BEGINNING THE BUS REVOLUTION: BUILDING ON THE NATIONAL BUS STRATEGY FOR ENGLAND

BEGINNING THE BUS REVOLUTION BUILDING ON THE NATIONAL BUS STRATEGY FOR ENGLAND

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

W ELCOM E

Welcome to Beginning the Bus Revolution: Building on the National Bus Strategy for England. “I love buses, and I have never quite understood why so few governments before mine have felt the same way,” wrote prime minister Boris Johnson in the foreword to the government’s National Bus Strategy for England, Bus Back Better. Johnson went on to describe buses as “lifelines” and “liberators”, before declaring: “As we build back from the pandemic, better buses will be one of our major acts of levelling-up.”

This special one-off publication considers how bus operators, local transport authorities, suppliers and stakeholders are all coming together to achieve the ambitious vision set out in the bus strategy. Local bus services face an uphill battle to win back the passengers they lost during Covid but there is a shared ambition to achieve this and go beyond, giving buses a much bigger role in the future. We hope you find it an interesting read!

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FOREWORD

BUS DATA DASHBOA RD

BRTUK

J OHN CA R R

‘Together we can deliver,’ writes transport Minister Baroness Vere

Key statistics that define local bus services in England

James Freeman explains why the time has come for Bus Rapid Transit

Bus Back Better, champion(s) and the missing dimension

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GO-A HEAD

STAGECOACH

F IRST BUS

Bus builder is ready to play key role in delivering the bus strategy’s vision

Katy Taylor offers ten top tips to win passengers back

Significant opportunities to improve bus services and deliver growth

Janette Bell sees a chance to put customer-centricity at the heart of buses

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N AT I O N A L E X P R ESS

TRANSDEV

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UR BA N T HI N G S

‘We know we can get people back on the bus and get new people too’

Alex Hornby and Paul Turner on their plans to ‘Bus Back Better’

Paul O’Neil explains why the bus strategy is a chance to innovate and grow

Bus tech better: solutions for the bus strategy’s technology requirements

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C I T YSW I FT

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PASSENGER

TRAN SP ORT FOCUS

Brian O’Rourke explains how big data can help with big bus decisions

Helping the bus industry to make the most of the National Bus Strategy

Digital innovation is allowing cities to embrace a new transportation era

How can we make shared public transport the first choice?

Linda McCord on keeping passengers at the heart of plans for buses

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“We’re helping people to get moving again, safely and easily” Here’s how we’re helping:

Our award winning App allows customers to see how far the bus is away from the stop and see how many seats are free Our Space Checker website tool helps customers plan quieter journeys We’re asking customers to always wear a face covering, unless exempt, in line with Government guidelines We’re asking where possible, customers pay by contactless or in advance on our App, which also helps keep buses running on time We’re asking customers to leave windows open for additional ventilation

Let’s get there together.

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

FOREWORD BARONESS VERE

Transport minister Baroness Vere (front centre) visited York's zero emission Park & Ride fleet in September 2020

TOGETHER WE CAN DELIVER THIS TRANSFORMATION he National Bus Strategy is the biggest shake-up to buses in a generation to deliver transformational changes for passengers nationwide; so I am delighted to have been asked to provide a foreword to Beginning the Bus Revolution: Building on the National Bus Strategy for England.

We have a unique opportunity ahead of us. We all know the benefits of buses, which are at the centre of our public transport network; connecting people and communities to jobs and education, driving growth and supporting inclusion. Covid-19 has of course, had a significant impact on buses, as with all transport. Dealing with the emergency has fostered greater cooperation between bus operators and local authorities,

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is backed by transformative, long-term funding. The government has committed £3bn of new money during the current parliament to improve buses outside London, and Bus Service Improvement Plans will influence how that money is spent. We want to see those plans being developed through engagement with local communities, so that they tackle local issues and barriers, and in doing so focus on the bus network that local areas need and which will really persuade people out of cars and onto the bus. Doing this will be crucial in addressing priorities like levelling-up and meeting net zero carbon emissions.

There are benefits here for both local transport authorities and operators; authorities will have access to new funding streams

which we can build on moving forwards. We know that wherever and whenever bus patronage grows, there will be bus operators and local government working together to deliver improvements for passengers.

At the heart of the strategy is a roll-out of that model for success. Through development of Bus Service Improvement Plans, which will set ambitious visions for transformed bus services that meet local needs, to the Enhanced Partnerships and franchising schemes that will put those plans into action, collaboration will be key.

The strategy sets out our vision for buses. We want them to be more frequent, more reliable, easier to understand and use, better co-ordinated and cheaper.

To achieve this, the strategy

and powers, and operators will have the certainty of continued support through what are likely to be several years of recovery, and also a commitment that some of the biggest threats to the future of their operations (above all traffic congestion) will be tackled.

We have also set aside £25m to support local transport authorities with plan development during 2021-22, including a Bus Centre of Excellence which will deliver a long-term programme of support and activities. I look forward to seeing ambitious local plans coming forward.

Together, and only together, we can deliver the transformational bus services that passengers deserve.

Baroness Vere Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Transport

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

BUS DATA DASHBOARD Key statistics that define buses in England

BACKGROUND:

FUNDING:

4.07 billion

87%

bus journeys in England in 2019/20, more than twice as many as by rail.

of local bus service mileage outside London was run on a commercial basis by hundreds of private sector bus operators, prior to Covid.

Source: Department for Transport

£3bn pledged over the current parliament “to level up buses across England towards London standards”. The bulk of the £3bn transformation funding will be paid after the transformational changes begin in April 2022, but initial investments include:

Source: Department for Transport

1.4%

76% to 95%

a year, the real term increase in local bus fares in Great Britain since 2010.

Source: Department for Transport

range of overall satisfaction with local bus services in England (outside London) in the latest Transport Focus ‘Annual Bus Passenger Survey’

Source: Department for Transport

Average increase since 1987:

403%

£1bn+ of emergency funding provided to maintain local bus services during Covid

Source: Transport Focus

325% 75%

163%

Bus fares

Rail fares

Motoring costs

of places in England now have multi-operator tickets allowing travel on all bus services in the area

Source: Office for National Statistics

GREENING THE FLEET:

Source: Department for Transport

4,000

£879m

zero emission buses, pledged more than a tenth of the fleet. The £3bn pledged will support the purchase of these vehicles and associated infrastructure.

reimbursed to local authorities in England by the government for concessionary travel in 2018/19. Around 75% (£662m) went to authorities outside London.

Source: Department for Transport

Source: Department for Transport

£260m 84%

per year currently paid in BSOG (Bus Service Operators Grant) to operators of eligible bus services and community transport organisations. Each £1 spent on BSOG generates between £2.70 and £3.70 in benefits.

of buses in England already accept contactless payment.

Source: Department for Transport

Source: Greener Journeys

Source: Department for Transport

£120m will be invested by the government in zero emission buses through the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme in 2021/22.

This is a first step towards the roll out of 4,000 new zero emission buses, alongside £50m to deliver the first All-Electric Bus City.

Source: Department for Transport

3% of transport greenhouse gas emissions in the UK are produced by buses and coaches.

Source: Department for Transport

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OV ERV I EW STATISTICS

THE CASE FOR INVESTING IN BUSES:

44%

£11bn £1.3bn

a year is the cost to urban economies of traffic congestion, which affects all road users. Buses can tackle this problem and improve productivity

was invested by UK bus operators in cleaner and greener buses over the last five years, supported by £89m funding through the Government’s Low and Ultra-Low Emission bus schemes.

Source: Greener Journeys

of bus trips are for work or education, compared with 27% of solo car journeys.

Source: Department for Transport

77% of jobseekers do not have regular access to a car, van or motorbike.

£4.20

Source: Department for Transport

Source: Urban Transport Group

The average return on each £1 spent on 33 major bus schemes, according to a DfT analysis. Buses generate a significant proportion of benefits which accrue to other road users and to society at large.

lower construction costs for Bus Rapid Transit systems than traditional light rail schemes

Source: Department for Transport

Source: Department for Transport

50%+

SUCCESS STORIES:

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2% of England’s bus fleet is fully zero emission today (4% of London’s fleet and 1% of the fleet in England outside of London).

The majority of the cleaner and greener vehicles purchased are hybrid or gas-powered, not zero emission.

Source: Department for Transport

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bus journeys per person were made in Brighton & Hove between 2019-2020, the highest bus use per head in England outside of London. Reading is the second highest, with an average of 137 annual bus trips per person.

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Source: Department for Transport

Each zero emission bus saves around annually:

100%

70%

(23 kilograms) NOx

(46 tonnes) CO2

Source: Department for Transport

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cars can be taken off the road by a fully-loaded double deck bus, helping to reduce congestion and the impact of transport on the environment.

increase in bus patronage in Reading over the six years to 2018/19, thanks to consistent partnership working.

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Source: Department for Transport

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40%

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168%

160%

38% increase in bus patronage in Jersey between 2012 and 2017, following the introduction of bus franchising in 2013.

Source: The Government of Jersey

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is the increase in the number of bus journeys made by young people across the Liverpool City Region by 2019, following the introduction of ‘MyTicket’ in 2014. Priced at £2.20, MyTicket allows under 19s unlimited day travel on any bus.

Source: Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

growth in bus patronage over 10 years following the introduction of the Fastway scheme - a series of bus priority measures along two core routes, linking Horley, Gatwick airport and Crawley.

Assessments estimate a benefitcost ratio of at least 4.6.

of passengers on The Harrogate Bus Company’s Route 36, a premium service linking Ripon and Harrogate with Leeds, have a car available.

Source: KPMG

Source: The Harrogate Bus Company

50%+

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Thank you to our 30,000 colleagues

It’s been a tough year for everyone.

We are very proud of our key workers across all Go-Ahead’s bus and rail businesses

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

V I EW P OI N T BUS RA P I D T RA N S I T U K

THE TIME HAS COME FOR BUS RAPID TRANSIT James Freeman is chair of BRTuk, an organisation which exists to give courage and guidance to those who embark on Bus Rapid Transit schemes of all shapes and sizes. Here he explains how the organisation can help to make buses great

like trams and I approve of tramways, but there aren’t many places in the UK where they can be afforded or justified, so we need to look for other ways of providing particularly urban public transport that will be an attractive alternative to jumping into that battery-electric car for people who want to be winners! That is where the bus comes in.

Much maligned and sometimes derided, imaginative deployment of buses can drive remarkable modal shift. What matters is that the public transport route or corridor is reliable and that means priority... absolute priority! Once that is provided, a lot of what is needed is about very basic stuff like getting

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in Essen (in the Ruhr area of Germany) as Mercedes-Benz’s famous O-Bahn - whose biggest application worldwide is in Adelaide, Australia. Dr Bob Tebb had pioneered this technology in the UK in Leeds.

But we are in a different place today, so what role can BRTuk play now? First and foremost it can be a champion for developing bus excellence. Its purpose is to

the service out every day and keeping it there and maintaining quality headways. Good quality, attractive-looking equipment and super staff top up the package.

This is where Bus Rapid Transit UK (we call it BRTuk for short) comes in. Originally conceived more than 20 years ago, BRTuk has been a wonderful way of drawing attention to what can be done with buses, as schemes have been brought to realisation including the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, the Leigh Busway in Greater Manchester, Eclipse in Fareham and Gosport, The Luton-Dunstable Guided Busway and Metrobus in Bristol, to name some of them. Some of these feature kerb guidance, which first came to prominence

“What matters is that the public transport route or corridor is reliable and that means priority”

be a point-of-contact and clearing house of ideas for anybody seeking to develop the way we use buses, to encourage the sharing of best practice and to grow the bus market by being an agent provocateur for High Quality Bus services, in whatever form.

