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Appendix BBus and Coach Strategy

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Contents

1. Summary

2. Introduction

Explains the purpose of the strategy, gives an overview of the current position, and sets out the challenge of improving bus travel

3. Bus Strategy Objectives within a National, Regional and Local Context

Explains how the objectives of the bus strategy fits with national, regional and local policies and strategies

4. Key Objectives for the Bus Strategy

Lists the key objectives that the Bus Strategy is seeking to achieve

5. Base Position: The Current Network

Explains the roles of the different types of service that currently provide local bus based travel in Tyne & Wear

6. Base Position: Key Issues Addressed within this Bus Strategy

Explains significant recent trends in bus operation and patronage and the key issues that arise from trend analysis

7. Options for Developing the Bus Network

Explains the policy and organisational options that exist for developing the bus network in Tyne & Wear

8. Summary of Measures to Ensure Delivery of the Objectives

Explains how the key objectives identified in Section 4, and solutions to the issues addressed in Section 6, will be delivered by identified proposed improvements

9. Monitoring: Targets and Indicators

Explains the performance indicators against which delivery of the bus strategy will be measured

10. Bus Corridor Improvement Programme 2006-2011

Explains the schemes proposed to improve bus travel during the life of the 2nd Local Transport Plan 2006-2011.

11. Conclusions

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Tyne and Wear has a strong public transport base with highusage per person and more persons travelling to work bypublic transport in the area as against Great Britain as a whole.However, the bus industry in Tyne and Wear faces a number ofchallenges. Bus use has been in decline for a number of years,with a consequent reduction in the level of service provided.Bus fares are increasing above inflation as are the costs of busoperation. Traffic growth is leading to congestion which delaysbuses and affects the reliability, and punctuality of busservices.

To support delivery of national quality of life objectives thesenegative trends need to be reversed so the bus takes on apositive role. Buses have the potential to meet the travelneeds of all the residents of Tyne and Wear, thereby providinggreater mobility and accessibility for the population, assistingthe local economy by reducing congestion through attractingpeople out of their cars, improving the environment byreducing air and noise pollution, and thus contributing to ahealthier and safer society. The bus operators report that thereare bus services in Tyne and Wear that are showing a growth inusage, particularly within the urban centres. But much effort isrequired to overcome general negative trends.

The Tyne and Wear Bus Strategy explains how the declinein bus use can be arrested, and then reversed, how thebus can increase accessibility to essential services, andprovide more travel choice within the context of increasinglevels of car ownership and usage.

The Key Objectives of the bus strategy are:

· To increase the number of people using buses byretaining existing users and attracting new users;

· To increase the market share of buses relative totransport as a whole;

· To ensure more reliable and punctual bus services inpartnership with Local Highway Authorities and thebus operators;

· To improve integration between modes and services;

· To increase personal accessibility through developingservices, fares, vehicles, infrastructure andinformation suitable for all;

· To raise the image and profile of bus travel;

· To examine methods of delivering improved busservices in line with objectives; and

· To remove practical and perceptual barriers to bus use.

It is recognised much needs to be done to achieve theseobjectives, but primarily to be able to deliver these objectivesthe bus must be given advantage over general traffic, witheffective bus priority ensuring buses provide reliable, frequent,and punctual services on the main travel corridors within Tyneand Wear, within an effective demand management strategy.This reallocation of road space to the bus must be supported byinvestment in modern vehicles, good waiting facilities at busstops and stations, and improved information to the passenger.

Tyne and Wear Local Transport Plan 2006-11Tyne and Wear Bus Strategy

1.SummaryIn Tyne and Wear buses have a very significant role in meeting the travel needs of the population. Whilst Nexushave plans to reinvigorate the existing Metro system, and in the longer term seek to expand the system, the bus willremain the dominant means of travel by public transport in the region.

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Whereas recent capital investment has improved bus traveland seen a growth in patronage on some bus services, theseimprovements in quality are being outweighed byfundamental continuing problems of declining patronage and ashrinking on parts of the network at a time of rising localtransport demand, with local trends going in the oppositedirection to national targets. To reverse these trends mayrequire a different approach to how bus services are provided.Under current legislation there are three options for deliveringimproved bus services; voluntary partnerships, StatutoryQuality Partnerships and Quality Contracts and further optionsare also under consideration (the third way of progressingStatutory Quality Partnerships with a transparency and co-operation in network development and planning, operatingperformance and fares and revenue). Nexus will keep underreview options for the delivery of bus services in Tyne andWear, including the appropriateness of regulating and fundingservices, and will work with the bus operators on best deliverymechanisms.

Nexus have identified a number of measures that they believewill improve bus travel and deliver the objectives of the busstrategy. These may be summarised as;

· Ensuring the integrity and the development of the busnetwork by examining best options for planning andproviding local bus services;

· Identifing where and when buses are delayed, orjourney times are slow, and deliver solutions toimprove the competitiveness of bus travel against theprivate car;

· Improving the quality and availability of information,particularly to encourage the non-user;

· Improving the integration of services and modes;

· Improving passenger facilities at bus stops and busstations;

· Providing a safe and secure travel experience by bus;

· Seeking supportive land use and demandmanagement policies to encourage bus use.

The publication of this Bus Strategy is a statutory requirement.It will be kept under review in response to new Governmentinitiatives, policies and legislation, and also within the contextof changes to local policies and plans.

2. Introduction The Tyne and Wear bus network is undergoing a significantperiod of challenge and change.

To ensure that it can deliver the increased role it is expectedto play in the future, there is a clear need to arrest network decline, and loss of patronage and to prevent reliability and punctuality from deteriorating further.

80% of journeys made by public transport in Tyne and Wearare made by bus. Despite a long-term decline in patronage,buses remain the dominant mode of public transport. Theyhave a vital part to play in the social, economic andenvironmental regeneration of the area.

The challenge for Tyne and Wear is to arrest and reversethe decline in bus use, while providing increasedaccessibility and more travel choice within the context ofincreasing levels of car ownership and usage.

This bus strategy has been prepared for the following reasons:

· The Transport Act 2000 requires Tyne and WearPassenger Transport Authority, in conjunction withNexus and the District Councils to prepare a busstrategy containing policies as to how best to carry outtheir various functions in order to secure the provisionof appropriate bus services in the area. This busstrategy replaces the previous strategy adopted in2001.

· The Government has set out a long term transportstrategy “The Future of Transport”1. The importance ofthe role of the bus is reiterated in this plan. At a locallevel the second Local Transport Plan (LTP) for Tyne andWear was submitted to the Department for Transport inMarch 2006 and as part of that process the BusStrategy must be reviewed;

· Within a cyclic review of its policies and priorities thePassenger Transport Authority has determined its threeoverarching objectives are to achieve modal shift, toreduce transport related social exclusion ant to assisteconomic regeneration. These contribute to theaspirations set out in the LTP for improving the qualityof life for people in Tyne and Wear and these themeshave been adopted in revising the bus strategy;

· Cross-cutting Best Value Reviews of Accessibility,Integration, Information and Safety and Security havebeen completed by the Passenger Transport Authority(PTA). Relevant conclusions have been included in thisstrategy.

1 The Future of Transport White Paper – July 2004 – Department for Transport

“ ”

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· The strategy also takes account of other key influencesincluding the draft North East Regional TransportStrategy within the draft Regional Spatial Strategy2 andthe Regional Economic Strategy3, also local policydocuments such as Unitary Development Plans andemerging Local Development Frameworks4.

The strategy will be revised and updated via the AnnualProgress Report cycle to reflect changes in legislation, policyand practice.

Project Orpheus has been developed to deliver the PTA’s threekey policy objectives by providing quality public transportalternatives to the car, including the development of highquality bus routes within the progression of the Superouteconcept. Buses therefore have an important part to play in thedevelopment of future public transport improvements.

This requires that all of those involved in the provision of busservices – operators, Nexus and local authorities – continue toinvest in and develop the network. This will require continuedinvestment in vehicles and on-street infrastructure, and aconstant focus on those measures which guarantee faster andmore reliable bus journeys.

3. Bus StrategyObjectiveswithin aNational,Regional, andLocal ContextAs explained earlier the bus strategy has been revised to takeaccount of new and developing national, regional and localstrategies and initiatives. The key objectives of the busstrategy are consistent with Government policy and targets, asset out in the 2004 White Paper “The Future of Transport”. Indeveloping the bus strategy strategies and objectives havebeen developed so as to fit with regional planning andeconomic strategies, with Local Transport Plan sharedobjectives, and to be consistent with the policies of the Tyneand Wear PTA. The achievement of bus strategy objectives will

contribute to the shared objectives of national, regional andlocal strategies and plans.

Fit with National Policy Objectives

In “The Future of Transport” the Government states that itwants “to make better use of buses to help reduce congestionand tackle social exclusion”. Bus services must be:

· Punctual;

· Good value – for the traveller and the tax payer;

· Frequent and reliable;

· Seamless – with good integration of bus services andother travel networks;

· Safe; and

· Clean, comfortable and attractive.

“ I m p roved bus services must be at the heart of Lo c a lTransport Plans designed to improve access to jobs ands e r v i ces, particularly for those most in need. They will bekey to reducing co n g estion and pollution and are safer thant rave lling by car”.

B u s es will have a critical role in helping to meet then ational/local gove r n m e nt shared obj e c t i ves of Delive r i n gA ccess i b i l i t y, Tackling Co n g estion, Safer Roads and Better AirQ u a l i t y.

Fit with Regional Strategies

Regional Spatial Strategy

“VIEW:-Shaping the North East” is the draft Regional SpatialStrategy for the North East of England. This document outlinespolicy proposals that will influence and shape many of the keydecisions taken in the region over the next 15-20 years. Thepolicies and planning decisions which have so far informed thedevelopment of the RSS cover four key themes of deliveringeconomic prosperity and growth, creating sustainablecommunities, environmental considerations, and transportconnections

The draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) includes within its keyobjectives for transport services and infrastructure in the NorthEast the need to:

· ensure access to employment, learning, healthfacilities and services for all sections of society;

· minimise the impact of the movement of people andgoods on the environment and climate change;

2 Draft Regional Spatial Strategy – June 2005 – North East Regional Assembly3 Realising Our Potential - Regional Economic Strategy - One North East 20024 Local Development Frameworks - The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires Local Authorities to replace the Unitary Development Plan with

a new plan called the Local Development Framework (LDF). This is intended to streamline the local planning process and promote a proactive positive

approach to managing development.

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· reduce the need to travel, particularly by privatemodes of transport; and

· promote public transport, demand managementmeasures and cycling and walking.

The RSS maintains that Local Transport Plans and other localstrategies, plans and programmes should focus on developingpublic transport provision that supports the Regional SpatialStrategy and encourages a rebalancing of the transport systemin favour of more sustainable modes. Measures that supportthis include:

· the integration of public transport services acrossmodes, and improved journey time reliability andaffordability;

· encouraging the use of Bus Quality Partnerships andBus Quality Contracts in liaison with operators;

· revenue to maintain and enhance, where appropriate,the quality of bus, rail, coach and the Tyne & WearMetro services.

The Northern Way

The Northern Way is a strategy document produced by thethree Northern Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) -Yorkshire Forward, Northwest Development Agency and OneNorthEast, with the objective of bridging the gap betweeneconomic growth in the North and South of England. Thestrategy aims to transform the North's economy by:

· adding value through pan-regional working andinvestment;

· building on combined strengths of assets andnetworks;

· creating a world class critical mass;

· addressing those areas where collaboration addsvalue.

The Growth Strategy will set out how these aims will beachieved by 2025. The Interim Strategy identifies ten policypriorities, including investing in creating better integratedpublic transport services within and between northern cityregions. The strategy recognises that bus services are and willremain the dominant mode of public transport travel innorthern City Regions. To reverse the decline in bus use a newBus Partnership Framework will be established in each cityregion to develop and improve bus travel so as to encouragemodal shift and support social inclusion.

Fit with Passenger Transport AuthorityPolicy Objectives

The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority every threeyears reviews its overall policies and priorities and publishes aPolicy Statement. The current overarching objectives of thePTA relate closely to the Government’s and the Local Transport

Plans’ aspirations to improve the quality of life for peopleliving in Tyne and Wear by:

· achieving modal shift from car use to public transport;

· reducing transport-related social exclusion, and

· stimulating economic regeneration

Fit with Local Transport Plan Themes

The objectives of the PTA also support delivery of the sharedtransport priorities agreed between central and localgovernment to:

· improve access to jobs and services, particularly forthose most in need, in ways that are sustainable;

· improve public transport;

· reduce problems of congestion, pollution and safety.

