Award winning branding/marketing year since 1993 Bus operators and local authorities working together for mutual informal. Although each City Council Extensive bus priority 3% reduction in city centre traffic in last share the same objectives – to benefit. Bus companies have an partnership is structured and Improvements to passenger facilities 3 years persuade car drivers to leave their entrepreneurial outlook, unique managed differently, it is the Increased frequencies on busy routes Cleverly marketed as a simple network vehicles at home and to catch a market knowledge, the ability to relationships within the bus instead, to reduce congestion design and operate passenger- partnership that are key. Stagecoach citi network Outstanding 77% growth between 2001 and improve the environment. pleasing services and expertise Cambridgeshire Simplified network and fare structure and 2006 in pricing and marketing. Local All over the country there is County Council Fantastic marketing campaigns Passenger growth double that of London Range of bus priority measures Stagecoach carried 7m passengers on There is a latent market of non-bus authorities have great experience potential to deliver substantial New fleet 52 buses in 12 months users who are prepared to growth in bus use through close in managing public assets and the Park and ride consider their travelling options. ability to create and implement partnership and investment. Blazefield Pioneered luxury fleet Significant growth across the network But how can we convince them road management measures that Congestion is a serious problem Lancashire County Council Improved frequencies Revolutionised the journey experience that the bus can genuinely will carry bus users around but courageous decisions have to Innovative branding Changed perceptions of bus travel compete against the car? Users effectively. Investment by bus be made to help free up space on Excellent marketing 24% growth on Witch Way service X43 Service simplification want frequent, reliable and value operators in newer, cleaner roads for buses and promote Inspired