We started out promoting big-ticket busways as achievable alternatives to super-expensive tram schemes, now we are interested in promoting the very best in all aspects of bus development, through infrastructure, operational effectiveness and efficiency to the whole issue of alternative power sources in the striving for zero emissions in our towns. It’s very interesting that the government’s new Bus Strategy for England, Bus

The National Bus Strategy specifically defines a desire for BRT schemes of a standard achieved by Glider in Belfast. BRTuk can help scheme promoters to deliver that

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

V I EW P OI N T BUS RA P I D T RA N S I T U K

Back Better, specifically defines a desire for BRT schemes of a standard achieved by Glider in Belfast, and no doubt BRTuk can help there. But every Bus Service Improvement Plan in England offers an opportunity to deploy new ideas and techniques to improve outcomes for passengers (and therefore for transport authorities).

BUSES AT THE CROSSROADS

There have been a number of lurches in the history of bus developments in the UK outside London since buses became technically proficient and generally available in the 1920s.

One can point to the Road Traffic Act of 1930 which brought order to the industry, to the Second World War which brought huge stress for local bus operators, to the 1940s and early 1950s with part nationalisation and a massive peak of passengers that waned across the following decade.

The Transport Act 1968 also ushered in a new era, just at the time when car ownership and use had reached the level where, all of a sudden, the big bus operators found themselves making losses requiring new thinking to reduce costs. Then there were Section 1 grants from local authorities to support networks and services which started to cost a great deal of public money, so that by 1980 with Margaret Thatcher in power it was natural for politicians to look for ways of saving that expenditure. That gave us deregulation and privatisation which has lasted, amazingly, for more than 30 years, but hasn’t really staunched the flow of modal transfer to private transport in our towns and cities (with some notable and honourable exceptions).

THEN WE HAD COVID-19

The pandemic came and passengers disappeared! In fact, they vanished almost completely for a time. Now they’re coming back, but I am struck by the fact that, while the general traffic has returned to normal, the buses - while operating regularly and often to their accustomed frequencies - are still scarily empty. It’s going to be a massive

The launch of Metrobus in Bristol, one of a number of showcase BRT schemes

invest and wait for the results.

The ownership structure that has emerged, with big groups that have demanding shareholders requiring high margins, has meant that there is seldom time to let things grow organically - a quick result is vital.

Wisely-spent government money is what can counteract this effect and allow the passengers to be won back over time.

not to say long job to get them back and to start to build the modal share not just to previous levels but beyond.

The government’s commendably swift reaction, with the Covid Bus Service Support Grant, has ensured that the buses not only got back on the road but kept running, after a short pause a year ago, throughout the pandemic.

The realisation that we cannot return to the status quo is what is different. While patronage is undoubtedly climbing back - in some areas more than others - it’s going to take a very long time and a lot of effort to get it back to 100% of what it was in 2019.

The alternative is a massive and permanent reduction in the network, which itself would drive a downward spiral of further reductions driven by falling demand resulting from a worsening level of service.

So the government’s new bus strategy is a remarkable change of direction which, if it works, should allow the industry to have the patience to grow back over the several years that it will take. One of the things that deregulation tended to remove was the industry’s ability to be patient - to

MY OWN INVOLVEMENT

Earlier this year I was approached to take over the chair of Bus Rapid Transit uk (BRTuk). I agreed because I liked the idea of a mutual self-help group whose role is to inspire people to develop bus schemes by acting as a meeting place for interested people and a clearing house for ideas and good practice. BRTuk does not develop or promote schemes but it can give courage and guidance to those who do.

Initially progressed to help people who were looking for ways of making a headline-grabbing change in public transport provision that was less expensive and more likely to happen than a tramway, BRTuk’s remit has widened to include anything that makes buses better.

For my part, I am old enough to remember the surge of interest in developing tram proposals in the 1980s, as we looked enviously across the channel at French cities such as Nantes and Grenoble which introduced spectacular and impressive tramway schemes from 1985 or so. In Britain this was a painful process, with schemes

“BRTuk does not develop or promote schemes but it can give courage and guidance to those who do”

eventually coming forward in Manchester and Sheffield and later in the West Midlands, Nottingham and Edinburgh as well as Croydon in London. But my own experience (I joined the board of Advanced Transport for Avon (ATA) in 1990 which was promoting an excellent tram scheme in Bristol that never happened) has been that it is actually extremely difficult to establish these expensive, hugely disruptive and controversial networks.

Not only that, my sense is that you need 3,000 people an hour as a passenger flow to get the revenue to offset the running costs. British towns and cities don’t often offer those numbers outside the biggest cities whose street layouts can make it difficult to shoe-horn a full-scale tramway into the life of many of our conurbations.

Besides, our low-rise development practices lead to lower aggregate passenger flows.

So I long ago came to the view that there were “more ways to skin a cat” than just tramways, which is not to say that I am against trams in the UK, far from it, but that to concentrate on tramways alone would be to deny ourselves many good schemes that will develop the attractiveness of public transport - which is where intrinsically cheaper bus-based systems come in.

After the effort that brought us the initial tramway schemes (to which one may add the Tyne and Wear Metro - whose genesis goes back into the 1970s - and arguably the Docklands Light Railway in London) in the 1980s and rolling into the 1990s, the pace of development has been much less dynamic, with bus-based schemes similarly affected, so that looking around the UK there has been relatively little to hit the headlines, with the stunning exception of Belfast’s Glider operation.

But buses now have a chance!

The focus is back on buses and the need for funding is also recognised by government and not just in England but all across the UK. BRTuk’s role is to make sure that the best knowledge is available to all who need it to make buses great and to make bus-users winners! n

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the best recovery needs . . .

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the best buses the best pe ple the best plans

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playing our part in delivering the National Bus Strategy buildbusesbackbetter.co.uk

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

Prime minister Boris Johnson in Coventry for the launch of the National Bus Strategy for England in March

BUS BACK BETTER, CHAMPION(S) AND THE MISSING DIMENSION The National Bus Strategy is ambitious and the scale of the task is immense. The bus sector should grasp this massive opportunity and use it to show the government the strong return on investment that buses can offer

he clock is ticking on deregulation as we knew it, 28 years since the concept of ‘Quality Bus Partnerships’ first entered the conversation between government, local authorities and operators.

All should now be beavering away to create a nirvana, primarily through Enhanced Partnerships, introduced by the 2017 Bus Services Act. Buses will be frequent and reliable running on a highway network on which they will have the highest priority (at least of motorised) vehicles. That was the key message from Baroness Vere at the House of Commons Transport Select Committee on May 21.

Before the committee questioned the minister on the National Bus Strategy for England, Bus Back Better, representatives of the Association of Transport

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all know what we need to do’ is Whitehall’s view.

The scale of the task is immense.

In 2019 the number of bus trips per head was less than 8% of car trips per head. It’s worth remembering that achieving a 10% increase in bus use dents car use by less than 0.75% - and long term objectives on the route to decarbonisation talk of modal splits of 50%!

There’s a capacity implication too, even with a generous average occupancy factor those sorts of numbers outstrip available manufacturing capacity. Bearing in mind the faster buses objective in Bus Back Better another approach is to say that congestion is currently offset by additional peak vehicles to maintain registered frequencies. In many fleets these now amount to 10-20% or more.

Less congestion plus increased

Co-ordinating Officers (ATCO), the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) and Hertfordshire County Council (the only shire county with an Enhanced Partnership so far) presented a consistent view of the challenges ahead. Not least of these were the extremely tight timescales, the need to change car-focussed mindsets amongst council members and highways officers and the insufficiency of skills and resources in local authorities following austerity cuts.

When it comes to the nitty gritty of planning local bus services in detail a skills supply deficit applies to the more centralised operator groups and to consultants too.

Notwithstanding these reservations, the Baroness made clear that a resolute government sees no reason to change timescales: ‘we should

John Carr

“Less congestion plus increased supply of new vehicles means potential for significant modal transfer increases”

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V I EW P OI N T J OHN CA R R

supply of new vehicles means potential for significant modal transfer increases. The equation’s still not simple, if a high proportion of new vehicles are zero emission the number of new that can be afforded from £3bn spread amongst the spectrum of improvements sought in Bus Back Better is considerably reduced.

There is also the small matter of Covid-19 recovery. Ben Colson spotted The Best Way to ‘Lure’ People to Public Transit Is to Make It Work in the US-published Metro magazine: “As transit agencies try and rebound post-pandemic, they must remember people use public transit when it is fast and convenient, not because of cheap gimmicks”. In UK terms is it realistic to expect that bus networks will be sufficiently recovered by 2022/23 that the operators will be returning to acceptable commercial returns?

We have to do our best and here the bus industry needs champions, locally and nationally.

Quite a number are around in well-reported localities I don’t need to name, that already have de facto partnerships based on willing co-operation and not necessarily formalised in legal agreements. They also involve their companies with local communities and business organisations (the wider dimension of partnership).

However, nationally, the nearest we had was Sir Peter Hendy - he’s now leading rail restructuring and is the go-to guy for helping the government fix transport issues.

I go back to experience in West Yorkshire after deregulation in 1986. Our network was strong under the MetroNational agreement uniting the National Bus Company and WYPTE’s (former municipal) operators in an integrated network, MetroBus, not forgetting the contribution of wellestablished independent operators in Mirfield and Pontefract too.

In parallel was MetroTrain and interoperable pre-paid ticketing encompassed all operators. The Passenger Transport Authority agreed that Metro (the residual PTE) should continue to be responsible for promoting the bus network as a whole, issuing all day timetables for all services, commercial, subsidised or mixed,

single or multiple operators.

Metro maintained the suite of pre-paid tickets and continued responsibility for bus stations, stops and shelters and advertising. The call centre operation was revamped as a prototype that Traveline built on. The operators were able to concentrate on building their businesses with affordable, attractive services and agreed to continue the maximum off-peak fares and concessions offered by the former county council.

To introduce the new arrangements, Metro mounted a TV and newspaper campaign fronted by the late Claire Rayner.

This ‘Get Bus-wise’ campaign was highly successful and Claire later championed other medical, educational and community transport campaigns. Success was measured in that West Yorkshire, almost uniquely outside London, continued modest patronage growth (up to 3%) until the political leadership at City of Bradford Council changed, but that’s another story!

Given that both CPT and government are committed to a high profile campaign to reverse negative messaging at an appropriate time, Bus-wise offers a model. Ideally we need somebody with a high public profile, particularly in the population segments that currently use the car but are open to persuasion, a warm personality and a willingness to genuinely engage with the campaign beyond the confines of the advertising contract.

If you’re not convinced of the need for national promotion think of the TV commercial breaks across the period of the pandemic.

Car manufacturers’ promotions have scarcely wavered and are increasingly bathed in highly questionable ‘greenwash’. At a conference run by the Marketing and Product Development Commission of UITP in the early 2000’s a ‘Boomerang Marketing’ Campaign was unveiled by Montreal’s STM in which the car manufacturers’ techniques were reversed. Rather than wide open country roads, buses sped past SUVs, saloons and sports cars on bus lanes; Metro trains sped over grid-locked highways; happy passengers read, chatted or listened

to their Walkmans (think MP3s if you don’t know what they were!) and so on. I left Metro soon after so lost touch with the follow ups, but the concepts remain very valid.

It is good to see that the prime minister found in his in-tray as he transitioned from electioneering a persuasive letter on Campaign for Better Transport notepaper promoting joint working with the government to realise buses-led green transport. The signatories?

Not the usual suspects but the CEOs of the British Beer and Pub Association, British Chamber of

How should the Treasury replace fuel duty revenues? Answer: road pricing

“Might the time have come for an integrated review of all road transport charging and taxation?”

Commerce, British Independent Retailers Association and British Retail Consortium with the Chief UK policy director of the CBI and the chief executives of the Campaign for Better Transport and the CPT. Buses are at the forefront of economic revival in many sectors and this message should be widely broadcast.

Unfortunately, Bus Back Better omits any reference to the fundamental competition between public transport and the private car. This missing dimension could have referenced several good examples of how faster modern buses and amenity facilities (on the vehicles at least) can win traffic. Unfortunately, the popular perception, that the government has done little to dispel, is that electric cars will solve most

problems. As a previous prime minister might have said, “No! No! No!” No relief of congestion!