A focus on these shared priorities has been at the core ofdeveloping the next Local Transport Plan for Tyne and Wearwith local transport set in its wider context.

Supporting the above strategies and policies led to thedevelopment of a set of key objectives for the Tyne and WearBus Strategy.

4. KeyO bj e c t i ves fo rthe Bus St rate g y

· To increase the number of people using buses byretaining existing users and attracting new users;

· To increase the market share of buses relative totransport as a whole;

· To ensure more reliable and punctual bus services inpartnership with bus operators;

· To improve integration between modes and services.

· To increase personal accessibility through developingservices, fares, vehicles, infrastructure and informationsuitable for all;

· To raise the image and profile of bus travel;

· To examine methods of delivering improved busservices in line with objectives;

· To remove practical and perceptual barriers to bus use;and,

· Seek supportive land use and demand managementpolicies to encourage bus use.

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5. BasePosition: The CurrentNetworkThe local bus network in Tyne and Wear comprises of thefollowing types of bus service:

· Superoutes

· Other commercially operated bus services

· Secured bus services

· Schools and works services

· Demand Responsive Transport

· Care Services

· Taxibuses

· Community transport

These categories are not mutually exclusive and are not listedin order of importance. Approximately 90% of bus mileage inTyne and Wear is operated commercially and 95% ofpassengers are carried on services operated commercially. Theratio of commercial to secured services has altered little sincederegulation, although both networks have declinedsignificantly.

Superoutes

S u p e ro u tes are the quality bus service brand in Tyne and Wea r.The co n ce pt was established in autumn 2002 by Nexu s, within avo l u ntary partnership with Arriva North East, Go North East andSt a g e coach North East as bus operating partners, and the five Ty n eand Wear district councils as highway authorities. The thre eo bj e c t i ves of this initiat i ve we re to increase the number of peopleusing buses (to reverse a spiral of decline in bus use in Tyne andWear), by improving the ove ra ll quality of the bus pro d u c te n co u rage modal shift, and by retaining and eve nt u a lly ex p a n d i n gthe bus net work addressing tra n s p o r t- re l ated social exc l u s i o n .W h e reas delivery and deve l o p m e nt of Supero u tes is through ad e d i c ated partnership board, comprising re p res e nt at i ves from ea c hof the partner org a n i sat i o n s, the obj e c t i ves of Supero u te areco n s i ste nt with Local Transport Plan obj e c t i ves and delivery of theco n ce pt is via LTP pro g ra m m es and funding.

Superoute branding requires the total journey experience bybus to be an improvement on standard bus services.Superoute services require operation by low floor fullyaccessible buses, operating all day, every day, to at least a 30minute frequency. Generally a much more frequent service isprovided on Monday to Saturday daytime. The decision by thebus operator to operate a service to Superoute standard steersNexus investment to support Superoutes through providinghigh quality bus stops with shelters and detailed timetable

information at stops observed by a Superoute. The DistrictCouncils in Tyne and Wear, through Local Transport Planprogrammes, support Superoutes by delivering highwayimprovement measures on corridors served by Superoutes toensure buses operate reliably, as well as ensuring access to busstops and kerb heights support low floor bus operation.

Most Superoutes operate on a wholly commercial basis, withsome evening and Sunday services secured by Nexus.Operators guarantee to restrict changes to timetables onindividual Superoutes to no more than once a year, which givesconfidence to the passenger that the service has a permanencyand enables services to be promoted and marketed moreeasily.

Cu r re ntly 40 ro u tes are des i g n ated Supero u tes. Thei m p l e m e nt ation of Supero u tes has provided a fo cus fo ri nvest m e nt in quality ve h i c l es by the local operato r s, seeni m p rove m e nts in waiting env i ro n m e nts and bus info r m ation byN exu s, and the delivery of around 40kms of bus prioritym ea s u res by Local Authorities. The Supero u te net work cove r sabout 30% of the bus net work in Tyne and Wear and 48 mill i o np a ssengers per year use Supero u te services (about 36% of allbus trips). Bus ridership has grown on the Supero u te net work asthe net work has expanded. The bus operators report growth inu sage on some ro u tes, particularly in the urban areas ofN ewc a stle and Sunderland and they are opt i m i stic that this willco nt i n u e. A number of st rategic bus ro u tes cu r re ntly fail to meeta ll Supero u te criteria but the bus operators and LTP Pa r t n e r sremain co m m i tted to work to g ether to expand the net wo r k. Busp a ssengers cu r re ntly benefit from full timetable info r m ation at98% of Supero u te stops and 60% of stops have a shelte r.

H oweve r, whereas Supero u tes has delive red improve m e nts onco re bus ro u tes and a growth in pat ronage on many ro u tes, theunderlying trends of a decline in bus use and provision have notbeen reversed with this vo l u ntary agre e m e nt. The initialp h a s es of implementing Supero u tes we re on the basis ofex i sting ro u tes that could be readily adapted to meeta ccessibility and frequency criteria, if not already co m p l i a nt,rather than developing a co m p re h e n s i ve co re bus net wo r k. Thevo l u ntary arra n g e m e nt within Supero u tes has not co n s i ste nt l yd e l i ve red significant and effe c t i ve bus priority. Most of thepriority that has been int ro d u ced to date has been delive re dw h e re it is “ea sy to do” and does not seriously disa d va nt a g et ravel by car. Co n s i ste nt delivery of Supero u te st a n d a rds hasn ot always been achieved (for example no guara ntee of lowfloor bus operation) and one service has been re m oved fro mthe Supero u te net wo r k, against the policy of long te r mco nt i n u i t y. Also, although brand re cognition is improv i n g, localres ea rch reveals more pro m otion of Supero u tes is re q u i red as ab rand that pro m otes and delivers a higher quality service.

The Superoute partners (Nexus, local bus operators and the 5District Councils in Tyne and Wear) have recognised that thecurrent approach to developing Superoutes is not fully workingand are putting a number of changes in place to raise theimportance of Superoutes in delivering LTP objectives. Firstly,the Superoutes management board is to be revised and led bypolitical representation supported by stronger existing partnercontributions. This will raise the importance of Superoutes in

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relation to delivering LTP objectives as well as ensuring a morepro-active approach by the District Councils in tackling on-highway delays to bus services. Secondly, much work has beenundertaken by Nexus and the District Councils in Tyne and Wearexamining in highway operational problems with bus servicesleading to bus delays, unpunctuality and unreliability.Implementing bus corridor improvement schemes will be apriority within the LTP. The third initiative to improveSuperoutes is the development and delivery of a busPunctuality Improvement Plan for Tyne and Wear. For the LTPmandatory indicator on bus punctuality baseline data has beencollected on bus runtimes on 16 key corridors and these willform the monitoring framework for measuring bus punctualityin Tyne & Wear.

The new Supero u tes Board will deve l o p, prioritise, and monito ri m p l e m e nt ation of a bus improve m e nt pro g ramme for LT P 2 .This will be based upon co n s o l i d ating previous corridor appra i sa lwork and fo cu ssing this on deve l o p i n g, jointly with the localbus operato r s, the Supero u te net work as a co m p re h e n s i ve co rebus net wo r k. There are a number of key bus ro u tes in Tyne andWear that do not cu r re ntly met the full Supero u te criteria, butworking in partnership it could be possible to increase thecu r re nt net work from 40 up to around 60 services. Howeve rexpansion of the net work will be dependant upon co m m e rc i a li nvest m e nt by the bus operato r s, revenue support from Nexu sw h e re services are not 100% co m m e rcial, and capital fundingvia the LTP pro cess. The Supero u te Board will also ove r s e eS u p e ro u te audits on key corridors to ensure kerb height ssupport low floor operation, and passenger waiting fa c i l i t i esand on st re et info r m ation meet Supero u te criteria. Delivery ofthe Bus Punctuality Improve m e nt Plan and improving the bra n dre cognition of Supero u tes will also be within the wo r kp ro g ramme of the new Supero u tes Board .

Other Commercial Services

The objective within Tyne and Wear is to expand theSuperoutes network. However some commercial routes willnot conform to Superoute criteria. Typically these are lessfrequent services, or services that operate during daytimes orweekdays only, providing a mix of journey opportunities.Some will receive internal cross-subsidy by operators in theinterests of maintaining market share, and of preserving theintegrity of their overall network.

Whilst the emphasis has been to increase the number ofSuperoutes, the non-Superoute commercial services play avaluable role in maintaining the breadth of bus journeyopportunities across Tyne and Wear for both longer distanceand very local trips, and between Tyne and Wear and itsneighbouring counties of Northumberland and Durham. Runwithout subsidy and with overall patronage in decline andservice withdrawals taking place, they do not offer the long-term stability potentially afforded by Superoutes.

To combat a potential continuing decline in the non-corenetwork Nexus and the PTA are working with the bus operatorsto identify an enhanced partnership processes built around co-operation in network development and planning and greatertransparency in terms of consultation, involvement, fares,operating performance and revenue. This process is just

beginning and there is much to be done, but all parties arecommitted to exploring what can be achieved. The outcome ofthis could be the basis of Statutory Quality Partnershipagreements. Such an approach is aimed at seeking an overallimprovement in all bus services recognising that some servicesare unlikely to meet Superoute criteria but they play a vitalrole in providing overall network coverage and theircontinuation therefore is very important.

Secured Network

About 10% of the bus mileage in Tyne and Wear is secured byNexus under Transport Act legislation. There is a small amountof external funding from sources including Jobcentre Plus andUrban and Rural Bus Challenge bids in respect of specificservices. The criteria for securing services are well established,and are based upon the extent to which communities wouldsuffer hardship in their absence. The proportion of costrecovery is also factored into the allocation of limited financialresources. Works services are similarly evaluated.

The detailed criteria for securing loss-making bus services iscurrently being reviewed by Nexus with a view to usingaccessibility software tools to give a value to each securedservice based on its contribution to accessibility and to enablecontracts to be structured and prioritised on a rational basis.However, their main roles of plugging the temporal and spatialgaps in the area’s bus network are likely to continue subject tofunding being available to Nexus to secure socially necessarybus services. Where conventional services are not appropriate,alternative options such as Demand Responsive Transport(DRT), taxibuses and taxi feeders will be considered.

Schools and Works Services

Nexus arranges home to school transport on behalf of the fiveTyne and Wear districts. Education authorities who have astatutory duty to provide school transport for children livingover two miles for under-nines or over three miles for otherschool children, from school, which they discharge bypurchasing free travel for eligible children. They no longerprovide any home to school transport directly other than forchildren with special needs. Children are carried by acombination of scheduled services and designated schoolbuses. These play a valuable role in reducing road accidentsinvolving children, and in reducing congestion by limiting thenumber of home to school journeys made by car.

A number of special works services are provided in Tyne &Wear, tailored to the needs of specific employment sites.Efforts will continue to persuade employers to maximise use ofsuch services, through the promotion of workplace travel plans.

Demand Responsive Transport (DRT)

DRT has been operating in Tyne and Wear since June 2002. Thefollowing areas are currently served:

· West Newcastle

· Western Gateshead

· South Shields Lawe Top (shared taxi)

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· Hetton-le-Hole and surrounding area

D RT offers fl exibility and adaptability to the circu m st a n ces ofindividuals and co m m u n i t i es. This approach is endorsed by theSocial Exclusion Unit of the Off i ce of the Deputy Prime Ministe rin the Making the Co n n e c t i o n s5 re p o r t. At a practical level, themain findings in Tyne and Wear are that DRT is very effe c t i ve ata d d ressing local neighbourhood travel needs with very highl evels of sat i sfaction amongst users6. Howeve r, until eco n o m i esof scale are achieved, the co st per passenger journey is higherthan for most co nve nt i o n a lly secu red journeys.

Local research identifies the social inclusion benefits offered byDRT are effective and it will continue to be introduced inappropriate circumstances. Future DRT developments will applythe concept in its widest sense, taking a wide spectrum oftransport provision into consideration, including the use of taxisand private hire vehicles where appropriate as well as vehiclebrokerage with other providers. Integration with fixed busroutes, in terms of timed connections and through ticketing,should also be a priority.

Taxibuses

The DfT report Flexible Transport Services7 outlines the way inwhich taxibuses can operate under Section 12 of the TransportAct 1985. It suggests that taxibuses offer increased flexibilityfor taxi operators and local bus operators, and can providepassengers with a bus service in circumstances where a largerbus would not be economic. Taxibuses can also be used toprovide local authority subsidised bus services.

