Bus Action Plan for North East Scotland – Volume 1 Nestrans – The Transport Partnership for Aberdeen City and Shire In association with MVA Consultancy December 2009 Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 1.1 Purpose of the Bus Action Plan 1.1 1.2 The Bus Action Plan in a Policy Context 1.2 2 Review of Previous Studies 2.1 2.1 Introduction 2.1 2.2 Purpose of the Literature Review 2.1 2.3 Study 1 – Towards a Bus Action Plan for the 21st Century (2007) 2.1 2.4 Study 2 – Future Development of Park & Ride in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire (2006)2.4 2.5 Study 3 – Aberdeen City Centre Shuttle Bus (2008) 2.6 2.6 Study 4 – Locking in the Benefits of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (Executive Summary) (2008) 2.7 2.7 Study 5 – Aberdeen Access from the South (Executive Summary) (2008) 2.8 2.8 Study 6 – Health and Transport Action Plan (2008) 2.10 3 Travel-to-Work Data Analysis 3.1 3.1 Introduction 3.1 3.2 Employment Density 3.1 3.3 Volume of Journeys Undertaken in Aberdeenshire 3.2 3.4 Volume of Journeys Undertaken for Aberdeen City 3.5 4 Desire Line Maps 4.1 4.1 Introduction 4.1 4.2 Desire Lines Showing Car Travel to Work Trips Between Data Zones 4.2 4.3 Desire Lines Showing Public Transport Travel-to-Work Trips Between Data Zones 4.4 4.4 Summary of Key Points from the Above Maps 4.5 5 Regional Accessibility Analysis 5.1 5.1 Introduction 5.1 5.2 Measures of Accessibility – ‘Hansen’ Indicators 5.1 5.3 Accessibility Analysis Undertaken 5.2 5.4 Understanding the Results 5.6 5.5 The Results 5.7 5.6 Access to Health Care 5.8 5.7 Access to Retail Centres 5.14 5.8 Access to Employment 5.19 6 Congestion on the Road Network 6.1 6.1 Introduction 6.1 6.2 Findings About Road Speeds 6.1 Nestrans – The Transport Partnership for Aberdeen City and Shire i Summary Figures Figure 3.1 Employment Density in Jobs per KM2 3.1 Figure 3.2 Number of Journeys Undertaken by Car for Aberdeenshire 3.3 Figure 3.3 Number of Journeys Undertaken by Bus for Aberdeenshire 3.3 Figure 3.4 Number of Journeys Undertaken by Car for Aberdeen City 3.5 Figure 3.5 Number of Journeys Undertaken by Bus for Aberdeen City 3.6 Figure 4.1 Travel-to-Work trips Between Data Zones, Made by Car 4.2 Figure 4.2 Travel-to-Work Trips Between Data Zones, Made by Public Transport. 4.4 Figure 5.1 Hansen Accessibility Indicators - Deterrence Function 5.1 Appendices Appendix A – Travel to Work maps Appendix B – Nestrans Accessiblity Analysis Maps Appendix C – Nestrans Congestion Analysis Maps Appendix D – Ranked List of Access to GPs Appendix E - Ranked List of Access to Retail Facilities Appendix F – Aberdeenshire Supported Bus Services Nestrans – The Transport Partnership for Aberdeen City and Shire ii 1 Introduction 1.1 Purpose of the Bus Action Plan 1.1.1 The finalised Nestrans Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) outlines a series of measures to improve bus services across the region. The RTS also commits Nestrans to producing a Bus Action Plan which presents a detailed programme of actions needed to achieve the bus proposals set out within the Strategy. MVA Consultancy was commissioned by Nestrans to produce this Action Plan, working with Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Stagecoach Bluebird and First Aberdeen, which are the two local authorities and the two principal bus operators involved in the existing voluntary Quality Partnership for Public Transport (QP). The Quality Partnership is a unique collaboration formed with the aim of improving bus services, and making public transport more attractive and accessible throughout the region. The partners signed an agreement in 1998 to work together to increase public transport use in line with policies and targets emerging (at that time) in the Local Transport Strategy. The agreement was refreshed and updated in October 2005 and includes a Passenger Charter and over 20 standards and targets that cover all aspects of bus travel. It is envisaged that this Bus Action Plan will be adopted by the partners for delivery. 1.1.2 The Bus Action Plan is comprised of two volumes. Volume 1 sets out all the background data collection and analysis which underpinned the development of the Bus Action Plan. In Volume 2 we go on to describe in more detail the proposed elements of the Action Plan and, more importantly, to identify specific locations where the proposals should be implemented. For clarity the major part of this presentation takes the form of a series of maps on which we can summarise the issues and proposed remedies, as well as providing a visual cue as to their location. 