No removal of parking consuming ever scarcer developable land! No answers on battery manufacturing capacity (using scarce minerals largely under unfriendly control) or disposal, let alone grid capacity for the recharging requirements of a massive vehicle park!

Drill deeper. What is the Treasury to do to replace the tax contribution of fuel duties (notwithstanding the freeze over so many years)? Road user charging is the obvious answer, although parking levies, both in public car parks and private premises (through employer parking levies and similar schemes) must play some part.

Bus Back Better promises a review of BSOG (Bus Services Operators’ Grant), the outlived system to limit bus fare increases by substituting fuel duty rebates tinkered with to reward various technology investments. Might the time have come for an integrated review of all road transport charging and taxation?

Enhanced Partnerships and their accompanying Bus Service Improvement Plans must ensure that buses (and public transport generally?) can be competitively priced on a generalised cost basis when compared to private cars.

That needs supportive taxation.

Whatever the outcomes, a mileage-based payment (which in the limit is little different to one based on fuel consumption) should not replace BSOG. The new grant should be patronagebased with incentives for growth and recognition of the community value of good bus services.

Parodying Shakespeare: “To sleep, perchance to dream - ay, there’s the rub, for in this sleep of death of fossil fuels, what may for buses come... ?”.

Bus Back Better is a start, so let’s embrace it, do our best with what we’ve got, show government that strong returns will follow additional resources and declare buses as the champions of decarbonisation. n John Carr is a Director of the Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

BRITISH-BUILT ZERO EMISSION BUSES TO BUS BACK BETTER As the UK’s leading bus and coach manufacturer, with a long history of innovation and understanding the needs of the market, Alexander Dennis Limited explains how it is ready to play a key role in delivering the bus strategy’s vision

us Back Better, the National Bus Strategy for England, is all about partnership. It demands intensified partnership working between bus operators and local authorities, and it requires both of them to work closely with manufacturers of zero emission buses.

The prime minister has himself committed to support the purchase of at least 4,000 new zero emission buses, more than a tenth of the fleet.

As the UK’s leading bus and coach manufacturer, with a long history of innovation and understanding the needs of the market, Alexander Dennis Limited is ready to play a key role in delivering this vision.

ADL’s history with electrically powered buses in the UK dates back as far as 2007, when it began developing its first hybrid double deck bus with an electric driveline.

ADL manufactures battery electric zero-emission buses for the UK in partnership with BYD, the world’s leading manufacturer of heavy-duty electric vehicles.

Since its inception in 2015, this partnership has secured orders for over 1,000 buses (see map) making it the leading supplier of zero emission buses into the UK. The current BYD ADL range of zero emission buses is based on three platforms (see panel). Two are battery electric: the BYD ADL Enviro200EV single deck and the BYD ADL Enviro400EV double deck. The third is the recently launched Enviro400FCEV, which is a hydrogen-powered double deck bus developed under the project name H2.0.

All of ADL’s zero emission buses are built in Britain to ensure that Government support is reinvested in local communities where it underpins jobs and develops skills in the growing market for clean vehicle technology, an important pillar of Governments’ net zero

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A full electric BYD ADL Enviro400EV in service with Stagecoach Manchester

been providing information packs on its offer along with direct engagement to discuss the opportunities presented. It aims to help local authorities and bus operators secure funding on the basis of operating and technology scenarios that reflect individual localities, ensuring that bids reflect real world possibilities and are deliverable.

ambitions.

BYD’s electric bus chassis, which had been imported until now, will begin to be assembled in ADL’s facilities in the second half of 2021, with on-the-ground support from the BYD team. The bodies for BYD ADL electric buses have been designed and built in Britain since the partnership’s launch.

The Enviro400FCEV hydrogen bus, which will be available from the beginning of 2022, is a complete ADL product that is fully designed and manufactured in the UK. To facilitate the transition to zero emission buses, the UK Government announced the launch of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme in March 2021. It will initially provide £120m towards the purchase of 500 zero emission buses for England.

Further rounds of funding are expected as the Government pushes forward its commitment to support 4,000 zero emission buses.

ADL reckons it is well placed to support local authorities in developing proposals, and has

HOW ADL CAN HELP

ADL’s role in delivering state-ofthe-art zero emission buses goes way beyond the delivery of the vehicles themselves.

When considering battery electric buses, most bus depots require an element of electrical infrastructure work to install the necessary charging hardware to ensure the buses are charged effectively ahead of their daily work. For a small fleet of electric buses, this can be relatively simple, but for a large fleet with a large peak power demand, this aspect needs to be carefully considered and planned in detail.

The costs of the infrastructure element can be a significant part of the overall conversion budget. ADL brings together infrastructure providers along with the vehicle supply to offer operators and transport authorities a turn-key solution to their electrification plans. Both AC and DC charging options are available, along with highpower fast charge options. The process of planning the charging infrastructure installation typically consists of three steps - routes analysis, depot visits and delivery.

Route analysis is a desktop exercise taking in route parameters from the operator and outputting information that allows the definition of the number, location and power of chargers required. Typical inputs include the vehicle specification such as the choice of single or double deck buses, peak vehicle requirement, route profile, depot run outs and scheduling information. This data is then used to calculate energy consumption and therefore guaranteed range, heating load and the depot charge profile.

With the charge profile identified, the infrastructure requirements are then defined in terms of the peak power required to charge the specified number of buses when they return to depot.

Following on from the assessment of the fleet usage and route modelling, a depot site visit is generally arranged for all parties to discuss the installation of the EV charging infrastructure.

This visit will investigate charger locations, parking logistics, power demand and supply, existing site plans and timing to route start.

Once a detailed plan for the infrastructure installation is defined, then the focus switches to delivery. This requires the coordination of buses, chargers, grid connection, civil engineering works, operator training and

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MA N UFACT UR ERS AL EXA N D ER D EN N I S

service as well as support.

Since 2015, ADL and BYD have built up a significant portfolio of reference projects which have been delivered in conjunction with several different infrastructure delivery partners. Following the completion of the routes analysis and depot visits, the manufacturers look to recommend a suitable provider or consortium of partners based on the specific requirements of the depot and the operator.

The BYD ADL network of delivery partners covers all aspects of the project delivery from early concept design and consultation, charge modelling and parking planning through to load optimisation, infrastructure delivery and post installation maintenance of the charge points 1 and all associated cabling and switchgear.

Some installations benefit from stationary energy storage as a way to reduce the peak power demand from the grid during heavy charge periods. If this is a requirement, ADL connects operators with providers of this type of capability.

In some cases, the cost to deploy the infrastructure can be included in a service package, which includes energy supply.

This can help to reduce the initial project costs on the part of the operator. ADL can also connect operators with leasing options for the vehicles, again helping to improve overall affordability.

In a similar way to the infrastructure required for battery electric vehicles, ADL can work with the local transport authority and the bus operator to help define the best solution for any route or electrification project.

For the Enviro400FCEV, hydrogen infrastructure is relatively complex and encompasses both the supply of the hydrogen and the on-site storage with multiple options being available for both. In considering the supply of hydrogen, ADL considers the environmental credentials of the hydrogen itself to ensure that the vehicles fully deliver for the climate and environment.

ADL is building up a portfolio of a number of infrastructure delivery partners and would be happy to discuss the needs of any project with the local transport authority and bus operator. n

9

1,000 ELECTRIC BUSES IN SERVICE

Perth

12 Aberdeen Glasgow 150 12 Dundee Inverclyde & Glasgow Airport 4

4 5

Kilmarnock 15

Edinburgh

Leeds

Liverpool 12 32 Manchester Nottinghamshire 6 Birmingham 19 6

Cambridge

Coventry 10

692 London

Salisbury 3 Guildford 9

Since their introduction into London’s Waterloo Bus Garage in 2016, fully electric buses have gone from strength to strength in the UK market. There are now over 1,000 BYD ADL Enviro200EV and BYD ADL Enviro400EVs in service or on order. Orders are set to increase rapidly as the switch to zero-emission operation continues to accelerate across the UK. London has the majority of fully electric buses in the UK. However, some large fleets have been built up elsewhere in England, including Manchester and the West Midlands, and funding from the Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme is enabling a major intake of electric buses to Scottish towns and cities later this year.

Once the buses are in service and the key differences between an electric bus and a more traditional bus are understood, operator feedback is generally excellent. Their smooth driving and quiet operation make them extremely popular with drivers and passengers.

ADL'S ZERO EMISSION BUSES Fuel

Electric

Electric

Hydrogen

Model

BYD ADL Enviro200EV

BYD ADL Enviro400EV

Enviro400FCEV

Summary

The BYD ADL Enviro200EV has been in service on the roads of the UK since 2016. Chassis and electric drivetrain are provided by BYD and assembled by ADL in the UK along with the body and interior.

It is available in lengths from 9.6m to 11.6m.

The BYD ADL Enviro400EV is the best-selling fully electric double deck bus in the UK. It is designed and manufactured in close collaboration to combine BYD's world class heavy duty electric propulsion and battery technology with ADL's proven body structure.

This second generation hydrogen bus will be available in early 2022.

The H2.0 platform will be fully integrated by ADL and will utilise the very latest hydrogen and electric powertrain technologies to deliver a zero-emission bus capable of driving for up to 300 miles on a single re-fill of hydrogen.

Seating capacity

up to 40

up to 72

up to 74

Overall capacity

up to 80

up to 87

up to 87

Daily range*

up to 160 miles

up to 160 miles

up to 300 miles

Drive train

Twin 90kW hub motors

Twin 150kW hub motors

Single 340kW permanent magnet traction motor

Standard drive train warranty

5 years

5 years

5 years

Battery

348kWh liquid cooled Li-ion

382kWh liquid cooled Li-ion

30 kWh liquid cooled Li-ion

Standard battery warranty**

5 years

5 years

5 years

Charging

AC or DC CCS2 plug charging

AC or DC CCS2 plug charging with OppCharge option

Hydrogen fuel to SAE J2719.

Approximately 10-minute fill time

* Range is stated allowing for battery capacity reduction after years in service. Range is highly dependent on route profile and heating load. Route modelling is required to provide an accurate daily range figure. ** Extended warranty and service agreement options are available for longer time periods.

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

2

Bus operators and cyclists are allies in tackling congestion and pollution

TEN TOP TIPS TO WIN PASSENGERS BACK The buzz is beginning to return. As Covid-19 restrictions ease, passengers are trickling back to buses and trains. Confidence in public transport won’t return overnight - Katy Taylor asks what, as an industry, we can do to win back customers?

ver the course of the pandemic, many of our customers have reverted to their cars for infrequent ventures out and about. The car can be seductive and unless we’re creative in luring passengers back, those habits could endure.

As an industry, it’s more important than ever that we work in partnership, and build bridges with allies, to make the case for public transport. In that spirit, Go-Ahead proposes ten top tips for collaborative working to bring passengers back.

O

1

Embrace walking, cycling and running.

An upside of the pandemic is that people have rediscovered their own two legs. A Transport for London study found that 57% of people have been walking further,

Technology allowing passenger to pay with smart devices is being steadily rolled out

or more regularly, since Covid-19 struck - and the streets have been busy with shop-fresh running shoes and bicycles.

Our competition is the car, not active travel. We should work with walkers, runners and cyclists and do everything possible to make it easier to leave the car at home

- including more provision to carry bicycles, well thought-out, well lit interchanges and better wayfinding. The average public transport journey involves 24 minutes’ walking. It’s down to us to persuade people that buses and trains are part of a healthy lifestyle.

Make it easier and simpler to buy a ticket.

Our customers shouldn’t have to calculate the cheapest fare. They should get it automatically - which is why ‘tap on, tap off ’ systems, which give people confidence they’re not over-paying, are proving a roaring success. Neither do they want to worry about which company is operating their bus where possible, the same ticket should work for all local services.