Nexus has funded operation of a taxibus service providing verylocal links in an area of Gateshead where conventional busoperations are very difficult to operate. An evaluation of thisservice will be undertaken so as to assist in determining thepotential for taxibus operation elsewhere in Tyne and Wear.Discussions will take place with interested operational partnersto assess the potential for operation alongside scheduled busand/or DRT operations.

Nexus Care Services

Nexus operates around 20 specially adapted minibusesproviding door-to-door transport for eligible people who havedifficulty in using ‘mainstream’ public transport. Each bus canaccommodate at least two wheelchairs and can be used forany journey within Tyne and Wear, although not for journeys toor from hospital appointments which are provided for by therelevant Health Authority. Journeys for Care Service membersand carers are charged at concessionary rates, and arenormally booked the day prior to travel. Members must meetmedical eligibility criteria.

The Care Services scheme is popular, and supply is oftenexceeded by demand. With an increasing number of accessiblevehicles now used for other socially necessary transport

services such as DRT and secured services, and the increasinguse of fully accessible buses on the mainstream network Nexusis actively examining opportunities for the integration of theseresources to provide a more effective and efficient pool ofsuitable vehicles. The increasing use of fully accessible buseson the mainstream network should encourage some CareService members to use conventional buses more often, thusfreeing up capacity on Care Service vehicles for more essentialusers.

The use of hackney carriage vehicles, linked to Smartcardtechnology, is also being examined as an option to meet theneeds of those who have difficulties in accessing and usingconventional bus services.

Community Transport

Community transport in Tyne and Wear fulfils an importanttransport need for communities and individuals, however thereis currently little integration or co-ordination between itsdiverse activities and those of other bus operators. There areaspirations amongst community transport providers to provideservices on a more formalised basis, along the lines of theNexus Care Services scheme.

Elsewhere in the UK, including in Sheffield and London,community transport providers operate scheduled bus servicesunder contract to Passenger Transport Executives/Transport forLondon. Although the sector in Tyne and Wear is not yetadequately organised or resourced to undertake such work, itis an indication of the potential of community transportproviders to play a complementary role in the delivery of ahierarchy of bus services, particularly in peripheral locationsand as feeders to major bus corridors.

Studies of community transport organisations in Tyne and Wearindicate their willingness to play an increased role in servicedelivery. The potential of the sector in providing non-commercial bus services will be encouraged. Nexus issupportive of developing a possible brokerage role of arrangingand organising better and more efficient use of bothcommunity transport vehicles as well as vehicles owned byother public sector bodies such as Social Services and non-emergency ambulance services.

5 The Social Exclusion Unit's report 'Making the Connections: Final Report on Transport and Social Exclusion' 6 Research to Establish Views of Residents of Tyne & Wear on Personal Demand Responsive Public Transport in Tyne & Wear – mrUK – November 20057 Flexible Transport Services – Department for Transport - 2002

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Recent Trends

Recent trends with regard to bus operation and patronagereveal a difficult base position from which to improve bustravel in Tyne and Wear. The most significant trends are:

· A continuing decline in bus patronage at around 3%per annum;

· A shrinkage of the bus network (scheduled busmileage has declined by 12% over the past 5 years);

· Fares increasing above inflation reflecting that thecosts of operation have been rising above inflation;

· Service unreliability;

· Problems of service punctuality;

· User sat i sfaction levels low at just over 60%, withs i g n i f i c a nt va r i ations in sat i sfaction acro ss Tyne & Wea r. ;

· The requirement to ensure that there is an adequatenetwork to promote social inclusion, encourage modalshift and stimulate economic regeneration.

Summary of Key Issues examined within this Bus Strategy

Given the trends identified above the key issues facing the busindustry in Tyne & Wear over the next LTP period (5 years) are:

· Improving and Increasing the Role of Buses;

· Addressing Declining Patronage;

· Overcoming Delays to Buses caused by Congestion;

· The important supportive role of Demand Managementin improving the competitive position of the Bus;

· Improving Bus Accessibility ;

· Improving Personal Safety & Security

· Providing Competitive & Affordable Fare Levels;

· Improving Ticketing Systems;

· Linking Land Use Planning and Bus ServiceDevelopment;

· Improving and Providing High Quality Information;

· Improving and Providing High Quality Interchange;

· Delivering Effective and Affordable Scholars Transport;

· Overcoming the Problem of Fewer Bus Operatorsreducing Competition; and

· Recognising the Role of Cross Boundary Bus Services;

Addressing these key issues will support the delivery of thePTA’s overarching objectives of

· Reducing transport related social exclusion;

· Achieving modal shift from car use to public transport;

· Stimulating economic regeneration.

These key issues and objectives are examined in detail in thefollowing paragraphs.

Overarching PTA Objective – Reducing Social Exclusion

The Making The Connections8 Report on Transport and SocialExclusion sets a benchmark for the identification of linksbetween transport provision and social exclusion, and the waysin which the situation can be improved by appropriateinterventions. The report identifies access to transport servicesas both a contributory cause of, and a potential solution to,transport related social exclusion.

Transport related social exclusion embraces many forms ofdisenfranchisement from society. It can take the form ofinvoluntary unemployment resulting from not being able totravel to and from work or job opportunities, or poor healtharising from isolation from healthcare or shops selling freshfood. Minority ethnic communities, for whom existingtransport networks may not be intuitively understandable orrelevant, also experience social exclusion.

A Best Value review of Accessibility was undertaken by Nexuson behalf of the PTA from Spring 2000 to Autumn 2002. Thereview was undertaken in two stages. This reviewrecommended the development of easily comprehensibleperformance indicators to measure accessibility. The secondstage of the review considered accessibility in terms of the"whole journey" or "door to door" concept

Buses in Tyne and Wear have an important part to play inincreasing accessibility to goods and services. They penetratealmost all locations where people live or work. They areflexible enough to cope with short-notice changes in demand.The current network is resource-efficient in terms of areascovered and passengers carried. However it is unable to caterfor all demands, and isolated areas, and individualsundoubtedly suffer as a result.

6. Base Position: Key Issues to beAddressed in Bus Strategy

8 The Social Exclusion Unit's report 'Making the Connections: Final Report on Transport and Social Exclusion'

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Overarching PTA Objective – Modal Shift

As well as addressing the effects of transport-related socialexclusion, the Tyne and Wear bus network must also be able toattract car owners in increasing numbers. To succeed, it has toactively attract passengers who currently use cars for some orall of their journeys, as well as those who change modes inresponse to changes in price and demand, such as parkingcharges and congestion charging.

For this aspiration to become a reality requires that busesprovide a uniformly high quality of service. This covers allaspects of the journey experience including vehicles, staff,frequency, reliability, stops and shelters, security andinformation provision and the built environment. Theserequire consistent levels of investment, and the commitmentof local authorities to act positively in favour of bus operationsincluding managing demand for travel by car.

Bus based Park and Ride is under-developed within Tyne andWear. Current Park and Ride facilities are located mainlyaround the Metro system. Bus based Park and Ride hassignificant potential to encourage modal shift. Working withlocal authority partners, and the bus operators , Nexus will lookto develop bus-based Park and Ride facilities where a need isidentified and potential sites are available, and it is determinedthese will be successful and reduce congestion on majorcorridors. Bus based Park and Ride should not however beconsidered in isolation, but within the context of demandmanagement and parking policies in the area.

Overarching research reveals that in order to encourage modalshift the following attributes are important:

· reliability;

· frequency;

· fare levels;

· personal security;

· availability of services;

· information;

Local research9 consistently reveals that the most importantattribute required of bus services is a reliable and frequentservice. Unfortunately this research also reveals the largestgap between level of importance and satisfaction also apply tofrequency and reliability (and fare levels).

However sticks as well as carrots are needed to achieve modalshift and much greater benefit accrues in improving all aspectsof public transport within a package rather than improvingindividual attributes.

Overarching PTA Objective – Stimulating EconomicRegeneration

Delivery of a high quality bus network that provides an

attractive alternative to the car, allows people access to jobsand services. Where buses are integrated with other modes,thereby increasing the quality and quantity of transport, thiswill support greater economic activity, free up road space foressential traffic, and be a positive advantage in encouragingeconomic investment and regeneration.

Key issue - Improving and Increasing the Role of Buses

The 2004 Transport White Pa p e r1 0 m a kes it clear thatG ove r n m e nt fo res e es a greater role for the bus industry ina c h i eving targ ets for increased use of public tra n s p o r t. This is inre cognition of the ability of buses to provide fl ex i b l e, access i b l e,a d a ptable public tra n s p o r t, and also a reflection of the need fo raffo rdability and stability of provision. Operators aree n co u raged to play a full part in quality partnerships, and info rging effe c t i ve lines of co m m u n i c ation and co-o p e ration withothers invo l ved in the delivery of high quality bus services .

The Gove r n m e nt’s vision for buses is refl e c ted in the guidancei ssued for the second round of LTPs. In co ntributing to the“ S h a red Priorities” of tackling co n g estion, delivering access i b i l i t y,safer roads and better air quality, it is pointed out that “busesdemand a place at the very heart of all authorities’ LTPs”.

Key issue - Addressing Declining Patronage

A critical infl u e n ce on the deve l o p m e nt of this st rategy is theco ntinuing decline in bus usa g e, leading to greater tra n s p o r t-re l ated social exclusion and less travel choice as bus services arew i t h d rawn and fa res rise as a res p o n s e. Bus mileage in Tyne &Wear has decreased by 12% over the past 5 years and fa res arei n c reasing above infl ation and we ll above motoring co sts.

The decline in bus use in Tyne & Wear has averaged about 3%per year over the past ten years. Continuing reductions in bususe at the present rate will result in the network becomingincreasingly unsustainable in its current form. If the number ofcommercially viable services decreases, the pressure uponNexus and others to subsidise them will increase. It will alsoreduce the ability of bus operators to internally cross-subsidisemarginally profitable services in the interests of maintainingthe overall integrity of their networks. Revised Governmenttargets issued in 2004 now require bus patronage increases inall regions of the country; no longer can a rise in Londonpatronage mask declines elsewhere.

The bus operators report that contrary to the overall decline inbus use, some services are showing growth. This growth isoccurring on urban and main trunk services (on Superoutes)rather than suburban and orbital services. Whilst it is hopedthat improved partnership arrangements will deliver aretention of bus ridership (and eventual growth), with the busnetwork remaining intact, other options for a more mutual orprescriptive approach to planning and delivering bus serviceswill be kept under review. Chapter 7 explains the options forthe delivery of bus services within Tyne & Wear set againstobjectives of retaining network integrity and addressingdeclining use.

9 Nexus Bus User & Non User Tracking Research 2004 (Woodholmes) & 2005 (North East One)10 The Future of Transport White Paper – July 2004 – Department for Transport

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Increases in the costs to the user of concessionary travel havehad a negative impact on ridership with a reduction over thelast 10 years in travel by the elderly in Tyne and Wear usingconcessionary tickets of 35% (20 million journeys).

Key issue - Overcoming Delays caused by Congestion

Traffic congestion continues to increase steadily in areas ofTyne and Wear. It can materially affect the efficient operationof bus services by necessitating increased running times andthe introduction of extra vehicles to maintain advertisedfrequencies, thus increasing costs significantly without anyincrease in revenue. This also means longer journey times forbus passengers. The worst problems are within major urbanareas, especially the centres of Newcastle, Gateshead andSunderland and on major river crossings of the Tyne and theWear. Delays in these local areas can affect service reliabilityacross the North East region, although smaller delayselsewhere can have a cumulative impact upon punctuality. Atsome locations congestion can be accurately predicted,elsewhere its severity varies greatly according to time of day orweek, or as a result of variables such as weather conditions orschool terms. Industry and local market research11 shows thatpassengers value reliability above all other bus serviceattributes. It is vital that the issue is addressed by a variety ofactions, ranging from schemes of strategic significance, downto an unrelenting attention to detailed matters of localsignificance to individuals and neighbourhoods.

Car ownership in Tyne & Wear is growing faster than thenational average and it is expected that this trend will continueas motoring costs decrease and more of the population hold adriving licence. Bus operators are united in calling for furtherand more radical measures to deliver increased reliability andto give buses a competitive edge over car users. TheGovernment is also anxious to see progress made on theimplementation of measures which will provide faster andmore reliable journeys.