1.1.3 Volume 1 is therefore structured as follows: Chapter 2 – review of previous studies. This section summarises a number of previous studies relevant to the Nestrans Bus Action Plan; it specifically highlights the problems and issues they identify with the current network; Chapter 3 – travel-to work data analysis. These maps were generated by assigning data from the 2001 Census to the Aberdeen Sub-Area Model (ASAM) network; Chapter 4 – travel-to-work data analysis using desire lines. These maps were generated by mapping travel-to-work movements between ASAM zones using desire lines; Chapter 5 – regional accessibility analysis. We developed an Accession™ model of the Nestrans area to examine accessibility to healthcare facilities, retail locations, key settlements and employment opportunities; and Chapter 6 – congestion analysis. These maps were generated using NAVTEQ road speed data in order to highlight points of congestion along the road network of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. 1.1.4 Each section contains a summary of conclusions/findings, based on the data analysis. The findings outlined here informed our understanding of the issues and opportunities facing buses in the Nestrans area and thus led to the development of the proposed measures and recommended interventions outlined in Volume 2 of the report. Nestrans – The Transport Partnership for Aberdeen City and Shire 1.1 1 Introduction 1.2 The Bus Action Plan in a Policy Context 1.2.1 Volume 1 of the Bus Action Plan has been developed taking into account the objectives and strategic direction of the following documents: Nestrans Regional Transport Strategy; Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Local Transport Strategies; Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Local Plans; Current North East Structure Plan (NEST) - a new Structure Plan is currently being taken forward by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils to replace NEST. It is envisaged that this will occur in 2010; Aberdeen Airport Surface Access Strategy; A Travel Plan for Aberdeenshire; and Regional Car Parking Strategy (currently in development). 1.2.2 The Nestrans Bus Action Plan is aligned with the Scottish Government’s national bus action plan ‘An Action Plan for Buses in Scotland’ (2006). The national bus action plan sets out strategic aims, objectives and actions which are required in order to develop bus services in Scotland. 1.2.3 The Scottish Government will be issuing bus policy guidance in 2009 as part of its general update/consolidation of Scottish Planning Policy. It is expected that this guidance will cover issues such as bus and land-use planning, bus service information, and possible use of grants/financial incentives to stimulate increased modal shift. 1.2.4 In addition to the documents listed above, the Nestrans Bus Action Plan takes into account the strategic outcomes of the High Level Bus Forum in Scotland. The aim of this forum is to realise a vision for improved bus services and infrastructure in Scotland, and provides an arena for major figures from the Scottish bus industry and key stakeholders to come together to agree aspirations and responsibilities, along with key actions for achieving these. The most recent meeting, on 11th March 2008, was focused around the four key themes of: Bus Route Development Grant (BRDG); Partnerships and Park and Ride; Bus Enforcement, Integrated Ticketing and Information; and Standards Compliance. 1.2.5 The following key areas for consideration by local authorities and regional transport partnerships were raised at the meeting. The italics following each bullet point indicate the current position within the North East in relation to these, and future aspirations for progression: the comparative levels of car parking charges and bus fares and how they impact on travelling decisions: Bus fares are recognised as being high in the North East. Nestrans and the two local authorities are currently looking into the development of a regional parking strategy, and Aberdeen City has an action within its Local Transport Strategy to review parking policy, charges and systems, including reviewing charges with respect to both inflation and comparison with bus fares. An action has also been proposed to promote the development of a pilot project to reduce bus fares within parts of the City to achieve modal shift and improve social inclusion. Nestrans – The Transport Partnership for Aberdeen City and Shire 1.2 1 Introduction the use of local regulatory powers to decriminalise bus priority traffic offences: Eight bus lane enforcement cameras have been installed in Aberdeen using Public Transport Fund award monies, and the system was the first to become operational in Scotland in January 2004. The system is operated in partnership with Grampian Police, who are required to prosecute offenders as the contravention of bus lanes is still contained within criminal law. Aberdeen City Council is currently in the process of seeking to extend the primary legislation introduced in 2003 to decriminalise the enforcement of waiting offences within the city to also include bus lane offences.