Go-Ahead is making strides towards co-operation - for example, our Oxford Bus Company is part of an agreement whereby timetables can be viewed, and tickets purchased, for multiple operators via our app.

There’s scope for more imagination in ticketing, too. In East Yorkshire, we’ve introduced a Netflix style monthly subscription, renewing automatically, for unlimited travel on our buses. We must do everything possible to ensure that cost and complexity aren’t barriers to travel.

3

Get serious about apps.

You can’t predict the future - or can you?

You can, of course, find out when the next bus is arriving and tell customers how busy their bus stop is, which train carriage has seats available and how to plan their journeys to enjoy quieter services.

By partnering with app developers and carbon offset researchers, there’s scope, too, to nudge customers in the direction of lower emission modes of travel.

Go-Ahead is working with TripShift, a carbon calculating app that shows you your carbon footprint as you move, and suggests simple changes in mode or route to make your journey greener. Another technology start-up, Zipabout, provides personalised, up-to-the-minute information on any given journey, including a special tool to plan the first and last mile, pushed straight to your phone.

4

Allow customers to get online anywhere. The

pandemic has taught office workers that they can work from anywhere -

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OP ERATORS G O-A HEA D

and that includes while they’re on the move. Two thirds of Go-Ahead buses already have Wi-Fi. A challenge for the industry is to build on that. Younger customers in particular expect to be connected everywhere - and will love it if they can charge their phones while they’re on the move.

5

Put away the boxing gloves on timetables.

In the National Bus Strategy, the government scolded our industry for bus companies which don’t acknowledge each others’ existence - using conflicting route numbers, separate maps and scheduling services at exactly the same time.

Although the fabled ‘bus wars’ of old are behind us, the point was well made. We need to think from a customer’s perspective and Enhanced Partnerships with local authorities can help us to do that. Showing all the services in an area rather than just our own, has to be the first step.

6

8

Give everybody a helping hand. Nearly

one in five adults of working age has a disability, as do 44% of people of pensionable age. Making our services accessible for all isn’t just the right thing to do - it’s absolutely vital to any successful transport business.

That means partnering with organisations representing groups with particular requirements. For example, Go-Ahead has worked with Dementia Friends to devise training modules for bus drivers,

9

Seize the opportunity for better collaboration with local authorities.

As the National Bus Strategy made crystal clear, local authorities should be our partners, and allies, in creating great bus services.

To get our buses moving quickly, reliably and efficiently, we need congestion to be tackled. That might mean bus lanes and priority schemes but also joined up, well thought out policies to disincentivise use of cars.

After years of reduced support for buses, at last there is a policy agenda that we have spent years fighting for. We cannot waste that opportunity. Collaborative working shouldn’t mean a tug-ofwar for control - it means sitting around a table to work out how best we can help local residents to get around, and create the thriving communities we are all so desperate to rebuild.

Promote our industry with panache. We’re

in a fight with the car.

And in advertising terms, the automotive industry has the deepest pockets of any industry in the world.

Public transport operators need to up their marketing game. Our customers need information on where our services go, how much they cost and when they run. But we must get creative in working with others - swimming pools, amusement parks, restaurants, venues - on encouraging people to get out and about once more.

We also need to be classy, just like the automotive industry. We can, and should, make public transport aspirational.

7

and to tweak the designs of buses (such as lighter coloured floors), to help people feel confident of a safe journey. And we came up with the Helping Hand card, which passengers can show to drivers if they need some extra help - whether it’s to ask for a little extra time, to explain that they lip read, to request a priority seat or for help using some steps.

built around winding cul-de-sacs off bypasses that are difficult for public transport to navigate.

We must change that. Buses and trains need to be placed at the centre of town planning - for homes, hospitals, schools and retail, with provision in the blueprint from the very start.

Go-Ahead is working with TripShift (left) and Zipabout (right)

10

Tackle the scourge of loneliness. Nine

million people across the UK say they often, or always, feel lonely - a figure higher than the population of Scotland and Wales combined.

Loneliness is a condition that is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and, while age and family structure play a part, a key determining factor is geographic or economic isolation - not being able to get to shops, libraries, high streets and jobs.

Our ‘Chatty Bus’ scheme has involved appointing ambassadors to come on board busy bus routes.

At konectbus in East Anglia, we partnered with local businesses in a “Let’s Talk, Norwich” socially distanced event in May to help those struggling to reconnect following Covid-19 restrictions.

Go South Coast has even brought a piano on board a bus to encourage a sing-song. And Brighton & Hove Buses has joined forces with TalkTalk to promote a network of chatty cafes.

Buses, in a sense, were the original social network. We must never forget what an important role our services play - not just in moving people - but in improving the fabric of society. ■ Katy Taylor is Go-Ahead’s Chief Strategy and Customer Officer

Put buses at the heart of planning decisions.

Promotional material for newly built homes shouts about parking space, convenience and driving times to nearby towns. If you’re lucky, there might be a mention of the nearest railway station. But you’ll almost never see any reference to local bus services.

Housing estates, too often, are

Go-Ahead’s ‘Chatty Bus’ scheme is intended to combat loneliness

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BUILT IN BRITAIN Alexander Dennis buses and Plaxton coaches are fully designed and built in Britain, supporting apprenticeships, driving green innovation, underpinning skilled jobs and ensuring that investment in cleaner transport benefits our communities, as well as the environment. www.alexander-dennis.com

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04/06/2021 09:14

B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

OP ERATORS STAGECOACH

THE VITAL ROLE THAT BUSES PLAY IN HELPING TO BUILD BACK BETTER At Stagecoach, we are very excited by the significant opportunities ahead as part of the government’s strategy to improve bus services for customers and deliver a new era of growing bus use

s the country starts to come out of the long lockdown and the tough restrictions put in place, and people can get back to the things they enjoy doing, there’s never been a more important time to emphasise the crucial role that public transport, especially buses, will play in reconnecting people, safeguarding the economic future of the UK and supporting a green recovery.

At Stagecoach, we are very excited by the significant opportunities ahead as part of the government’s strategy to improve bus services for customers and deliver a new era of growing bus use. With the growing government focus and interest in buses that has been lacking for many years, now is the time for us all to work in partnership in delivering the bus services that our customers - and the public - want and need.

A

strategy in their areas, these plans must include practical measures to give buses more priority on the road. This will help deliver faster and more frequent services. Local strategies should also support the delivery of sustainable good value fares over the long term, more convenient ticketing and making services easier to use.

Now is the time to create Bus Service Improvement Plans that build on the success of our industry to create better services that are truly focused on the needs of local communities. Bus travel needs to remain attractive, easy and convenient and most importantly, be capable of

connecting people with all the things they want to do as we come out of the pandemic.

There is now a major opportunity to maximise the power of buses to decarbonise transport, both through greener vehicle technology and modal shift from cars to public transport.

To make that a reality, we need to work together to rebuild consumer confidence in public transport as we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and promote the wider green credentials of travelling by bus.

As an industry we have made huge strides in delivering greener transport, and Stagecoach is proud

A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY

Over the past 35 years, there has been a dramatic improvement in the levels of investment, service quality and passenger satisfaction as a result of private sector innovation and a focus on customer service. One significant example of this is our work in delivering the UK’s biggest contactless ticketing investment across the Stagecoach fleet as part of our aim to make bus travel easier for our customers.

However, the full potential of buses has remained unfulfilled as car use and road congestion have spiralled out of control. We must seize this moment to seriously tackle the log-jams and dirty air blighting our communities. This same road congestion is slowing down buses, leading to higher operational costs and fares and declining passenger numbers.

As transport authorities work with bus operators to consider how best to implement the bus

People can now get back to the things they enjoy doing - and getting there by bus!

Stagecoach has invested over £1bn in cleaner buses and coaches over the past decade

to have invested over £1bn in cleaner buses and coaches over the past decade. Our commitment to target a UK-wide zero emissions bus fleet by 2035 is backed up by a wider sustainability strategy that builds on our history of creating better places to live and work.

WE CAN’T DO IT ALONE

As the country’s biggest bus, coach and tram operator, our services make a significant contribution to our local communities and economy, supporting £1.6bn in value to the UK economy and one in 1,000 jobs, helping to cut 190,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and reducing congestion by 1.22 billion miles of traffic by providing alternatives to the car*. We have the potential to build even further on this by working in partnership with local authorities to create the bus networks of the future.

But we can’t meet our ambition for buses on our own.

We need consistent policy across government to help deliver the step-change we all want for buses.

Particularly at a time when the immediate future and the pace of recovery from the pandemic remains unclear, we need support from governments at national and local level and a system where investment in public transport infrastructure, incentives to help people make greener choices, and using tax and other policies to make sure the citizens and businesses that do the right thing are rewarded.

We need to be honest that technology alone will not provide all the solutions needed for a greener future. It involves real changes in how we live, work and travel. Behaviour change and partnership working will determine our success or failure. n *Data taken from independent research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) published in 2020

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

Janette Bell, managing director at First Bus, believes that buses are absolutely central to the government’s levelling up agenda

‘I AM POSITIVE FOR THE FUTURE - BUT IT WON’T BE THE SAME’ With Covid-19 restrictions continuing to lift, Janette Bell, managing director at First Bus, discusses how the National Bus Strategy provides a key opportunity to put customer-centricity at the heart of bus

What were your initial thoughts about the National Bus Strategy for England, Bus Back Better?

At First Bus we welcomed the exciting, customer-focused vision developed by the Department for Transport. With confirmation of the £3bn financial commitment from government, and the prime minister’s personal backing, this creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the sector.

Customer-centricity is at the heart of the strategy and is central to our plans at First Bus. As an organisation we are ambitious in our plans to put our customers needs and expectations front and centre.

Smart ticketing, which the National Bus Strategy references, has remained a core focus for us at First Bus and during the pandemic we’ve accelerated the introduction of more smart ticketing options across our fleets in response to our customers’ changing travel patterns.

Whilst the National Bus Strategy provides a direction of travel for the future of bus, it is not a delivery plan. A roadmap will be required to ensure that all parties deliver on their responsibilities.

In the short term, we need clarity on how and when the money committed via the bus strategy will be made available.

The National Bus Strategy presents buses as a natural place to begin ‘levelling up’ as we emerge from the Covid pandemic. How will the investment plans laid out in the strategy help First Bus to ‘level up’ its customer offer/services?

Bus is absolutely central to the levelling-up agenda. It plays an important role for many people in our communities, and it is especially important for the most disadvantaged in our society who rely on our services for employment opportunities, education, and leisure. As our economy recovers from the effects of the pandemic, the reliability and cost of bus journeys is expected to

become more important than ever for low income households.

The bus strategy highlights how shared action between operators and local authorities will be needed to reduce congestion and make bus travel more reliable for existing and new customers.

Whilst we can put an increasingly green fleet on the road, support our drivers to become more customer-focused, and offer a seamless ticketing experience, there are many factors outside of operators’ control, which can affect the reliability of our services. These considerations need to be tackled to make bus a stronger proposition within our communities.

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OP ERATORS F I RST BUS

A big focus of the National Bus Strategy is environmental sustainability - what is First Bus doing to operate sustainably, and how are you planning to become even more sustainable in the future?

First Bus is part of FirstGroup, the first UK bus and rail operator to formally commit to setting an ambitious Science-Based Target to achieve net zero emissions. One of the key elements of the strategy, which will support the delivery of this net zero commitment, was announced back in Spring 2020 when First Bus pledged that we would only invest in low and zero emission vehicles from December 2022, with a 100% zero emission fleet by 2035.

This commitment has farreaching positive implications for the towns and cities we serve, not only in terms of improving local air quality and reducing noise, but also by significantly reducing the carbon emissions produced to power the fleet.

Work to deliver on that 2035 timescale has already begun. We are training the teams who are key to its success and making significant investments in the future. This includes the recent announcement of a further 126 electric buses for Glasgow, supported by the latest round of Scottish Ultra Low Emission Bus (SULEB) funding. The additional buses announced in March brings the total number of new electric buses planned for Glasgow to 150.