T h e re are approx i m ately 40 kilomet res of bus priority lanes inTyne and Wea r, plus a range of other mea s u res includinga d va n ced stop lines at traffic signals, bus only gates andp r i o r i t i sation at signalised junctions. To date the latter has take nthe form of re l at i vely simple ‘tag’-based technology prov i d i n gpriority treat m e nt to buses when triggered. The est a b l i s h m e ntof the regional Auto m atic Vehicle Lo c ation sy stem will adds o p h i st i c ation to the pro cess by enabling late-running buss e r v i ces to command a higher degree of priority at signals.

W h i l st there has been pro g ress in implementing bus prioritym ea s u res in Tyne & Wear pro g ress has not been co n s i ste nta c ro ss the area. It is also re cognised that some solutions willre q u i re significant co n s u l t ation and capital ex p e n d i t u re,es p e c i a lly where significant bott l e n e c ks occur in the dense builtup urban area. Implement ation of such schemes will take timew h i l st co n s u l t ation, fea s i b i l i t y, and a business case is made.

Bus priority mea s u res on highways and at junctions arei n effectual if they are abused by other moto r i sts. Abuse cant a ke the form of a ‘moving violation’, use of lanes by ineligibleve h i c l es, or parking and loading offe n ces blocking priority lanes .Bus operators are rightly co n cerned that their ability to operatereliable services is affe c ted by such behav i o u r. Discu ssions withNorthumbria Po l i ce indicate that the enfo rce m e nt of busp r i o r i t i es is not a priority iss u e. This highlights the need fo rd i strict councils and Nexus to raise the profile of the pro b l e m scaused by such inf r i n g e m e nts and to int ro d u ce further co nt ro lm ea s u res, such as the use of on-board camera s, to disco u ra g ea b u s e. The de-c r i m i n a l i sation of parking offe n ces is also anopportunity for bus priority mea s u res to be more effe c t i ve l ye nfo rced in town and city ce nt res .

Key issue - Safety and Security

The safety and security of bus passengers is important not onlyin its own right, but also in terms of promoting modal shiftaway from car use and in tackling social exclusion. Localresearch12 reveals that personal security is a primary concern,and fears of personal safety are a major barrier to moreextensive use of public transport.

Although the incidence of crime has increased on publictransport, as in other areas of society, the perception of crimeis greater than the reality, and the armoury of techniques toreduce and deter crime has increased. This is due mainly toadvances in technology, and the development of effectivecrime reduction partnerships such as Transport Alert.

Transport Alert aims to reduce crime and disorder on publictransport. It was initially developed as a partnership betweenthe police, bus operators and Nexus to address theft frombuses in the North Tyneside district of Tyne and Wear. It coversall aspects of criminal damage and disorder on buses across alldistricts in the area, and District Council officers are now alsoinvolved in the process.

P r i n c i p a ll y, the scheme is a forum for exchanging info r m ation oni n c i d e nts and developing closer working with the police and Lo c a lCommunity Safety Pa r t n e r s h i p s1 3 for bus- re l ated crime. Thereh ave been many success es arising from the partnership, such as ap ro a c t i ve st a n ce where disorder patterns have been identified.

As with many aspects of public transport, on-board safety andsecurity is only one aspect of a wider issue. Bus stops andinterchanges also need to be designed and operated tominimise the potential for criminal activity. This can involvethe use of CCTV equipment and staffed facilities as appropriate.Nexus, with partners, has achieved CCTV coverage at a numberof major and minor interchanges. Research shows that thewalk to and from the stop can represent a major problem: it isvital therefore that the ambit of LTP policies extends beyondthe bus and the bus stop, and encompasses the whole journey.

11 Nexus Bus User & Non User Tracking Research 2004 (Woodholmes) & 2005 (North East One)12 Nexus Best Value Review – Personal Safety & Security - 200413 Local Community Safety Partnerships are an alliance of organisations required by statute to generate strategies and policies and implement actions and

interventions concerning crime, disorder and substance misuse within their area.

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On behalf of the PTA Nexus in 2004 conducted a Best Valuereview on personal security on public transport.14 Throughmarket research persons identified crime and the fear of crimeon public transport related to (in order of priority) waiting atstations and bus stops, on walking routes to and from publictransport and while travelling on trains, buses and on the ferry.

Key issue - Improving Accessibility

The introduction of low floor buses has had a major positiveimpact on the accessibility of the bus network. Although thedeadline for 100% low floor buses is over a decade away, atcurrent rates of fleet replacement, the major operators in Tyneand Wear will be using low floor vehicles on all but scholarsand works services within a few years. Low floor buses openup new travel opportunities for people with disabilities andthose with young children, and encourage a more integratedtravel environment. The Superoute network is operatedexclusively by low floor vehicles, and many other routes arenow similarly equipped.

Journeys by bus do not start and finish at the bus stop. Barriersdiscouraging access to stops will prevent journeys being madeby bus. Accessible routes to and from bus stops are thereforeimportant. This may be in terms of physical access such asdropped kerbs or ramps, or in perceptual terms such as theremoval of barriers caused by busy roads or badly lit subways.With almost 6000 bus stops in Tyne and Wear, the provision ofadequate access is a major challenge for the highwayauthorities and those generally responsible for the safety andsecurity of the built environment.

Key issue - Competitive and Affordable Fare Levels

Single bus fares in Tyne and Wear have risen in the rangebetween 40% and 78% between 1993 and 2003, relative to arise in retail prices over this period of around 40%. Fares forshort distance journeys have risen most. This increase in faresabove inflation is a consequence of bus operators having tomeet a rise in operating costs above inflation. TheConfederation of Passenger Transport reports that busoperating cost rose by 7.7% in the year to June 2004.

O p e rators set the fa res on co m m e rc i a lly operated services. ThePTA sets fa res for secu red services - normally aligned closely toco m m e rcial fa re levels – and sets co n cessionary fa re leve l s .O p e rators are reimbursed for the diffe re n ce bet ween theirco m m e rcial fa re and the co n cessionary fa re paid by the pass e n g e r.

The statutory concessionary fare scheme, introduced in theTransport Act 2000 required half fare concessions to beprovided after 0930 on weekdays and all day Saturday andSunday to people aged 60 and over, and to defined categoriesof disabled people. In Tyne and Wear, the concessionary farescheme has been more generous than this. It allows eligibleelderly people to travel for half price or 50p, whichever is thelesser fare. In the evenings after 1900, the cost reduces to25p. A ‘Day Rover’ ticket at a price of £1.50 allows elderlypeople unlimited travel after 0900 by any mode.

Significant changes in concessionary travel eligibility and valueof concession arose following a review in 1999 by the AuditCommission into expenditure by Passenger TransportAuthorities and Passenger Transport Executives. TheCommission commented upon the high expenditure onconcessionary fares schemes and suggested that PTA/PTEexpenditure should be more evenly focussed on their keytransport objectives.

This recommendation led the PTA to agree to implementationof a revised Concessionary Travel Scheme in Tyne and Wear inSeptember 2000. The revised scheme generally reduced theavailability of concessions and therefore reduced expenditureon concessionary travel. Whilst the revised scheme stillrecognised that concessionary fare schemes are a vital factor inlocal residents' accessibility and mobility, as well as reducingsocial exclusion, the revisions implemented identified;

· the need to keep the PTA budget within limits agreedwith the Tyne and Wear district councils;

· the impacts of a universal half fare scheme (on busesonly) for pensioners;

· a recognition that the universal concessionary schemefor children was not targeted at needs and problems;

· and, a need for a revenue stream to enable localcontributions to lever in additional funding fromcentral government for expenditure on public transportinfrastructure, which justified a reduction inexpenditure on concessionary travel.

The changes in the availability of co n cessions have had an impacton bus ridership. Since 2000 there has been a leve lling off in therates of decline among full -fa re paying adult bus passengers (full -fa re paying adults fe ll by just over 4%) whilst over the sa m eperiod co n cessionary passengers fe ll by over 34%. This fa ll inco n cessionary passengers can also be att r i b u ted to a moreaffl u e nt aging population with more travel choices and increa s i n gcar ownership and use amongst the elderly.

However, the savings on concessionary travel expenditure hassupported leverage of significant capital funds or pump primeda number of projects and schemes that have improved thepublic transport infrastructure in Tyne & Wear includingsupporting five year minor works programme set out in the LTP,Centrelink, Stephenson Jobs Link, and developing Orpheus busbased schemes.

The announcement in the 2005 Budget that funding will bemade available from April 2006 to provide free local bus travelto people over 60 and the disabled will have a significantimpact on local public transport in Tyne & Wear. The impacts ofthis will be reported through Local Transport Plan monitoringand progress reports.

At present concessionary travel is not available for travel acrossCounty boundaries and this puts restrictions on travelopportunities, especially for those who reside close to suchpolitical boundaries.

14 Nexus Best Value Review – Personal Safety & Security - 2004

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Overall the arrangements for cross-boundary travel arecomplex. The inter-modal ticket products offered by NetworkTraveltickets Limited are available only for travel within theboundaries of Tyne & Wear. Currently passengers who travelacross the boundaries between Tyne and Wear andNorthumberland and Durham experience fares anomalies andan extension of the NTL system, in partnership with the CountyCouncils, would deliver meaningful passenger benefits.

It is not cu r re ntly possible to ex tend the co n cessionary fa resscheme to groups other than those specified in the Transport Act2000. The Pa ssenger Transport Authority is therefo re not cu r re nt l yp e r m i tted to ass i st people on low inco m es through lower fa res .A re l axation of these rules would enable the PTA and its partnero rg a n i sations to offer public transport to socially excluded gro u p sincluding job seekers and single pare nts on income support.Cu r re ntly fa res reductions can be provided only via the dire c ti nte r ve ntion of, and funding by, ex ternal org a n i sations.

The PTA’s objective of promoting social inclusion can bedelivered through a policy of encouraging operators to offerlow fares, but this will be unlikely given general trends ofdeclining use and increasing costs. Under current legislation,the PTA cannot influence the level of fares charged oncommercially operated services.

Key issue - Improving Ticketing Systems

Tyne and Wear has had a multi-modal ticketing system in placesince the opening of the Metro system in the 1980s.Passengers can buy from a range of single-operator seasontickets, or, for a premium, season tickets for multiple modesand operators covering a defined area or the whole network.

Single journey tickets can be bought on bus or on Metro forjourneys that involve transfer between bus and Metro. Thesetickets are called Transfares. It is not currently possible totransfer between buses operated by different companies usinga Transfare ticket, but some bus to bus transfer is offered byone operator. Tickets are available that are valid for a wholeday either with a single operator or, for a premium, for multi-operator, multi-modal journeys. Despite the availability of alarge range of season tickets, take-up of pre-paid tickets is notas high as some other areas, and a significant proportion ofbus passengers pay cash on boarding. This delays the buswhen significant numbers of passengers wish to board.

Some passengers are not we ll served by the ex i sting ticket i n gsy stem, including those who:

· have a direct bus link but need to break their journey,for example to drop off children or to go shopping,unless they have a season ticket;

· those who want to, or need to, change buses on routeunless both buses are operated by the same company;

· make the same single or return journey on a regularbasis but not often enough to justify a season ticket,such as those who work three days a week or on other“family-friendly” patterns;

· want to pay in advance and use it as they wish, and

· use one operator’s service for the outward journey andanother for the return.

In addition, the system does not fully serve the growing needsof major employers looking for flexible ticketing arrangementsas part of a travel plan.

Key issue - Managing the Demand for Travel by Cars

Bus passengers, and potential bus users, in Tyne and Wearneed to benefit from a variety of measures to improve theperformance of bus services. These can be defined in twoways: measures which improve the quality and reliability ofbus operations, and measures which make travel by car a lessattractive proposition. The main purpose of LTP travel demandmanagement measures is to achieve both of the above.Measures described elsewhere in this strategy encourage moretravel by bus, but in isolation will not be sufficient to generatesignificant modal shift. Travel demand management measurescurrently in force or under consideration include:

· Increasing long stay car parking charges and reducingprovision of long-stay parking facilities in town andcity centres;

· Road-space re-allocation in favour of buses;

· Increasing the availability of bus-based park and ridefacilities;

· Evaluating the potential for congestion charging orworkplace parking charging once public transport hasbeen improved; and

· Using technology such as Automatic Vehicle Locationbus fleet tracking systems which enable traffic signalsto give preference to buses at junctions particularlywhen running late.

Demand management measures such as these will besupported by the following planning measures which will havea longer-term beneficial effect upon the bus network:

· Location of development within existing centres withgood public transport;

· Development to be focused upon existing establishedbus corridors and Superoutes; and

· Developer contributions in respect of major sites tofund bus services.