We have also announced a new partnership with Arrival, the British start-up creating electric vehicles with its radical new technologies. In a trial scheduled for later this year, we’ll be testing three of their single-deck electric buses across some of our existing routes to learn more about how their ground-breaking technology can support our customers.

We have also continued our investment in hydrogen with Aberdeen City Council - our fleet

“Value for money for the passenger is a key consideration for us as an operator”

as a convenient and sustainable transport choice.

At a local level we will continue working with our partners to support the recovery of our communities as restrictions continue to ease. In York, for example, we have joined forces with organisations Indie York, York Retail Forum and York BID to promote the message ‘live local, spend local, travel local’ in an effort to support and showcase more than 200 independent shops and leisure operators.

The availability of the right services in the right locations and at the right times is key to retaining and bringing customers to bus. We continue to work with local stakeholders to consider the change in demand for services as routines continue to adapt following the pandemic. I am very positive about the future for bus, but it will not be the same as yesterday; we need to be prepared to adapt in co-operation with our local partners.

of 15 new hydrogen buses has recently completed 100,000 miles of operation. Since launching into service in January they have saved 170,000kg of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere - the equivalent of taking 42 cars off the road for a year - marking a significant step forward in decarbonising the city of Aberdeen.

Ensuring a better deal for customers is also central to the strategy - what is First Bus doing to deliver value for money for their customers?

Value for money for the passenger is a key consideration for us as an operator and we understand that all forms of accessibility, including the affordability of fares is central to customer decision-making.

We have accelerated investment in payment technology, both with our best-in-class app and the enhanced functionality available via Ticketer. This has led to recognition across the industry, including the recent receipt of an award for Travel App of the Year.

Over the past 18 months we have introduced several app updates to support easy purchase of low fares throughout the pandemic, including carnet options in Scotland, more Tap and Cap schemes, and the enabling of Apple Pay ‘Express Mode’ payments via our on-board ticket machines.

We are shortly introducing Tap On Tap Off in Leicester and Potteries which provides another flexible payment option for customers, allowing them to pay automatically for the journeys they’ve taken.

“Working together with a joint vision is the only way we can encourage customers back to bus”

Some groups argue that Enhanced Partnerships do not go far enough, and franchising will still be a preferred option for some areas. What impact do you think Enhanced Partnerships will have on collaboration and customer service?

How will First Bus encourage people to get back on buses as society opens up and we move toward recovery?

Enhanced Partnerships give both local authorities and operators the tools they need to make the step-change our customers are asking for. The growth of bus patronage in Bristol, increasing by 55% over the six years to 2018/19, is just one example of the results that can be made through collaborative working.

Conversely, the benefits of franchising remain unproven, and we question whether the model of Transport for London can be replicated with the same success in other towns and cities across the UK.

Providing reassurance and building trust with our customers is more important than ever as we emerge from the pandemic.

We look forward to playing our part alongside the sector and government in a forthcoming national ‘Back to Bus’ campaign, aiming to accelerate passenger recovery as quickly as possible and re-establishing confidence in the UK bus network. We will be focused on existing customers as well as those yet to consider bus

The National Bus Strategy calls for renewed collaboration between Local Transport Authorities and bus operators. Tell us about First Bus’s experience working with local authorities and why you welcome the chance to continue to build on these relationships.

We have several best-in-class examples of working with local authorities and stakeholders across the UK, all of which have led to the acceleration of better services, enhanced smart ticketing and investment in new vehicles.

Our partnership with Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority is UK-leading and has led to us introducing 274 new buses, improved passenger information, punctuality, and marketing, alongside circa £200m of public sector investment to boost bus priority.

Meanwhile, our Bristol partnership has delivered unrivalled growth in the UK with the impressive patronage growth I’ve just referenced. We have also seen that our partnerships, longstanding and new, are starting to deliver shared ambitions in Glasgow, Leicester, Norwich, Potteries and Solent and York.

This reflects a long track record of collaboration between First Bus and partner authorities, with investment in our buses, highways priority, ticketing, and information.

In our other locations we are very keen to replicate the success of a shared vision and will be continuing to engage with relevant stakeholders to develop partnership opportunities.

We strongly believe that the best way of making bus more compelling for customers lies in collaboration with partners.

Working together with a joint vision is the only way we can encourage customers back to bus (or indeed to bus for the first time).

We will continue to invest in what we have control of - our fleet in line with our zero emission commitments, our people to deliver the best service, and the innovation which supports our engagement and interaction with our customers, and we need our local authority partners to deliver a better performing local road network with enhanced priority for bus. n

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Better journeys for bus passengers

Transport Focus can help local transport authorities put passengers at the heart of the National Bus Strategy and Bus Service Improvement Plans.

Transport Focus research, including a new version of our Bus Passenger Survey, can give authorities detailed comparable, benchmarked passenger feedback.

Our expert advisors can help provide best practice guidance on: • passenger representation on bus service improvement plans • setting targets for journey times, reliability improvements and customer satisfaction • developing a Passenger Charter • promoting the passenger interest in local bus partnerships.

Our new best practice toolkit on passenger representation on Bus Service Improvement Plans is available online at www.transportfocus.org.uk

To find out more about how we can help you, speak to Linda McCord, Senior Stakeholder Manager: linda.mccord@transportfocus.org.uk

TF Bus Cos ride.indd221 PT_BTBR_Ad.indd

02/06/2021 09:16 18:31 04/06/2021

B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

OP ERATORS NAT I ON A L EXP R ESS

WE ❤ BUSES - AND THE NATIONAL BUS STRATEGY At National Express West Midlands, our ambiton is to get patronage back to its pre-Covid level, and exceed it. We know we can get people back on the bus - and get new people onto the bus

oris Johnson declares “I love buses” in his foreword to the National Bus Strategy for England, Bus Back Better.

Of course you do, prime minister! What’s not to love? Buses get people to work, to interviews, to school and to college. They get people to the shops, to the cinema, the zoo and the library. And most importantly, after the year we’ve just had, they take people to see their family and friends. ❤ In a drawer at National Express House, there’s a big box of I ❤ BUSES badges. We take them to events with politicians of all parties, and there’s never any left in the dish at the end of the day.

At National Express West Midlands, we also ❤ the National Bus Strategy. We recognise it as probably the most pro-bus strategy ever produced by a British government, championed by the most pro-bus prime minister in years.

Speaking of recognising things, there are many other things in the National Bus Strategy that seem very familiar to us here in the West Midlands:

millions of people at a challenging time, linking them to new opportunities and persuading more people to switch to public transport for a cleaner, greener way of getting around.”

B

ZERO EMISSION BUSES

The prime minister chose our Coventry bus garage to launch his National Bus Strategy

This summer, National Express West Midlands is cutting the price of bus tickets

THE PARTNERSHIP APPROACH

This is all about local authorities and bus operators working together, each bringing their resources, their skillsets and their powers to put passengers first.

There’s only one region where operators work in true partnership with local authorities - the West Midlands. Since we formed our Bus Alliance in 2015, we have combined our investment powers - National Express buying topspec vehicles and local authorities (including Transport for West Midland) delivering bus priority - to speed up journey times and increase patronage.

It’s not just National Express and TfWM. The West Midlands

Bus Alliance is a forum where bus operators can work together - we take off our “team” shirts and all play for the West Midlands.

During the last year, honest conversations between operators have very likely saved lives.

And going forward, in order to rebuild an integrated West Midlands transport network, operators will be collaborating refereed by TfWM - to provide those routes more efficiently for the region’s recovery.

get people back on the bus. And we can get new people onto the bus.

While most bills always go up, we’re doing the opposite.

This summer, National Express West Midlands is cutting the price of bus tickets to help get our region moving again. Half of bus customers will pay less than they do now and nobody will pay more. These bus fare cuts mean travelling all day will cost less than the price of a burger. A child ticket will be just £2 a day - down from £2.50. And the average commuter will save over £130 a year.

West Midlands mayor Andy Street said: “We believe we will have the cheapest bus fares in England - cutting costs for

THE AMBITION

The ambition is to get overall patronage back to its pre-Covid level, and then to exceed it. In the West Midlands, we know we can

National Express West Midlands has pledged that our entire 1,600-strong fleet will be zero emission by 2030. We already run 29 fully electric double deckers and we’ll be operating Birmingham City Council’s 20 hydrogen deckers when they arrive later this year. Coventry is the UK’s first All-Electric Bus City.

And the West Midlands will be putting in our ZEBRA application for many more hydrogen buses - we hope some of them will be out in service on the streets of Birmingham in time for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

So let’s deploy a different emoji to illustrate how the West Midlands is already achieving the aims of the National Bus Strategy: Simple, cheap flat fares; You can pay with a contactless card (or your phone, or a Swift smart travel card); Daily and weekly price capping across operators, tram too rail coming soon; A network that feels like a network, with easy-to-understand services, consistent high standards and comprehensive information at the touch of a phone; New green buses; Buses running faster and more reliably in special lanes; As in London, all that will need councils - who control the roads - and bus operators to work together.

National Express likes to think that those are some of the reasons the prime minister chose our Coventry bus garage to launch his National Bus Strategy (not only because he ❤ buses almost as much as we do). n

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

Transdev is back in growth mode and aiming to attract more people back on the bus as Covid lockdowns continue to loosen

TRANSDEV SENSES OPPORTUNITY We spoke to Alex Hornby and Paul Turner from Harrogate-based bus operator Transdev about their plans to grasp the opportunities of Bus Back Better

don’t think I’ve ever seen a government document, where the first three words are, ‘I love buses’,” says Alex Hornby, chief executive of Harrogate-based bus operator Transdev Blazefield.

He’s talking about Bus Back Better - the new National Bus Strategy for England - and Hornby is encouraged by those words from prime minister Boris Johnson. “The starting point is that Boris wants buses to be great, so the starting point is good to my mind,” he adds.

Hornby sees the document as a call to arms for the industry and he is keen to get cracking.

Transdev operates buses across a broad swathe of northern England - from Preston in the west to Whitby and Scarborough in the east. Within that area Transdev operates in a variety of different markets; from intense urban operations in West Yorkshire to services maintaining vital connections in the rural hills and dales of Lancashire and Yorkshire.

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The vast area within which it operates means the company has an open dialogue with a number of Local Transport Authorities (LTAs).

Transdev is speaking to them all about the immense opportunities offered by Bus Back Better.

“We’ve been very busy opening that dialogue and even going as far to help them draft their Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs),” Hornby reveals. “We don’t mind being the starting point for that. From our point of view BSIPs, and the wider strategy, are just a huge opportunity. If someone comes up to you and says, ‘Here’s some funding to make buses better, you go and devise the plan, and also do it as a partnership’, well all three of those things are music to our ears. Those three things are what we’d like to do anyway, so this is a really great place to begin.”

Paul Turner, Transdev’s commercial director concurs with Hornby’s view and believes that the bus strategy offers a huge opportunity.

Alex Hornby, Transdev's chief executive

“It’s the time for bus operators to step up to the plate,” says Turner. “For a long time there were tensions surrounding operator commitment to partnership from the local authority point of view.

Meanwhile, many operators, it seems to me, felt they weren’t getting anywhere in getting the right sort of bus priority measures in the right place. Effectively, the government has now knocked everyone’s heads together, promised funding and told us to get on with it. We’ve taken

the approach that this is what we want to happen. We’re not so arrogant that we think there isn’t more that can be done with the right investment and the right bus priority, so we know what we want to improve. I'm sure most operators know deep down what they want to improve.”

Overall both feel Bus Back Better will deliver accountability. Hornby foresees a greater collaborative approach to planning and says this is no bad thing. In his mind if the public sector is pumping funding into the industry, funding which ultimately leads to customer improvements, then there’s no harm in everyone having a say in what’s delivered.

“It means they have some sort of responsibility for the outcome,” he continues. “Also, they should have the opportunity to have their voice heard and it to be underpinned by a partnership. That’s the point; if it’s a real partnership it’s not all about what one entity wants, it’s about everyone agreeing about what is the right way to deliver a great outcome for the customer.

“If the customer isn’t mentioned enough, then I think we have a problem. It has to be about customer outcomes. We passionately feel that while bus priority is really important to customers and operators alike, what also should NOT be in there is just bringing back the network of 2018. It has to be about what we all, collaboratively, want the bus network of the future to look like and that has to be a network that achieves modal shift.”

Turner explains that Transdev has worked with customers and colleagues alike to identify what that network will look like. The aim is to probe where precise improvements can be made. It’s all part of an aspiration to grasp the opportunities offered by the strategy and to ‘do better’.

Hornby takes up the theme: “We, and other quality operators, read the strategy and said, ‘great - this confirms what we are doing is good and that will enable us to go to local authorities, point to the great things we are doing and point to what we’d like to do to improve even further’. The bus strategy enables all of that to happen and encourages everyone

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OP ERATORS T RA N SD EV

to work together to make it happen.”

Turner says that the real challenge is that Transdev already meets a lot of the aspirations contained within Bus Back Better.

He continues: “So we’ve got to raise our game even further. We were referenced for some of the great things we do a few times in the strategy. That means we’ve got to take it to the next level and think about how we do that.

That’s our challenge, but there’s other challenges too from the local authority point of view.”

The Dalesway route between Keighley and Skipton has seen capacity expanded

MAKING BSIPS A REALITY

Turner believes local authorities up and down the land will have filing cabinets full of aspirational public transport proposals that didn’t quite make the grade, quite often as a result of a lack of funding.

“It’s like a tram system really,” he says. “You always open your strongest corridor first, so lines two and three will never be as good as the first one. If you’ve got your best plan funded, in place and it’s working well, then that means you’ll have a couple of plans that didn’t quite make it in reserve - well in my mind that’s quite a good place to start. So you can dust those off, tweak them a bit and that’s a good starting point, isn’t it?”

However, Hornby fears that too many people will sit and wait for guidance before getting on with their plans. “The rules aren’t even that rigid here,” he adds. “I’ll just repeat what an amazing opportunity this is as long as we approach it in the right way. We keep being told to be ambitious - any barrier that does appear to be there is being

Contrasting operations: Transdev in Harrogate (left) and Wharfedale

£3.8m has been invested in new ‘Sky Class’ buses for the Witchway route in Lancashire

BACK TO BUS AIMS FOR POSTPANDEMIC REVIVAL SUMMER 2021

FREEEL V TRA

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Back to Bus aims to encourage a revival

With society starting to unlock as part of the UK Government's easing of Covid restrictions, Alex Hornby is keen to get the north of England back onto the bus.

He reveals that in the weeks following the reopening of non-essential retail and

hospitality, patronage has been increasing. Over 70% of fare-paying customers and 50% of free concessionary pass holders have returned when compared to prepandemic.

It is progress that Hornby is keen to build on, leading to the launch of Back to Bus – a campaign to boost patronage further with discounts and free tickets that aim to reassure customers that it’s safe and easy to travel by bus.

knocked down.”

Hornby says he does have concerns that some LTAs may have a resource issue. This is why Transdev is keen to get involved and do, as he puts it, “the heavy lifting”. “In every single one of our areas we have produced a draft BSIP of what we’d like to see,” he reveals. “We didn’t want to impose this, we wanted a starting point for constructive dialogue. We’re saying, ‘Look, this is what we think, here is what we think we can do if we work together, obviously you’ll get input and feedback from other operators as a separate process, but here’s a vision.”

This process also goes as far as offering LTAs the additional help of whatever data is needed to push the process forward.

“Fundamentally, this is essential, not only for the success of our business, but the future of the industry,” Hornby says.

Turner adds that if resource is an issue then LTAs must speak to their local operator. He says that he has concerns about just being requested to submit data, regarding patronage for example, and LTAs being unsure what it relates to. He says if that’s the case then the LTA must speak to the operator. “I have real fears about a local authority trying to work out that sort of thing and rifling through our data and being unsure about what it all means,” he says. “Well if that’s the case just speak to us! We look at that sort of thing all the time - it’s what we do.”

Hornby concludes: “It comes back to partnership, really. If you don’t have a good partnership, well build one.” ■

Paul Turner continues: “We’ve given everyone with the mobile app a free ticket – essentially it’s a taster ticket for those customers who haven’t been with us for a while. But we’re also rewarding the people who have stayed with us during lockdown too, for example by giving them 10% off a 28-day ticket.”

Hornby says the reaction to the free day ticket was extremely encouraging, evidenced by numerous social

media posts from customers using it for a day out, for example, to the seaside.

“It was clear to us that for some of those people it was the first time they’d been out in a long, long time - we’re creating memories. They’ll always remember that trip to Scarborough and they’ll remember they got there with a free ticket we’d given them.

“The bus becomes a key part of that memory; that special day.”

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missing missing pieces pieces We’re We’re proud proud to to support support the the UK UK bus bus industry through proud to support the UK bus industry through We’re We’reproud proudto tosupport supportthe theUK UKbus busindustry industrythrough through the the challenges challenges of of COVID-19 COVID-19 during during 2020 && beyond... challenges of COVID-19 during 2020 beyond... the thechallenges challengesof ofCOVID-19 COVID-19during during2020 2020& &beyond... beyond... ...there ...there are are no no missing missing pieces pieces to our Jigsaw: ...there are no missing pieces to our Jigsaw: ...there ...thereare areno nomissing missingpieces piecesto toour ourJigsaw: Jigsaw: ••Timetabling Timetabling•••Crew Crew& &Vehicle VehicleScheduling Scheduling•••Crew CrewDuties Duties&&Rostering Rostering Timetabling Crew Vehicle Scheduling Crew ••Timetabling Timetabling••Crew Crew&&&Vehicle VehicleScheduling Scheduling••Crew CrewDuties Duties&&Rostering Rostering ••Driver Driver& &Vehicle VehicleAllocation Allocation•••Driver DriverCommunication Communication Driver & Vehicle Allocation Driver Communication ••Driver Driver&&Vehicle VehicleAllocation Allocation••Driver DriverCommunication Communication • • Electronic Electronic Bus Bus Service Service Registration Registration • • TransXChange/GTFS/VDV TransXChange/GTFS/VDV ••Electronic Electronic Bus Service Registration TransXChange/GTFS/VDV • ElectronicBus BusService ServiceRegistration Registration•••TransXChange/GTFS/VDV TransXChange/GTFS/VDV •••Bus Bus Open Open Data Data Service Service Bus Open Data Service ••Bus BusOpen OpenData DataService Service •••Asset Asset Management Management • • Stop Stop Displays Displays Asset Management Stop Displays ••Asset AssetManagement Management•••Stop StopDisplays Displays •••Schedules Schedules Training Training • • Consultancy Consultancy Schedules Training Consultancy ••Schedules SchedulesTraining Training•••Consultancy Consultancy

Making Making Life Life Easier Easier Making Life Easier Making MakingLife LifeEasier Easier 0161 0161683 6833100 3100·· ·info@omnibus.uk.com info@omnibus.uk.com· ··www.omnibus.uk.com www.omnibus.uk.com 0161 683 3100 info@omnibus.uk.com www.omnibus.uk.com 0161 0161683 6833100 3100· ·info@omnibus.uk.com info@omnibus.uk.com· ·www.omnibus.uk.com www.omnibus.uk.com PT_BTBR_Ad26.indd 26

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

OP ERATORS A R R I VA

THE CORNERSTONE OF CONNECTED COMMUNITIES Paul O’Neil, managing director of Arriva UK Bus, explains why the National Bus Strategy is an opportunity to innovate and liberate growth in the sector

uses are the most used form of public transport in the UK and have been for many years. But even before the pandemic, there had been a downward trend in bus usage for nearly a decade, from well over 5.1 billion passenger journeys in 2010 to under 4.8 billion in 2019.

Falling passenger numbers hit more than just the bottom line for bus companies, it makes routes less sustainable, stifles innovation and investment in vehicles and technology, and can increase the burden on taxpayers through the need for more subsidy. It is an unvirtuous circle.

That’s why the National Bus Strategy for England and its core focus on driving up passenger journeys is welcomed across the industry. Increased bus usage is good for the economy and the environment. We also know that using public transport helps to tackle loneliness and encourages more active lifestyles. Greater ridership creates the conditions for private companies to invest and innovate in local services.

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However, we cannot deliver all of these basics by ourselves.

The strategy has formalised the new relationships that will be expected between local transport authorities (LTAs) and bus operators. Partnership with LTAs is essential if we are to deliver for communities. Arriva has a great deal of experience working in partnership with local authorities, through the voluntary partnership in Liverpool, and our experience of forming the first Enhanced Partnership in Hertfordshire. So, let’s form real quality, practicallyminded partnerships between operators and LTAs - relationships

one”. The upcoming Bus Service Improvement Plans must deliver this, including consideration of Bus Rapid Transit routes.

Getting this right will have knock on effects for the whole of society. We’ll be able to connect more people with jobs, with healthcare and with education.

And importantly, we can help the country realise its climate change targets and its economic recovery.

WE CAN DELIVER

Paul O’Neil, managing director of Arriva UK Bus: ‘We stand ready to deliver’

that recognise that heavy lifting needs to be done by all involved.

We stand ready to deliver the aspirations of LTAs and want to move at pace.

We know that road congestion puts people off travelling by bus, and we will need councils to deliver on the strategy with regards to planning ‘for bus lanes on ANY roads where there is a frequent bus service, congestion and physical space to install

“By working together, we can deliver good value for money for our customers and for the taxpayer”

By working together, we can deliver good value for money for our customers and for the taxpayer. We can drive up bus usage and get people out of their cars, which must be our number one goal. We can create that virtuous circle of increased ridership and investment. If we can deliver improved punctuality and quicker journey times through delivering the bus priority measures with LTAs, then passenger numbers will increase as people switch to buses. This will make bus services more sustainable and increase opportunities to invest in new zero emission buses and more frequent services If we can do that, we will have built a truly sustainable and robust bus network across England. n

PARTNERSHIP WORKING

While the bus strategy is welcomed, there are some important factors to make it a success. Firstly, it is important to understand what customers and potential customers actually want from their buses. We know our passengers well. We understand them, their travel patterns and where they want to see improvement, because we regularly ask them. They want bus services that deliver the fundamentals above all else, our insights show this. They want frequent and reliable services with predictable journey times and reasonably priced fares that offer value for money and provide an incentive to choose the bus over their cars.

We know that bus users want frequent and reliable services with predictable journey times and reasonably priced fares

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

UrbanThings has exclusively served the public transport sector since 2012, and our expertise has evolved to meet the needs of all stakeholders

BUS TECH BETTER: WHERE TO START? UrbanThings explores the National Bus Strategy’s technology requirements and presents a single solution to answer them

he National Bus Strategy for England has presented the industry with a major opportunity to reconsider, reinvent and vastly improve its services. However, to avoid wasting this opportunity in the future, it’s essential that we choose and embrace the right technologies today.

Much of the strategy centres around physical improvements to services on the ground something that is undoubtedly very much needed. But it presents so much more than that; local authorities and operators alike are, in fact, getting the chance to go back to the drawing board and consider how embracing the right technology now can unlock future strategic ambitions. Get this right, and we could truly leverage bus transport to its full potential.

The key to unlocking this potential is for cities to embrace a once-in-a-generation chance to take control of their data. Done correctly, integrated transport data can lay the foundation for a passenger-centric service that

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all stakeholders are doing their bit to make this strategy work by committing to provide the necessary mobility and passenger data. And only by implementing a city mobility hub can that data be centralised in order to manage all transport modes effectively, as well as monitor and deliver on the government’s key requirements.