The award of Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) ‘pump priming’funding to investigate the development of a comprehensiveand effective demand management strategy for the area willgreatly assist understanding how improvements to bus servicesand infrastructure can support demand measurements. Astrand of work within the TIF research programme will be toexamine how high quality public transport services (andnecessary supporting public transport infrastructure) can be inplace in advance of proposed demand management measures.

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Key issue - Provision of High Quality Information

Nexus carried out a Best Value Review of Integration on behalfof the PTA in 2002 . To establish the public perception ofintegration 3 focus groups were conducted in Tyne and Wear.From these focus groups, a number of issues arose with regardto information which maybe summarised as the need toincrease the availability of information and publicising theavailability of information.

The provision of information on bus services is currentlydivided between bus operators and Nexus, with severalpartnership initiatives such as Traveline and regional real timeinformation strategy in place. Otherwise, printed informationrelating to commercially operated services is provided byoperators separately from other information published byNexus. Although there would be some advantages in a singlesource of printed bus information, there is little evidence toindicate that informed bus users experience difficulty in findingout about services and routes, as they are users of the system.The challenge for Nexus and to bus operators is to provideinformation for people who do not use buses because they areunaware of routes and times. In this respect, personalisedtravel planning at a workplace, community, or household levelplays an important role, and an increased level of resourcededicated to this service would allow communication withmore non-users.

Research shows that commercial bus operators in Tyne andWear provide information about their services that meets therequirements of the Transport Act 2000. The Bus InformationStrategy therefore addresses the elements and aspects ofinformation that cannot be offered by individual operators, butwhich are achievable by co-ordinated effort throughpartnership working.

The Bus Information Strategy describes how Nexus will workwith operators to ensure that information deemed necessaryfor people to use bus services is made available, and that suchinformation is made available in suitable formats.

It is essential that passengers and potential passengers havethe necessary information to plan, initiate and complete ajourney by public transport. Information provided for publictransport users has to be:

· Accurate;

· Readily available and accessible to all members of thecommunity; and

· Able to be understood by regular, occasional andpotential users of public transport.

Information is currently provided to passengers as follows:

· Printed timetables for each route, provided byoperators for commercial services, and by Nexus forwholly secured services,

· Timetables at bus stations and bus stops showing allservices calling there, provided and updated by Nexus,

· Timetables provided online for all bus services in Tyneand Wear by Nexus. The larger bus operators via theirown websites also provide this service,

· Area public transport maps produced annually byNexus,

· Traveline telephone information in operation 364 daysa year between 0700 and 2100,

· Staffed information points provided at major busstations and interchanges,

· Automatic self-service information points installed atinterchanges, some hospitals and Jobcentre Plusoffices,

· Signage at bus stations and interchanges includingclear internal directions, together with maps andsignposts to local destinations,

· Fares information available from TravelCentres and thetelephone portal of Traveline,

· Bus stop flags clearly show where buses stop andnormally show the service numbers of buses callingthere; and

· Guides are produced for specific destinations such ashospitals.

All information meets standards for legibility and accessibility.Information is normally produced in English, with alternativelanguages available on request. All printed timetablesconform to DPTAC guidance. Printed timetables are madeavailable upon request in Braille, large print and audiotape.Telephone-based information services are accessible usingmini-com text phones. Web pages can be assessed using theBOBBY on-line format checker widely adopted in other sectors.

Responsibility for providing public transport info r m ation iss h a red bet ween operators and Nexus. Operators prov i d ei nfo r m ation about their own services in the form of timet a b l el eafl ets and maps. Nexus takes responsibility for prov i d i n gi nfo r m ation where it benefits the passenger to see info r m at i o nf rom diffe re nt operators pres e nted to g et h e r. The only exce pt i o nto this is the Traveline service. Operators co nt r i b u te to the co stof this in proportion to the size of the net work they operate.

Key issue - Improving Interchange

As it is usual to wait at least a short time for a bus to arrive, itis important that the experience of waiting does not dissuadepeople from using public transport.

Physical comfort can be improved by providing a shelter, seats,lighting, and toilets. The waiting experience can be made lessworrying by designing out the opportunity for crime throughmeasures such as the presence of staff, the provision of CCTVand associated security measures, and through reassurancethat the service will arrive by providing real-time businformation.

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There are major bus stations in Tyne & Wear at these locations:

· Eldon Square/Haymarket, Newcastle

· MetroCentre Transport Interchange

· Gateshead Interchange

· Regent Centre Interchange

· Four Lane Ends Interchange

· Park Lane, Sunderland Interchange

· Heworth Interchange

Other significant facilities are located at:

· South Shields Town Centre

· Washington Galleries

· Houghton-le-Spring

· Winlaton Bus Station

· Killingworth Shopping Centre

· Wallsend Interchange

· Jarrow Bus Station

· North Shields Town Centre

· Ryton Hub

· Blaydon Bus Station

· Hetton-le-Hole Hub

T h e re are also many inte rchange points which, although notfo r m a lly des i g n ated, cater for a large of number of individualp a ssenger move m e nts. These occur throughout Tyne and Wea r.

Ma ny bus st ations are part of formal or informal inte rc h a n g es withM et ro. All Met ro inte rc h a n g es are owned and operated by Nexu sand most bus st ations are operated by Nexus. In addition, therea re privately owned transport inte rc h a n g es at two major shoppingce nt res. The bus st ation at the Met ro Ce nt re is privately owned butmanaged by Nexu s, whilst that at Wa s h i n g ton Gall e r i es is private l yowned and managed.

T h e re is a ro lling pro g ramme to improve inte rc h a n g es. Gates h ea dand Four Lane Ends inte rc h a n g es have re ce ntly been re co n st r u c te dand in the re ce nt past Sunderland Park Lane and Jarrow BusSt ation have been re b u i l t. The re co n st r u c ted transport inte rc h a n g eat the Met ro Ce nt re prov i d es waiting fa c i l i t i es within a singleenclosed building, rather than at separate stands as prev i o u s l y.

T h e re are over 6000 bus stops in Tyne & Wea r. Cu r re ntly aro u n d50% of these have shelters for waiting passengers. Somet i m es as h e l ter is not provided because it is not phy s i c a lly possible to dos o, but at many locations it is possible to improve the wa i t i n ge nv i ro n m e nt. Pa ssenger shelters are genera lly owned by thed i strict authority and maintained by Nexu s, exce pt for theN ewc a stle area where the shelters are provided and maint a i n e dby Adshel, in return for advertising right s .

The act of inte rchange occurs where people change from onebus service to anot h e r, or bet ween diffe re nt modes of tra n s p o r t,such as from bus to Met ro, or bus or Met ro to rail. Around onesixth of all public transport journeys in Tyne and Wear invo l vethe act of inte rc h a n g e. In general, passengers dislike having tochange bet ween modes, because of perce i ved or actual timep e n a l t i es, the unce r t a i nty invo l ved in relying on the second legof the journey being reliable and punctual, aspects of personalsafety and security or a dislike of the waiting env i ro n m e nt.H owever given the chall e n g es fa ced in providing a sust a i n a b l ebus net work in the future, inte rchange is likely to beco m ei n c reasingly important as service fre q u e n c i es, greater va r i ety invehicle types and an increase in demand res p o n s i ve operat i o n sre q u i re an increasing proportion of journeys to feat u rei nte rchange bet ween services and modes. There is of course ah i story of inte rchange in Tyne and Wea r, as buses and Met rowe re designed and operated in the 1980’s as an inte g rate dn et wo r k.

Where integrated ticketing is not available, passengers have topay more for journeys that involve interchange. Being requiredto interchange can mean:

· having to pay more;

· having to wait at least twice;

· h aving to wa lk some dist a n ce bet ween the services, and

· missing a connection because services do not run totime, or choosing not to make journeys due to theperceived uncertainty of being able to complete them.

To maintain and increase the current wide range of travelopportunities, the inconvenience of interchange must beminimised as far as possible and the benefits of interchangemust be optimised for customers. Given the list of factorsabove, this will require investment and commitment toachieve with any degree of success. Several factors areimportant to make the act of interchange easier and moreacceptable to passengers. These include:

· better information;

· advertised and guaranteed connections;

· service reliability and frequency;

· through-ticketing and interchange facilities:

· quality waiting facilities:

· better signage.

Signage and information are vital because passengers will notmake trips involving interchange if they do not know how orwhere to change between one mode or service and another. If there is a lack of understandable information, thenpassengers will perceive the network as being unconnected.A number of initiatives have been undertaken to improveintegration between Metro and bus recently. These include:

· Designing new or refurbished interchanges to makeseamless interchange within one coherent structure;

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· A p p o i nt m e nt of Inte rchange Managers at major locat i o n s ;

· revised information boards at Metro stations givingdirections to the nearest bus stop, and listing the busservices available from those stops;

· Improved signage between Metro stations and nearbybus stops, and

· Highlighting the opportunity for interchange ontimetable leaflets and maps.

Places where interchange takes place should offer highstandards of safety and comfort, with good facilities and shortwalking distances between the various stopping points. Nexusclassifies interchanges according to the level of use, rather thanby the formality of interchange and the number of servicesusing it. Standards will be developed for each class ofinterchange. Standards already exist for the type ofinformation that is provided at each interchange, and these aredetailed in the bus information strategy.

An aim of the bus strategy is to foster an integrated publictransport system which delivers a seamless journey to thepassenger. In terms of information, more will be madeavailable to promote interchange between bus and Metro.Another aim is to improve the waiting environment for buspassengers. A rolling programme of additional passengershelters at locations that do not presently have a shelter - andreplacing old shelters - has been in place since 1996.Additional funding currently available for bus shelters onSuperoutes will aim to increase the number of shelters on thatnetwork to 90% of all stops by 2007 (where this is physicallypossible) and will also accelerate the provision of shelters onnon-Superoutes.

Key issue - Land Use Planning

Buses by virtue of their flexibility are well placed to servesignificant new development, either in perpetuity or as abridgehead for other modes such as light rail. Their ability todo so depends upon being able to physically gain access todevelopments from the outset and in an operationally efficientmanner, and for such development wherever possible to belocated adjacent to existing economically sustainable buscorridors. The rationale behind Superoutes is that the servicesare there for the long term and this should enable them to beconsidered in the district councils’ forward planning anddevelopment control procedures. Additionally, developercontributions should be firmly secured through Town andCountry Planning Act or Highways Act legislation to underpinthe costs of bus service operations to new developments untilthey become commercially viable as patronage grows.

The accessibility of new developments by bus is currentlyachieved by liaison between Nexus and the Tyne and Weardistrict councils. This process is voluntary and although somelocations are successfully dealt with, the process has certainweaknesses that need to be remedied, as follows:

· the need to pump prime services to new developmentswhen development is phased and initially patronagemay be low, and the need for a revenue stream to

fund pump priming;

· planning authorities must consistently consult withNexus as to the accessibility of proposed significantdevelopments (and redevelopments) by publictransport and be always looking for measuresnecessary to improve access by bus;

· expectations for the services that bus operators and/orNexus are able to supply at an acceptable cost in termsof services must be realistic;

· d eve l o p m e nt sites must be designed to be access i b l eby full -s i zed buses, with the minimum additionalrunning time poss i b l e, with short and att ra c t i vewa lking ro u tes , and

· adequate developer contributions towards bus servicesmust be secured via the planning process tounderwrite operations for at least three years.

Key issue - Fewer Bus Operators

At the time of dere g u l ation, more than 20 operators ra nco m m e rcial and secu red bus services in Tyne and Wea r, althoughthe quality and quantity of services varied co n s i d e rably byo p e rato r. And whilst vigorous on st re et co m p etition increased theq u a ntity of service available it had significant env i ro n m e nt a ld i s b e n efits both in City Ce nt res and in res i d e ntial areas. Sincethen, both their numbers and their market share have decrea s e d ,p a r t i cularly in respect of co m m e rcial services. The three maj o ro p e rators now provide around 98% of the area’s services .Although this has mea nt a we l come end to damaging andu n p ro d u c t i ve on-st re et co m p etition, fewer local operators canresult in re d u ced co m p etition for co nt ra c t s, with pote nt i a lly higherco sts for Nexus as the tendering authority. It also lessens thel i kelihood of beneficial ‘niche’ operations by smaller co m p a n i es.

Key issue - Schools Transport

The increasing costs of providing specialised scholars servicesand the advent of parental choice altering previously discreteschool catchment areas is making the provision of cost-effective pupil transport provision more difficult. Vandalismand disruptive behaviour continue to cause problems that arebeing vigorously addressed through partnership initiatives suchas Transport Alert and school agreements.

Key issue - Cross-Boundary Services

Ma ny bus services operate into Tyne and Wear from the adj a ce ntco u nt i es of Durham and Northumberland. The co n u r b at i o n ’ st ravel to work areas are not coterminous with the PT E / Ab o u n d a r y, and therefo re a large net work of int ra - regional serviceso p e rate mainly to and from the city ce nt res of Newc a stle andSunderland to adj a ce nt areas and ce nt res in Northumberland andDurham. These services also fulfil a valuable role in maint a i n i n gl i n ks bet ween these urban areas and the inte r vening rural area s .Within the life of the second Local Transport Plan, it is unlike l yregional rail services will be enhanced or new rail schemesi nt ro d u ced so the bus will co ntinue to play an important role inp roviding links to the co n u r b at i o n .

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7. Options forDeveloping theBus Network Under current legislation there are three options for improvingand developing the bus network in Tyne and Wear:

· Voluntary Quality Bus Partnerships

· Statutory Quality Bus Partnerships

· Quality Bus Contracts

Voluntary Bus Partnerships

Superoutes, the network of quality bus services in Tyne andWear, is an example of current voluntary partnershiparrangements. The management and partnership workingwithin Superoutes has been reviewed (see Superoutesexplanation within Section 5 and further explanation below) asprevious arrangements were not delivering the key objectivesof Superoute development. The implementation of Superouteshas provided a focus for investment in quality vehicles by thelocal operators, seen improvements in waiting environmentsand bus information by Nexus, and the delivery of bus prioritymeasures by Local Authorities.

This voluntary strategy has delivered some improvements oncore bus routes, and an increase in ridership on some routes,but a number of the underlying trends of a decline in bus useand provision have not been reversed with this voluntaryagreement. The voluntary arrangement within Superoutes hasnot consistently delivered significant bus priority. Most of thepriority that has been introduced to date has been deliveredwhere it is “easy to do” and does not seriously disadvantagetravel by car. Superoute as a brand that promotes a higherquality service is not well recognised15.

The Supero u te partners re cognise that the cu r re nt approach tod eveloping Supero u tes can be improved in order to acce l e ratep ro g ress in reversing pat ronage decline on parts of the net wo r k.A number of changes are being put in to place in order toi m p rove the ability of Supero u tes to deliver LTP obj e c t i ves .

· Firstly, the Superoute board is being reconstituted withpolitical and senior officer representation to give theinitiative more impetus.

· Secondly, much work has been undertaken by Nexusand the District Councils in Tyne and Wear examiningon highway operational problems with bus servicesthat lead to bus delays, poor punctuality andunreliability.

All key corridors in Tyne and Wear (LTP key corridorsand Superoute corridors) have been examined toidentify possible bus improvement schemes orinterventions to improve bus travel. LTP integratedblock funding will be committed to effective buspriority and passenger infrastructure improvements todeliver improved and consistent journey times for allSuperoute services. However, some significantSuperoute improvement schemes will not bedeliverable from block funding and it is proposed thatthese will be packaged together and progressed as abus improvement major scheme bid.

· The third initiative to improve Superoutes is thedevelopment and implementation of a bus PunctualityImprovement Plan for Tyne and Wear. For the LTPmandatory indicator on bus punctuality, baseline datahas been collected on bus runtimes on 16 key corridorsand these will form the monitoring framework formeasuring bus punctuality in Tyne and Wear.

The new Supero u tes Board will deve l o p, prioritise, andm o n i tor implement ation of a bus improve m e nt pro g ra m m efor LTP2. This will be based upon co n s o l i d ating prev i o u scorridor appra i sal work carried out as part of the Orpheusp roject and fo cu ssing this on deve l o p i n g, jointly with thelocal bus operato r s, the Supero u te net work as aco m p re h e n s i ve co re bus net wo r k. There are a number ofkey bus ro u tes in Tyne and Wear that do not cu r re ntly meetthe full Supero u te criteria, but working in partnership it willbe possible to subst a nt i a lly increase the cu r re nt net wo r k( p ote nt i a lly to 60 ro u tes). Expansion of the net work will bed e p e n d e nt upon co m m e rcial invest m e nt by the buso p e rato r s, revenue support from the partners, capital fundingvia the LTP inte g rated transport block and successful maj o rscheme bids to deliver improve m e nts that cannot be fundedf rom block funding. The Supero u te Board will also ove r s e eS u p e ro u te audits on key corridors to ensure kerb height ssupport low floor operation, and that passenger wa i t i n gfa c i l i t i es and on st re et info r m ation meet Supero u te crite r i a .D e l i very of the bus Punctuality Improve m e nt Plan andi m p roving the brand re cognition of Supero u tes will also bewithin the work pro g ramme of the new Supero u tes Board .

Statutory Quality Bus Partnerships

An alternative form of partnership working is via a statutoryquality bus partnership, as defined in Section 114 of theTransport Act 2000. Although this requires by legal agreementlocal authorities to provide certain facilities (such as bus stopsand bus priority lanes) and the bus operators to provideservices of a particular standard as a condition to use thosefacilities, it does not commit operators to specific timings,frequencies or fare levels.

15 The 2004 User & Non-User survey identified from a sample of 1000 people only 14% of people recognised a Superoute poster and only 4% of non bus

users had seen it before. The same survey in 2005 revealed awareness had increased to 23% (31% users and 15% non-users)

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A Statutory Bus Quality Partnership is a useful tool in raisingbus quality where the overall commercial network coverage issatisfactory but the overall quality of bus service offered to thepassenger is low, or investment in improving bus quality isundermined by low quality competition. However, StatutoryQuality Bus Partnerships require a legal agreement, and mustbe in operation for a minimum of five years, and experience todate suggests this to be a tortuous and time (and cost)consuming process. So far, no local authority in England hasentered into a statutory quality partnership.

Work is progressing with the local bus operators to examinethe potential for developing a third Way approach topartnership working so as to deliver the objectives of the busstrategy. This method seeks to have a more open and jointapproach to planning and developing the bus network in Tyneand Wear. This will include looking more closely at a jointapproach between the LTP partners and the bus operators tobus network planning and development, and linking networkdevelopment to effective bus priority measures. The potentialfor a more integrated approach to modal operations to benefitthe passenger and offer more choice, better integratedticketing schemes, improved passenger information and datasharing will be considered. In progressing the third Way it isrecognised that certain elements may require changes inlegislation or guidance relating to (for example) competition.

Quality Bus Contracts (QBCs)

The Transport Act 2000 gave powers to local authorities tomake a quality bus contract, if they are satisfied that it is theonly practicable way of implementing the policies set out intheir bus strategy, and that it is an efficient, effective andeconomic way forward. Quality bus contracts differ from eithervoluntary or statutory partnerships in that the transportauthority decides the nature and extent of bus services in itsarea of jurisdiction, and services can only be provided inaccordance with the contract. Frequencies, fares and servicestandards are all specified in the contract. The 2004 TransportWhite Paper confirms that transport authorities are encouragedto examine the potential for the introduction of qualitycontracts where they believe them to be an appropriateinstrument to achieve improved bus services.

To contemplate the introduction of one or more qualitycontracts there needs to be an assessment of the nature ofwhat problems exist (relevant to local policy objectives as setout in their bus strategy) which cannot be addressed throughvoluntary or statutory partnership arrangements. Thisassessment will relate to issues of social exclusion, modal shift,declining patronage, or service quality.

Introduction of Quality Contracts could address some of the keyissues highlighted within this document, including:

· Designing a comprehensive, integrated and efficientnetwork to met local travel needs and local strategyobjectives, ensuring good and affordable accessibilityto key travel objectives but also recognising that thecurrent “one product” approach may not be the bestsolution;

· Delivering a network that increases the usage of busrather than protecting market share in a competitiveenvironment;

· Ensuring network stability with reliable bus operationsupported by coherent investment in bus priorityhelping to encourage modal shift from use of theprivate car;

· Network stability will give medium-term assuranceupon which to base associated policies such as health,education and neighbourhood provision. They wouldalso ensure that the area’s bus services were lessdependent on the preferences of individual operatorsin respect of vehicle specification, routes andfrequencies and thereby give a consistency of travelexperience;

· Improving integration between modes.

Within Tyne and Wear we have a major opportunity withinQuality Co nt racts to deliver an inte g rated net work that makesb est use of both Met ro and bus service operations to deliver ane co n o m i c, eff i c i e nt and effe c t i ve high quality public tra n s p o r ts e r v i ce that meets the needs of local people in a sust a i n a b l eway.

Quality Co nt racts will give a tra n s p a rency on the perfo r m a n ce ofbus services that is cu r re ntly not available (for co m m e rc i a lco nf i d e ntiality reasons) and will all ow the benefits of particu l a rs c h e m es or initiat i ves to be identified and for actions to be take nw h e re a ro u te is not performing we ll in comparison to others.

However there are risks and cost implications in seekingquality contracts as the solution to improve bus travel.Substantial time, effort and costs would be incurred inimplementing a quality bus contract. Additional staff resourcesare likely to be needed to plan and monitor the servicesprocured. Should a quality bus contract increase the level ofservice or changes fare levels this could result in an increase inthe level of subsidy, at least initially until the anticipatedbenefits start to produce the expected results in terms ofincreased ridership. Any significant increase in integrationbetween bus and Metro services within a QBC will require areview of Metro services. Implementation of a QBC will havean impact on services to and from the QBC area to areasoutside the QBC. There are other transitional risks inimplementing a QBC and significant operational implicationsfor the procurer and the provider of bus services within a QBC.

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In considering the options for delivery of bus services in Tyne &Wear, so as retain and develop the bus network, the potentialfor Quality Bus Contracts may be considered in the followingsituations where this is proven to be the most appropriatedelivery mechanism:

• Where, as part of a demand management strategy,measures to reduce congestion, whilst maintaininggood accessibility, require a guarantee of affordable,frequent, and permanent bus services;

• Where to support economic regeneration a network ofservices is required to be provided above a level thatcould be provided commercially by the private sector(pump-priming economic regeneration);

• Where there has been a decline in service provision ina particular area or areas which resulted in greaterproportions of the network being subsidised;

• Where the quality of service, in terms of reliability orpunctuality, has been measurably poor for a period oftime, and where it is deemed that quality bus contractwould deliver improvements;

• Where service reductions have happened in parallelwith a reduction of patronage within a given area, andwhere service instability has meant a significantnumber of changes to services within a given areawithin a given period;

• Where it is clearly established that competition,including between modes, results in resources notbeing used efficiently and economically and customerswould get a better overall service from an integratedapproach to service delivery;

• Where integration with other modes is part of a widerpolicy initiative, and the contribution made by busneeds to be stabilised and secured;

• Where significant investment is planned by the publicsector and the private sector cannot match fundequitably;

• Where quality improvements are hampered by existinglegislative structures of working with a range ofoperators;

• Where modelling identifies poor accessibility to keyservices within a particular area and where solutionsto overcome accessibility deficiencies cannot be met bycommercial provision.

8. A Summary ofM ea s u res toE n s u re Delive r yof the Obj e c t i ves Delivery of the objectives listed in Section 4, and providing aneffective response to the issues and solutions discussed inSection 6, requires a series of actions from a number ofdifferent parties. These actions may be summarised under thefollowing themes:

• Achieving Competitive Advantage for Buses;

• Retention and Development of the Bus Network;

• Improving Information;

• Improved Quality and Simplicity of Products;

• Infrastructure and Integration Enhancements;

• Enhanced Safety and Security Measures;

• Examination of Options for Delivering Efficient,Effective and Economic Bus Services (see Chapter 7 ofthe Bus Strategy).

Achieving Competitive Advantage for Buses

Local market res ea rch and co n s u l t ation with st a ke h o l d e r si d e nt i f i es the top priority amongst both users and non users isfor buses to be punctual and re l i a b l e. Without this buses willn ot be co m p et i t i ve in the travel market. The LTP partnersre cognise that a key element of achieving the LTP obj e c t i ves isto give buses, and hence all the bus pass e n g e r s, at lea st parityin terms of journey time with the private car for trips in sco p efor bus travel. Where possible there should be adva ntage fo rthe bus. In addition, it is clear that in order to enco u rage a shiftto public transport there must be a clear ince nt i ve for bus useco m p a red with the car, not only in terms of journey time butalso in terms of the co st of the journey and the ea s e,a ccessibility and co nve n i e n ce of the journey. Fa res and ticket i n ga re clearly important and are discu ssed earlier in the st rate g y.The ease and co st of parking and the ove ra ll co st of the carj o u r n ey are also key co m p o n e nts and the LTP Travel DemandMa n a g e m e nt St rategy sets out how these will be take nfo r wa rd .