UrbanThings have developed and delivered UrbanHub: a single solution that will exceed and centralise all of the digital requirements set out by the government, and wraparound support services to help ease the administrative burden. We’re also helping organisations to make sense of the strategy and create an informed response by providing technology consultation sessions.

is truly efficient. But if the job is done poorly, we risk the creation of fractured foundations that could cause a minefield of issues when it comes to introducing MaaS (Mobility as a Service) and demand-responsive transport (DRT) in the near future.

When formulating a technical strategy, there are many different solutions and components to consider, some of which may prove to be tempting shortcuts to ‘get the job done’ - such as outsourcing passenger journey planning to that mega-global free app provider who’s desperate for your passenger data but not so keen on handing it back.

Or taking a hands-off approach to multi-operator payments and capping; if it works, what’s the harm in leaving others to own that data?

These solutions can seem like quick wins but may prove to be a one-way ticket to nowhere. The greatest danger of all is that a city ends up being locked out of its own data.

Fortunately, the Bus Back Better strategy gives us exactly the tool that we need to avoid this: Enhanced Partnerships. This is the key component to ensure that

BRINGING REAL-TIME PASSENGER INFORMATION INTO FOCUS

There’s huge emphasis in the National Bus Strategy on improving the quality of bus information. Bus services need to be more discoverable, and both scheduled and real-time data need

to be available. This doesn’t mean just plastering them all over bus stops, although that’s mentioned too. It means getting this into a digital format for a tech-savvy audience.

Options here may include a lightweight predictions engine to generate real-time arrivals, something we recently worked with Transport for London to develop for its services to the Nightingale Hospital. Or it could mean providing a branded local app and website for passenger transport information (the national strategy calls for ‘strong local brands’ for transport). This can use a combination of GPS tracking in vehicles and BODS (Bus Open Data Service) data to provide a simple but comprehensive passenger information service that allows transport to be discovered and planned across all modes and all operators.

This could be supplemented with the provision of live predicted capacity levels, one of our most sought-after features as the public continues to be mindful of social distancing after lockdown. It shows passengers how busy a service is likely to be at the time they want to travel, not how busy it is right now which makes a big difference.

UrbanThings worked with the UK government to innovate an ‘occupancy predictions engine’ that does exactly this, and it’s now integrated into UrbanHub.

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T EC HN OLOGY UR BA N T HI N G S

And let’s not forget the important role of design and mapping! Great, well-designed network maps and timetables can make the world of difference to passengers wishing to find quick, easy answers about their journey online.

SIMPLE PAYMENTS AND TICKETING

Another item on the requirements list is modernising fares through simpler payment and ticketing options. Contactless payments are mandated, as is a commitment to move to daily capping where possible.

While contactless is certainly an easy and secure method of payment, it only goes so far in terms of meeting the key national ambitions. How do we link contactless into a city-wide account-based system, to centralise data and gain that holistic view that we need of a city’s transport?

Perhaps the simplest approach to unify these technologies is mobile.

A smartphone app or website enables users to register their contactless card, linking it to their passenger account. Registration is rapid and, over time, may become fully automated. Crucially, there are other ways that passengers can create their account, for example ‘Login with Email’ or even ‘Login with Government Gateway’. This way, there’s no longer a reliance on a credit card number to link

multimodal, multi-operator and DRT services are the end goals here. In order to meet government requirements, you need to measure and improve transport efficiency, and enable DRT alongside scheduled services.

All of this requires a central hub for your data to sit in, so that you can communicate with passengers, analyse your own data and share important elements with operators and partners alike.

people to their journeys, avoiding vendor lock-in to payment providers. Mobile also allows more versatile forms of ticketing such as flash passes or barcode tickets.

This permits easier integration of newer forms of micro mobility such as e-scooters, with one single ticket across all modes.

An account-based system such as this allows contactless payments to be captured in a centralised way, putting passenger data in one single place, where it can be accessed by both cities and operators. This provides many benefits, not only relating to efficiency improvements.

Fare apportionment is also simplified, with the possibility of usage-based apportionment that’s fair to all stakeholders.

MODAL SHIFT

Centralising data also means you have the ability to engage with passengers directly, via email, push notifications or other methods to promote local transport and encourage behaviour change.

This is essential, as another requirement set by the government is to track and meet targets to get people out of cars and onto the bus. The only way to easily deliver on those longer term objectives is through a centralised, accountbased system that allows you to incentivise individual passengers to travel more sustainably.

Easy and accessible,

Crowding predictions have been useful

“Bus services need to be more discoverable, and both scheduled and real-time data need to be available”

ONE CENTRAL PLATFORM FOR ALL KEY REQUIREMENTS

The UrbanHub solution provides one single platform to satisfy all of these technology requirements.

An all-in-one solution to help make passengers’ journeys simpler, from digital information services via boards and apps, to route planning and support. It creates easy ticketing and fares, links mobile and cEMV payment options, and provides strong, local branding through mobile ticketing apps and websites.

Data can be centralised from multiple sources through our API offering. This enables transport providers to have a single view of service performance, ticket revenue and passenger analytics, vital to making informed strategic decisions.

Passengers retain control over their personal data and processing is secure and GDPR-compliant.

The UrbanHub components are available as customisable packages for cities, local authorities and transport operators, tailored to the unique requirements of each organisation. Wraparound services such as marketing and technical support for passengers are included to ensure the successful adoption and delivery of our digital solutions.

BUS BACK BETTER TECHNOLOGY CONSULTATIONS

UrbanThings has exclusively served the public transport sector since 2012, and our expertise has evolved to serve all stakeholders: passengers, transport providers and cities. We have the technical knowledge for projects of all scopes and sizes, ranging from local bus operators to nationwide projects such as our work with the Welsh Government.

We recognise this as a oncein-a-generation opportunity for the industry to achieve Bus Back Better, and want you to take full advantage of it. So we’re offering a range of free consultations on Bus Service Improvement Plans, including technical strategy and mapping out the journey to MaaS, to help you design effective technical strategies and enhanced local partnership agreements. ■

We work on projects of all scopes and sizes, local bus operators to nationwide projects such as our work with the Welsh Government

Please visit urbanthings.co to find out more.

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People Providing £710 million in wages and employee benefits.

Economy Supporting £1.6billion in value to the UK economy and 1 in 1,000 jobs.

Creating better places to live and work As the UK’s biggest bus operator, our services help improve daily life for our customers, our people and our communities.

Environment Cutting 190,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and reducing congestion by 1.22 billion miles of traffic.

Source: Centre for Economic and Business Research, 2020; data is annualised.

stagecoachgroup.com

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

T EC HN OLOGY C I T YSW I F T

pace (3.5mph) to 13mph! These insights into what bus speeds are achievable are significant. Armed with this data, bus operators and Local Transport Authorities can sit down together and robustly analyse the benefits of bus priority interventions.

Which zero emissions technology is appropriate for which route or depot? The National Bus Strategy

Our bus data engine and suite of accompanying products can help inform big decisions

BIG DATA CAN HELP WITH BIG BUS DECISIONS CitySwift’s bus data engine can help bus operators and Local Transport Authorities to ‘Bus Back Better’. Brian O’Rourke, the company's CEO, explains how

as there ever been a more exciting time for buses in England?

And has there ever been a more challenging time?

Published in March, Bus Back Better, the UK Government’s National Bus Strategy for England sets out an ambitious vision for revolutionising local bus services.

This vision is supported by £3bn of extra government funding over three years.

Of potentially greater value, however, is the strategy’s requirement for LTAs to produce plans for bus lanes “on any roads where there is a frequent bus service, congestion, and physical space to install one”. This offers the potential to lock in journey time savings that make buses both more attractive and cheaper to run. Prime minister Boris Johnson believes that this could help turn a vicious cycle of decline into a virtuous cycle of growth.

The new strategy comes at a time when bus use remains well below normal levels. England has seen Covid restrictions relaxed but there is still a long way to go.

Coping with this alone would be an enormous and unprecedented challenge in itself - but bus operators and LTAs are also being asked to sit down together and

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produce Bus Service Improvement Plans between now and October.

We can help. Our bus data engine and suite of accompanying products can assist with the twin challenges of Covid recovery and BSIPs. SwiftMetrics delivers bus network analysis at scale, enabling users to instantly visualise detailed reliability, efficiency and demand metrics.

SwiftConnect delivers accurate bus capacity predictions on a stop-by-stop basis, for every bus at any given time.

And SwiftSchedule rapidly generates optimised timetables.

It seamlessly integrates with existing scheduling systems to accurately predict journey times based on operating conditions and passenger demand.

Using these tools, bus networks can now be optimised in a way that they never have before. Our data engine can help bus operators and LTAs to make smart choices and provide the answers to the following big questions:

pledges to support the introduction of 4,000 zero emission buses over three years. This transition will involve the analysis of huge amounts of data - and that’s where CitySwift can contribute something to the process. We can help bus operators and LTAs identify which parts of a network will be most appropriate for early conversion to zero emission buses, and whether the vehicles should be electric or hydrogen. We can then help bus operators identify what operational changes will need to be made as they scale up from a single route to a wider network; from 5% of the network to 40%, 60% and then - the big goal - 100%.

And finally, how do we reassure passengers? A Savanta Comres

Brian O’Rourke, CEO of CitySwift

“We can help bus operators and LTAs identify which parts of a network will be most appropriate for early conversion to zero emission buses”

Where should new bus lanes and other priority measures be located?

Because we’ve been analysing what happened to buses during lockdown, we now know how much time can be saved if they are able to operate in freeflowing traffic. Bus journey time improvements varied between 10% and 200% during lockdown - on one major city corridor, speeds increased from walking

Where should service provision be focussed as the world opens up?

Our data engine can suggest where the growth opportunities will be in the short and medium term.

poll in March found that 20% of UK adults say that nothing would currently encourage them to increase their use of public transport, rising to 29% of those aged 55 and over. This demonstrates the importance of making bus users feel safe something which we have helped bus operators to do by using AI to predict and share capacity levels for every bus on a stop-by-stop basis, for any specific date and time.

Bus operators and LTAs have a lot of decisions to make in the months ahead that will have a huge influence on the prospects for bus services in their areas. Great information is the key to great decisions - and our bus data engine can provide it. Let CitySwift help you to Bus Back Better. ■

Brian O’Rourke is CEO of CitySwift. He is a tech-savvy entrepreneur and former CitiBank analyst with a range of experience.

At CitiBank, he led big data and complex optimisation projects, specifically for the mobility sector.

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

HELPING THE INDUSTRY TO BUS BACK BETTER EPM Bus Solutions is well placed to help operators and local authorities alike maximise the opportunities available from England’s National Bus Strategy

he UK Government has launched Bus Back Better, the long-awaited National Bus Strategy for England, and it promises a bright future for the industry. It sets out an ambitious vision that will revolutionise the way in which local bus services are provided.

Operators and local transport authorities will work closely together to create a new environment that will spur on genuine improvements for passengers. Meanwhile, areas that choose to press ahead with franchising their local bus services will now have the means and guidance to allow this to happen.

At EPM Bus Solutions we believe we can play a key role in enabling the transformation contained in the strategy.

Our focus has always been on providing new and innovative solutions to the market that can help operators and local authorities alike drive up patronage, reduce costs and increase efficiencies. That has and always will be our focus.

But we are changing to ensure that we are better placed than ever to help the industry meet the challenges and opportunities of Bus Back Better. We recently completed the acquisition of Omnibus, one of the UK’s leading passenger transport software businesses.

Bringing these two businesses together was a really natural thing to do – after all, we have worked together very closely for many, many years and have a range of products and solutions that are uniquely complementary products.

We also have a similar ethos.

We are both deeply rooted in the bus sector and we are the experts in what we do. We create solutions that are bespoke to the industry which always consider the way in which the sector works, the legal framework and the challenges too.

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We have the knowledge and ethos that is designed to cater for that need.

So how can we help bus operators and local authorities alike capture the opportunities of Bus Back Better?

new passengers to the bus.