The new Superoutes Board will develop, prioritise, and monitorimplementation of a bus improvement programme for LTP2.This will be based upon consolidating previous corridorappraisal work carried out as part of the Orpheus project andfocussing this on developing, jointly with the local busoperators, the Superoute network as a comprehensive core busnetwork. There are a number of key bus routes in Tyne andWear that do not currently meet the full Superoute criteria,

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but working in partnership it will be possible to substantiallyincrease the current network (potentially to 60 or moreroutes). Expansion of the network will be dependant uponcommercial investment by the bus operators, revenue supportfrom the partners, capital funding via the LTP integratedtransport block and successful major scheme bids to deliverimprovements that cannot be funded from block funding. LTPintegrated block funding will be committed to effective buspriority and passenger infrastructure improvements to deliverimproved and consistent journey times for buses. However,some significant bus priority schemes will not be deliverablefrom block funding and it is proposed that these will bepackaged together and progressed as a bus improvementmajor scheme bid. The Superoute Board will also overseeSuperoute audits on key corridors to ensure kerb heightssupport low floor operation, and that passenger waitingfacilities and on street information meet Superoute criteria.Delivery of the bus Punctuality Improvement Plan andimproving the brand recognition will also be objectives.

Proposed Improvements

· Through a partnership approach led by SuperoutesBoard the implementation of a PunctualityImprovement Plan for Tyne and Wear so as to measurethe performance of bus services and deliver solutionswhere there are punctuality and reliability problems.

· A c t i ve pro m otion by Nexus of public transport whereroad space is shared with other ve h i c l es to ensure thatb u s es and bus passengers are given suff i c i e nt priorityand good access is maintained to town and city ce nt res.

· Reduced journey times along key corridors throughsegregation and priority measures delivered by theLocal Authorities, including selective vehicle detectionat key junctions. This will be progressed within a newapproach to Superoute development, allied to acomplete audit of all Superoute corridors.

· Implementation of the travel demand managementstrategy by the LTP Partners as set out in LTP.

· Through Superoutes Board and Regional Bus Forumdevelop and implement a consistent approach acrossthe district councils to bus and no-car lanes to avoidconfusion and encourage police enforcement. Toencourage better enforcement of bus priorities throughcloser working with the police, de-criminalisation andthrough the powers of the new Traffic ManagementAct. Promote more sustainable travel options throughwork place travel planning and personalised journeyplanning.

· Ensure a proactive approach to land use planning byLocal Authorities, developers and other agencies tosupport bus operations.

· Development of Transport Innovation Funding researchexamining and recommending options for necessaryimprovements to public transport services andinfrastructure, so as to ensure high quality publictransport alternatives are in place in Tyne and Wearcity region in advance of proposed demandmanagement measures.

Retention and Development of the Bus Network

The ex i sting bus net work is a valuable res o u rce built up ove rm a ny years. The cu r re nt economics of bus operation suggestt h at a long-term decline in the number of passengers will res u l tin a smaller net work of ro u tes over time. The trend in servicew i t h d rawals is not sust a i n a b l e. It is very likely that a pointcould be reached where operators withdraw significantly orco m p l etely from an area .

The most eco n o m i c a lly effe c t i ve way to address socialexclusion, modal shift and service quality, and to stem thedecline in bus pat ronage is to maintain and develop theex i sting net wo r k.

P roposed Improve m e nt s

· The PTA, having consulted with the Tyne and Weardistrict councils, will carry out a comprehensive reviewof the service delivery options available to maintainand develop the Tyne and Wear network by eithervoluntary or statutory quality bus partnerships orthrough quality bus contracts. Options will bediscussed and progressed (subject to agreement) withthe local bus operators on examining a 3rd partnershipoption which seeks a mutual approach to planning anddelivering bus services;

· To extend the Superoutes concept by Superoutes Boardprogressively increasing the network in a phasedmanner to an eventual 50 plus services with thepotential to eventually achieve 60 or more services ;

· Nexus in partnership with other providers and fundingbodies will develop further demand responsive andother non-conventional service alternatives asappropriate to local opportunities;

· Nexus in partnership with other providers and fundingbodies developing a ’social bus’ resource bypromoting closer integration between secured services,DRT, Care Services, taxi, taxibuses, social services andcommunity transport operations;

· In partnership continue market research programme soas to assist in the development of strategies to supportbus travel and to justify investment in effective andfocussed improvements in bus travel in Tyne & Wear.

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I m p roving Info r m at i o n

N exus carried out a Best Value rev i ew of info r m ation on behalfof the Tyne and Wear PTA in 2002. The results of this rev i ewi nformed the 2004/5 bus info r m ation st rategy and the rev i s i o nof that st rategy covering the period 2005/6 to 2007/8. Therev i ew concluded that, with only a few exce pt i o n s, the ex i st i n ga r ra n g e m e nts for info r m ation production sat i sfied the needs ofex i sting passengers. The rev i ew re cognised the benefits ofp roviding info r m ation in a co n s i ste nt and unbiased way. Anumber of improve m e nts are therefo re proposed which will bed e l i ve red through ex i sting and new partnership arra n g e m e nt sb et ween Nexus and the bus operators.

T h e re is an additional need to pro m ote bus travel as a viablea l te r n at i ve to the car. A generation is growing up that hasra rely used buses and is not awa re of what is ava i l a b l e.P ro m otion of the bus net work will help to ove rcome this lack ofawa re n ess, and point pote ntial users to info r m ation which willenable them to make their journey.

P roposed Improve m e nt s

· To work with the bus operators to increase theavailability of public transport information through anumber of portals, including more outlets for printedinformation, digital television services, SMS messagingservices and the Internet.

· Through the North East Transport Information Strategyincreasing passenger confidence in making journeys byproviding information about services in real-time.

· Nexus increasing the amount of accurate timetableinformation at stops, stations and interchanges.

· All partners using information technology to increasethe range of languages and formats through which itcan make public transport information available.

· All partners promoting use of the integrated publictransport telephone enquiry service Traveline.

· Enabling public transport staff to provide informationdirectly to customers through personalised journeyplans.

· All partners marketing public transport as analternative to the car.

I m p roved Quality and Simplicity of Products

N exus carried out a Best Value rev i ew of inte g ration on behalf ofthe Tyne and Wear PTA in 2003/4. The aim of the rev i ew was toe n s u re the sustainable ex i ste n ce of a we ll-publicised and co-o rd i n ated net work of quality public transport services in Tyne andWear in acco rd a n ce with the PTA's obj e c t i ves of social inclusionand mode shift. The rev i ew noted the adva n ced st ate of ticket i n gin Tyne and Wea r, where zo n e-based, multi-modal season ticket sa re available at rates not excess i vely higher than single operato rt i c kets and of inte g rated bus/Met ro single fa res. The rev i ew

re commended the creation of an Inte g ration Board, which hasm et and adopted a number of the pro p o sals from the rev i ew.Some improve m e nts will be taken fo r wa rd by the Inte g rat i o nB o a rd, whilst others will be developed separately by Nexus.

P roposed Improve m e nt s

· A ticketing system which allows passengers to:

· pay in advance if they choose to;

· be able to buy one ticket for the whole journey;

· be able to travel for a set period of time, and

· have the option of breaking their journey en route.

· Through ticketing facilities regardless of the number ofoperators or modes involved.

· Ensure continuation of the inter-operator ticketingscheme administered by Network Ticketing Limitedand examine the possibility of extending this toadjoining areas.

· Further investigation of the potential of smartcardticketing technology. The PTA will continue to examinethe benefits of smartcards through Nexus’participation in the North East Regional SmartcardConsortium.

· Evaluation in partnership with bus operators, ofticketing systems and methods that reduce boardingtimes.

· Improved targeting of resources to ensure effective useof travel concessions for the benefit of the elderly, theyoung and people with disabilities.

· Continued lobbying for powers to provideconcessionary travel for those other groups with lowdisposable incomes.

I nf ra st r u c t u re and Inte g ration Enhance m e nt s

A number of improve m e nts to inf ra st r u c t u re and inte g ration arep roposed. These arose from three separate Best Value rev i ew s,namely rev i ews of access i b i l i t y, inte g ration and safety ands e cu r i t y. Where improve m e nts we re suggested in more thanone rev i ew, Nexus has ensured that Service Improve m e nt Plansh ave been appro p r i ately cro ss- refe re n ced and a single personhas been identified as being responsible for delivering ea c hi m p rove m e nt. On highway improve m e nts will be delive red byLocal Authority partners.

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P roposed Improve m e nt s

· Development of a hierarchy of bus stops and stationsin order to prioritise expenditure on improving waitingfacilities. The most heavily used stops and thoseserving the Superoute network will have the highestlevel of facilities, including real-time passengerinformation, ticket machines, taxis and CCTV security.

· Walking routes to bus stops and other aspects of thepedestrian environment will be improved. Bettercrossing facilities will be provided near bus stops.Kerbs will be raised to reduce the vertical distancebetween pavement and the floor of the bus.

· A rolling programme of improvements will be put inplace to ensure all interchanges and bus stationscomply with requirements. A high priority will begiven to providing safe and secure waitingenvironments, particularly during the hours ofdarkness.

· In terms of interchange, the improvements will betargeted at:

· minimising walking distances between stops andminimising steps or gradients;

· ensuring dedicated walking route between stops withclear signing;

· ensuring that walking routes have dropped kerbs withtactile surfacing, well lit without hazards, and aresuitable for the number of people using them;

· ensuring that all interchange bus stops have cleardirectional signs, shelters, and display a list of servicesand destinations, a network map and timetables for allroutes that serve the stop, and

· providing the highest possible levels of safety andsecurity.

· Increasing the number and quality of public transportinterchanges.

· Ongoing management of bus shelter stock withrefurbishment to a four-yearly cycle.

E n h a n ced Safety and Security Mea s u res

The LTP partners and the bus operators are determined toa c h i eve a safer trave lling env i ro n m e nt for passengers. Mu c hgood work has st a r ted, for example CCTV on bus, but there ismuch more that needs to be done. The Crime and Disord e rRe d u c t i o npartnerships offer a good way of linking initiat i vesand drawing in additional res o u rces, and it will be theresponsibility of the Nexus personal security co-o rd i n ator tot a ke this fo r wa rd .

P roposed Improve m e nt s

· Providing, in partnership with operators and localauthorities, a monitored and recorded CCTV system onbuses (with the aim of having 80% of buses fitted by2011) and at interchanges and key bus stops.

· Develop closer working with partners and Crime andDisorder Reduction Partnerships to reduce theincidence of anti-social behaviour on transport.

· Appointment of a Nexus public transport personalsecurity co-ordinator to deliver improved safety andsecurity measures for bus passengers and staff.

· Rigorous data collection on incidents through closeworking with the bus operators and identification ofcrime hotspots and the introduction of remedialmeasures in conjunction with the police.

· Introduction of telephone and text message hotlines toencourage passenger participation in reducing crime.

· Improve safety and security for young people on publictransport.

· Provide training and support for public transport staff.

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9 Monito r i n g :Ta rg ets andI n d i c ators Progress in the delivery of the bus strategy, against establishedobjectives and targets, will be measured by an appropriate andbalanced set of performance indicators as detailed below.These are categorised as either national mandatory LocalTransport Plan indicators (including BVPI) or local PassengerTransport Authority (PTA) indicators. The existing PTA targetsrelate to the achievement expected by 2006/7. At that timethe three year policy document will be reviewed and thetargets will be then revised and extended through to the endof the Local Transport Plan period. Progress towards theselocal targets, which also contribute towards regional andnational aspirations, will be reported annually either withinLocal Transport Plan Annual Progress Reports or within thePassenger Transport Authority Best Value Performance Plan.

The development of performance indicators and targets mustbe viewed against the trend of a steady decline in bus use inTyne and Wear since the late 1980’s. This reduction in bus usecan be attributed to a number of reasons including:

· public transport fares rising more than inflation andmore than motoring costs (with costs of operationincreasing ahead of inflation);

· increasing car ownership and commuting by car;

· changes in concessionary travel arrangements;

· a reduction in the provision of services in reaction to areduction in use;

· population decline in traditional bus areas.

The Local Transport Plan partners believe that implementationof the bus strategy and supporting strategies and schemeswithin the LTP will reverse the trend in declining bus use asshown in the table below:

Yea r Bus Pat ronage (‘000s)Actual and Proj e c t i o n s

2 0 0 4 / 5

2 0 0 5 / 6

2 0 0 6 / 7

2 0 0 7 / 8

2 0 0 8 / 9

2 0 0 9 / 1 0

2 0 1 0 / 1 1

1 3 4, 2 9 6

1 3 0, 0 0 0

1 3 5, 0 1 5

1 3 4, 0 2 6

1 3 3 . 5 3 6

1 3 3, 0 4 9

1 3 2, 5 6 4

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In addition to the targ ets established below the Plan Partners will also report and co m m e nt on a number of local indicators in res p e c tof developing bus services in Tyne & Wea r, but no targ ets will be set for these local indicators. These indicators will be aimed atrevealing more specific outputs and outco m es from local st rate g i es and invest m e nt that may not be revealed in high level indicato r s .

Baseline Figure(and date )

Ta rg et (and date )

1 3 4, 2 9 6, 0 0 0( 2 0 0 4 / 5 )

6 1 . 5 %(2003/4 – based on scaling top o p u l at i o n )

% services starting ont i m e = 8 0 . 6 %

% services on time at timingp o i nt mid ro u te= 71.6%

% services on time at non-timing points mid ro u te= 61.6%

Ave rage excess waiting time fo rhigh frequency services=1 min 1s e c

( 2 0 0 5 )

1 3 2, 5 6 4, 0 0 0( 2 0 1 0 / 1 1 )

To maintain bus sat i sfa c t i o nl evels for 2003/4 to 2009/10(based on 3 year survey cyc l e )

% services starting on time= 8 8 . 0 %

% services on time at timingp o i nt mid ro u te =85.0%

% services on time at non-timing points mid ro u te =75.0%

Ave rage excess waiting time fo rhigh frequency services= m a i ntain 1 min 1 sec

( 2 0 0 5 )

National Bus Indicators and Targets

Bus Pat ronage (BVPI 102)“Number of local bus passenger journeys originating in the authorityu n d e r t a ken each yea r ” .

Sat i sfaction with Bus Services (BVPI 104u)“The % of all res p o n d e nts that are users sat i sfied with the local buss e r v i ce”. (Note in BV104u a “user” is defined as any res p o n d e nt who say st h ey have used a local bus service within the last yea r. )

Bus Punctuality (LTP 5)The Traffic Co m m i ssioners have set targ ets for bus punctuality that va r yby service frequency and survey location. Adh e re n ce to these targ ets willbe re p o r te d .

Baseline 2004/5 Figure Ta rg et

Baseline figures have beend etermined fo ll owing survey sJune to October 2005

5 2 %

10% reduction fo ll ow i n gi m p l e m e nt ation bus prioritym ea s u res

70% (by 2010/11)

Local Bus Indicators and Targets

Bus Journey TimesRe d u ce passenger journey times for those using bus services in “keycorridors” as identified in the LT P.

E a sy Acce ss Ve h i c l e sI n c rease % bus fl e et that is low floor and providing ea sy access fa c i l i t i esfor all board e r s.

Baseline 2004/5 Figure Ta rg et

6 0 %

6 8 . 8 %

90% (2006/7)

72% (2006/7)

Local Bus Indicators and Targets

Pa ssenger Info r m at i o n% Bus Stops with accu rate timet a b l es (total of 6210 bus sto p s )

Pa ssenger Info r m at i o n% Pa ssengers sat i sfied with info r m ation (Note in BV 103u thoseres p o n d e nts who st ate they have seen the info r m at i o n )

Baseline 2004/5 Figure Ta rg et

8 7 %

7 7 %

4 4 %

n / a

87% (2006/7)

85% (2006/7)

75% (2006/7)

95% (2006/7)

Local Accessibility Targets

% people that reside within 200 met re wa lk of a bus stop or Met ro st at i o n

% households within 400 met re wa lk of an ea sy access service with a 30m i n u te peak fre q u e n c y

% households within 400 met re wa lk of an ea sy access service with a 15m i n u te peak fre q u e n c y

% schoolchildren within 40 minute public transport travel time to their school

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10. Bus Co r r i d o rI m p rove m e nt sP ro g ra m m e2006 -2011 Through a partnership approach Nexus, the Tyne and WearLocal Authorities, the adjacent County Councils ofNorthumberland and Durham, the three major local busoperators, and other key stakeholders examined all the majorbus corridors within Tyne and Wear (and beyond whereappropriate) to identify the options to improve bus travelwithin each corridor, particularly to remove bus delayproblems.

Each corridor was appraised using a sifting process whichexamined existing problems, the extent of bus user benefitfrom solutions, and the costs of any solutions. An initial reviewidentified that some corridors did not require any interventionsas no significant delays to buses were identified and/orbecause bus usage on the corridor was very low with littlepotential for growth. As the sifting process continued itbecame clear that some corridors would require only smallscale interventions to improve or provide reliable bus journeytimes, either because much had already been done by thedistrict council or because there were few impediments to busmovement. In these corridors, where problems can beovercome more easily, it is proposed that the most costeffective solution will be for district council-led minorimprovements using Local Transport Plan Integrated Transportblock funding. At the same time, some locations haveemerged as having a high level of potential for improvementwith a high cost attached to delivering a solution and thesewill potentially form a major scheme bid.

Bus based Park and Ride is under-developed within Tyne andWear. Current Park and Ride facilities are located mainlyaround the Metro system. Bus based Park and Ride hassignificant potential to encourage modal shift. In developingsignificant bus priority on major corridors the opportunity todevelop bus based Park and Ride will be investigated andprogressed where required, where potential sites are available,and it is determined these will be successful and reducecongestion on major corridors. Bus based Park and Ride shouldnot however be considered in isolation, but within the contextof any demand management and parking policies in the area.

In taking forward improvements to improve bus travel thepriority will be to overcome delays to buses, but schemes willalso improve bus shelter provision on the corridor, improvepedestrian access to stops (and crossing facilitates) and raisekerbs at all bus stops on the corridor to support operation oflow floor easy access services.

11. Conclusions A review of current trends and issues for bus operations inTyne and Wear carried out within this document hasdemonstrated clearly that there needs to be a comprehensiveapproach to achieving a step-change in the delivery of busservices to meet the aims of the Local Transport Plan, thePassenger Transport Authority and the Government. In therecent past there have been a number of local successes, butthese are being outweighed by fundamental continuingproblems. This is leading to declining patronage and ashrinking network at a time of rising local transport demand,and in the opposite direction to national targets.

The strategy includes a significant list of improvements fordelivery over the LTP period, using LTP capital, revenueresources from the PTA, and resources to be drawn in from theprivate sector and other partners. However, a critical elementof the strategy is the development of the bus network. Thiswill require a detailed appraisal of the options discussed in thestrategy. This will be carried out at an early stage, and willinvolve assessments of a wide range of issues and consultationwith all relevant partners.

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The Role of Co a c h es in Tyne and Wear

Co a c h es play an important role in the move m e nt of people to andf rom Tyne and Wea r. The main markets for coach travel arescheduled services co-o rd i n ated by National Ex p ress, charte r sh i red by business es or individuals, and coach-based tourism. In allc a s es, coach travel is an eff i c i e nt and economical mode oft ra n s p o r t. It plays a valuable role in reducing social exclusion byp roviding affo rdable personal access i b i l i t y.

This st rategy highlights the role which coach travel plays inreducing car use and co n g estion on the road net wo r k, and inp roviding public transport accessibility bet ween regions of the UK.

Coach travel st i m u l ates economic re g e n e ration by increasing thenumber of to u r i sts visiting the region. It is one of the safest andm o st energ y-eff i c i e nt modes of tra n s p o r t.

D ata on coach travel is scarce and inco m p l ete. No det a i l e dst at i stics on use are ava i l a b l e, and the co m p l etely dere g u l ate dn at u re of the market causes operators to be re l u c t a nt to divulgef u ll details. The UK market lea d e r, National Ex p ress, carries over 16m i llion people annuall y.

A b ove-ave rage users of co a c h es include the elderly, st u d e nts andpeople on low inco m es. Low fa res and city ce nt re pick-up point satt ract a diffe re nt segment of the market to domestic rail or airt ravel.

Cu r re nt situat i o n

The only purpose-built coach st ation in the Tyne and Wear area isthe National Ex p ress facility at St. James’ Bouleva rd, Newc a st l e.This modern facility opened in Spring 2003 and re p l a ced the long-established facility located in Gall owg ate. Elsew h e re, co a c hs e r v i ces use the transport inte rc h a n g es at Sunderland andG ates h ead, and local bus stops in Whitley Bay, North Shields,South Shields, Wa s h i n g ton and Houghton. Nexus makes ad e p a r t u re charge for use of the Sunderland fa c i l i t y.

The National Ex p ress net work serves over 1,200 locations acro ssBritain. From Newc a stle direct services are available to Lo n d o n ,the South West, the Midl a n d s, Yo r ks h i re and Lancashire, NorthWa l es and Scotland. From Sunderland there are services to andf rom Yo r ks h i re, Lancashire, London and the Midlands. Wa lk-o nfa res are normally cheaper than ra i l way equiva l e nt s .

Megabus is a re ce nt addition to long dist a n ce bus/coach services .O p e rated by St a g e coach plc, services are available from Ty n es i d eto and from Mea d ow h a ll and London (changing at TibshelfS e r v i ces). Three services per day operate with fa res booked ina d va n ce from £1.50. To re d u ce co st s, services use city ce nt re bussto p s, and no formal waiting fa c i l i t i es are ava i l a b l e.

The Met ro Ce nt re at Gates h ead has one of the larg est co a c hp a r ks in the UK with a 400-vehicle capacity. Fa c i l i t i es fo rd r i vers are available in a purpose-built block. The facility isfor the use of charter trips to the ce nt re only, and is notused by scheduled services.

A dedicated coach park is available in Ord St re et, Newc a stle fo rf ree long term parking. No driver fa c i l i t i es are ava i l a b l e. The co a c hpark is too small to cater for demand when major eve nts takep l a ce in the city ce nt re, and when this occurs co a c h es ared i s p l a ced to nea r by st re ets or bus stops causing problems fo rother road users.

T h e re is a lack of dedicated dro p-off points for coach charters intown and city ce nt res. Bus stops tend to be used instead, causingp ote ntial co nflict with stage carriage services .

The growing st atus of Tyne and Wear as a short break to u r i s md est i n ation is resulting in a greater number of co a c h es using thel i m i ted fa c i l i t i es ava i l a b l e. Both Wearside and Ty n eside have ashortage of parking area s, dro p-off points and rest fa c i l i t i es fo rd r i vers. Res ea rch undertaken by the Newc a stle To u r i st Info r m at i o nCe nt re indicates that coach operators are more willing tore commend and return to areas which cater we ll for the needs ofco a c h es and drivers. Major att ra c tors such as the SunderlandE m p i re, the Sage Ce nt re and the Met ro Radio Arena generateco n s i d e rable coach traff i c.

What we want to achieve

Consultation with the Confederation of Passenger Transport(CPT) highlights these priorities:

• Clear and consistent signage for parking facilities

• Reasonable access to pick-up and drop-off areas

• Ownership of coach related issues at a local authority level

• Coaches to be allowed access to all bus lanes

Tyne and Wear Coach St rate g y

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The CPT highlights that coach charter operato r s, whilst res p o n s i veto market demands, are also pro-a c t i ve in pro m oting dest i n at i o n sw h e re dece nt fa c i l i t i es ex i st for co a c h es and their passengers. Thee conomic vitality of Tyne and Wear will directly benefit fro mi n c reased vo l u m es of coach traff i c.

The site of the new coach st ation in Newc a stle is we ll -s i t u ated ino p e rational te r m s, but des p i te being close to the Ce nt ral St at i o nand Grainger Town areas has low visibility and can be diff i cult fo rusers to find. Improved signage and upgraded pedestrian linksf rom the Ce nt ral St ation area are re q u i red and will be invest i g ate din partnership with Newc a stle City Council. The location of thecoach st ation will be widely publicised within to u r i st guides andpublic transport info r m ation lite rat u re.

Coach parking fa c i l i t i es and dro p-off and pick-up point swithin ce nt ral Sunderland and Newc a stle will be ass ess e din partnership with a CPT re p res e nt at i ve, in co nj u n c t i o nwith an ass ess m e nt of cu r re nt and likely future demand.Re co m m e n d ations for improve m e nt will be co n s i d e red fo rinclusion within LTP pro g ra m m es. The growing importanceof coach tourism is noted, and in Newc a stle upon Ty n e, theTo u r i st Info r m ation Service will work with the CPT, ot h e ri n d u stry bodies and individual operators to pro d u cep ro m otional info r m ation suitable for inbound visito r s.