Traditionally, instigating and managing such a scheme was incredibly complicated, but at EPM we have a strong background in this area - we have audited a number of existing schemes for some years, working to ensure operators receive fair reimbursement. As the importance of multi-operator schemes grows and becomes a growing percentage of the average operator’s income, it’s going to become incredibly important that this process is managed fairly and transparently, backed by the very latest usage data.

“It’s important there’s trust,” says Nick Brookes, EPM’s Software Director. “As the value of these schemes from an income point of view increases, the operators need to have the confidence that they are getting a fair share of that pot. Our solutions can take ticket machine data from the operator, off bus sales data and scrutinise the usage and ensure the resulting apportionment of revenue is transparent and fair.”

The quality of data is also important, according to Aiden Proctor, Business Development Manager at Omnibus. “Bus Back Better talks a lot about redefining EBSR and I think there’s a real drive to improve the quality of the data that can be shared as part of the process. We already have Bus Open Data Service tools and our TransXChange files are comparatively data-rich, so we can really supply local authorities with incredibly high-quality data today.

That of course can also be then supplied downstream to all the other data users too.”

That downstream data will also have a place in improving information for the passenger, not only the open data that will power a plethora of journey planning apps, but in the physical displays at bus stops. Aiden explains how

DATA IS AT THE HEART

There’s little doubt that high quality planning will play a key role in meeting the ambition contained within Bus Back Better. The bus strategy calls for high quality integrated public transport. It will see what are today competing operators harmonising their networks and the creation of multi-operator, multi-modal ticketing. This will be incredibly important in helping attracting

“As the value of these schemes increases, the operators need to have the confidence that they are getting a fair share of that pot”

Nick Brookes, EPM’s Software Director

Aiden Proctor, Business Development Manager at Omnibus

Omnibus can ensure these displays are current and up-to-date.

“OmniSTOPdesign is our bus stop display solution,” he says. “You’d be amazed by how many operators handcraft the displays you see at bus stops, but OmniSTOPdesign can create them quickly and efficiently.

It can also take into account shared corridors by bringing all of the departure data together from different operators via a TransXChange file, and recognise if there’s commonality and merge them into a single timetable. It’s really very clever and the operators we’ve worked with on it are really pleased with the result. They can produce all of the bus stop displays for an entire network in the time it previously took to produce a single display manually.”

Aiden adds that Omnibus also

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T EC HN OLOGY EP M / OM N I BUS

in the local authority market working with five of the six PTEs in England - as well. Our position is that we are that trusted partner - we are able to pass across data from the operators for them to analyse and use to do the network analysis. They trust our software.

There needs to be transparency and there needs to be datasharing, but there also needs to be software tools to allow that to happen efficiently with the correct checks and balances.”

With a long background in the sector, EPM can also assist with historic data that will ensure a robust baseline. “Monitoring that going forward is going to be key,” adds Nick. “Bus Back Better requires local authorities to demonstrate improvement, so they will need to scrutinise that data on a regular basis. We are well placed to assist with that process.”

GREENER AND CLEANER – HELPING THE INDUSTRY GO ZERO EMISSION

has tools that will allow operators and local authorities alike to create an asset management database that will elevate the quality of information that is known about individual bus stops.

THE CHALLENGES OF BUS SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLANS

Data will also feed into the Bus Service Improvement Plans that are the bedrock of Bus Back Better. Their content will quite often be intuitive, driven by what customers actually ask for, but data will play a role, not only in developing the plans, but also in monitoring outcomes.

This process will begin with the baseline data that will allow those outcomes to be tracked, not only through dashboards where you can monitor the improvement on

Even before Bus Back Better, the move toward zero emission buses was already an emerging trend. The National Bus Strategy supports the introduction of at least 4,000 new electric and hydrogen-powered buses – it will be the single biggest investment of its kind in these vehicles. But how will these vehicles be integrated into the fleet of operators? It will have to consider the very unique requirements of these vehicles, after all it is not just about the range an electric bus can achieve on a single charge.

“When you talk about alternative fuels, people always immediately think of range anxiety,” says Aiden. “But range anxiety is not a new thing; after all your diesel tank can only take you so far! Our software has range parameters and it has had for years. The complications really come from a number of other things. Have you got the right number of chargers at the right location? Where is that location and will a bus have to travel to it from a terminus? How does that affect the driver’s hours?

There’s a lot of different variables coming into this.”

It means that operators may have to make some big decisions

“Bus Back Better will have dramatic impact on every aspect of bus service delivery”

a week-by-week basis, but also in the creation of reports that can track performance and demonstrate improvements against BSIP targets.

Much of this data will be created by operators and it is important that strategies are in place to ensure there is a transparent approach around data-sharing.

“BSIP stakeholders are going to need trusted partners to do that,” explains Nick. “We already work with the ‘big five’ PLCs, the larger independent operators and we’ve also got a strong presence

about the PVR [Peak Vehicle Requirement] and that could mean that additional resources will be required. It means that operators will need to undertake scenario planning to investigate what is actually achievable. “We have a package of tools in the pipeline that will assist operators in making those decisions,” reveals Aiden.

The introduction of zero emission buses will also have impacts in other areas, adds Nick.

“As operators start to invest in these vehicles they need to understand their performance,” he says. “They will also need information about what the implications for energy usage will be – some operators may end up with a mix of electric, hydrogen and diesel-powered vehicles. So they need to have the information to hand that will allow them to analyse performance. There’s a lot to think about and there are lots of positives but there are challenges that operators need to be aware of.”

THE CHALLENGE OF BSOG REFORM

One of those challenges will be BSOG, and where there are fleets comprising a mix of vehicle types, care will need to be taken to ensure BSOG calculations are correct. But there are also reforms planned for BSOG too.

Wales and Scotland have already reformed BSOG payments and there have been winners and losers from that process. It will be important for operators to know clearly what reform in England will mean for them.

“Our solutions can help manage that process,” says Nick. “It’s going to be more important than ever to ensure that operators don’t miss out on any revenue from the scheme that they are entitled to. We have unique expertise that can help.”

HERE TO HELP

Bus Back Better will have a dramatic impact on every aspect of bus service delivery, from planning through to the execution and delivery of the service. EPM Bus Solutions are well placed to help bus operators and local authorities alike to rise to the challenge and harness the opportunities. ■

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

T EC HN OLOGY F LOW B I R D

MAAS FROM FLOWBIRD - A NEW ERA OF MOBILITY Among the latest cities to benefit from Flowbird’s expertise is Monaco, which has launched Monapass, an app-based system that makes it easy to plan, book and pay for transport services

igital innovation from Flowbird is allowing cities, transport operators and passengers around the world to embrace a new era of transportation enabled by Mobility as a Service (MaaS).

MaaS brings together different modes of transport, including mass transit systems and ‘on demand’ services such as taxis, car share and active mobility such as bike share, and increases accessibility through a single user interface, such as a mobile app with journey planning.

Among the latest cities to benefit from Flowbird’s MaaS expertise is the Principality of Monaco, which has launched Monapass, an app-based system that makes it easy for residents and visitors to plan, book and pay for a range of transport services.

This includes access to fares and ticket payment for bus services, electric bike share and on-street parking, plus real-time journey planning. In addition

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OUR MAAS SOLUTION Flowbird’s MaaS solution brings together the Group’s unique and world leading expertise in transport, parking and payment systems to form a modular and flexible Urban Intelligence Platform.

MaaS requirements include smart integration, often with legacy infrastructure, so the modular approach developed by Flowbird facilitates easy access to integrated solutions and enables scheme authorities to optimise their investments in access to transport and enhance the value to citizens.

Flowbird’s MaaS platform comprises: n Passenger mobile app and web - with features and branding to customer requirements available via the App Store and

to improving the ticketing and payments experience for users, Monapass also promotes Monaco’s green and active mobility agenda, which aims to reduce light vehicle traffic by 20% by 2030.

enabling open-loop payments that permit passengers to use their bank card as a transport ticket.

Passengers simply tap on a validator with their contactless payment device (which can be an EMV card or smart device such as a phone and watch) when boarding. Flowbird technology records the transaction and defers payment automatically, so that users benefit from daily, weekly

THE MONAPASS SCHEME INTEGRATES BIKE SHARE

At the same time, Flowbird is also deploying Open Payments on to Monaco’s CAM bus network,

Monapass integrates bike share

Flowbird technology integrates the CAM bus network in the MaaS scheme in Monaco

Google Play and login via Apple, Google and Facebook credentials.

Features include Account set up and synchronisation with existing accounts; Multi-modal journey planning with real time information and availability; Ticket purchase; Wallet; Transaction history. n CloudFare - modular and multi-vendor back office architecture with Account Based Ticketing and Open Payments; Fares & Topology; Device Management; Schedule Management; Events & Alerts; Operational Reporting. n Incentivisation Engine - a platform hosting redeemable incentives to encourage users to adopt travel behaviour which helps authorities meet their objectives.

For example, a shift to sustainable modes of transport. n Scenario Engine - data-driven

‘what-if’ scenario planning and analytics tool for operators. n Consolidated Reporting - a dashboard view across all subsystems, reporting across operations, ticketing and payments. n StreetSmart Parking Solution enabling the MaaS integration of private vehicles, including on-and-off street parking, to alleviate traffic congestion. n Payment Services - a full PCI DSS certified payment solution integrating with over 30 different acquiring partners. n Multi Operator Clearing - secure financial reconciliation and settlement for operators and service providers. n Operator Services - full aftercare and support services covering device maintenance and Software as a Service management and security.

and monthly price capping rules applied to ensure they get the best value fares for their journeys.

“Monaco is the latest location to benefit from Flowbird’s flexible and evolving MaaS ecosystem,” says Paul Rogers, sales and marketing director at Flowbird.

“Successful MaaS models around the world are centered on public transportation networks.

This is because they already possess the essential building blocks for a MaaS ecosystem - modular and multi-vendor back offices, secure ticketing and payment systems, customer information processes (including apps and websites), data integration capability and established multi-operator settlement processes.

“Monaco was delivered in just a few months from project inception to go live. In the UK, central government, devolved administrations and transport authorities also recognise the potential MaaS brings for transforming ticketing and payments for multi-modal transport. This has wide ranging benefits for reducing congestion and pollution whilst incentivising active travel.” n

T: 01202 339339 E: UK-Transport@flowbird.group www.flowbird.group/transport

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

T EC HN OLOGY PASSENGER

MAKING SHARED PUBLIC TRANSPORT THE FIRST CHOICE We have to work together to encourage a fundamental shift in the way people choose to travel - an outcome that mirrors both the National Bus Strategy and UK tech company Passenger’s mission

ringing shared transport to the forefront of the UK’s travel infrastructure is a massive challenge. Building the future that we want to live in, where sustainable, shared transport is the first choice for people on the move, is critical to a planet on the brink of climate crisis.

We have to work together to encourage more than just a return to public transport, but a fundamental shift to the way people choose to travel - an outcome that mirrors both the National Bus Strategy for England, Bus Back Better, and UK technology company Passenger’s mission.

Following a year of unprecedented digital transformation, the strategy is an opportunity to universally reform provisions and reclaim the roads.

It is time to build back better, avoid a car-led recovery and ensure that buses are seen as an attractive and practical alternative to private cars.

As advocates for digital change to reduce barriers to public transport, Passenger works closely with operators, meeting their unique needs with a range of technical solutions.

“Access to public transport is crucial to the economy. Passenger offers ways for operators to share up-to-the-minute information with customers at the touch of a phone, helping empower the public to get back on buses” explains Passenger CTO Dave Hulbert.

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Combining 25 operators, routes and services, bus travel information including county-wide journey planning and real-time information is easily accessible.

“We’re guided by our knowledge of what users want, plus operators’ insight into users’ needs. This has led to products that are rated exceptionally highly and address those needs, such as bus capacity reporting, encouraging active travel and addressing first and last-mile problems by joining

“Apps and websites that include times, accessibility information, fares and live running” Bus Back Better

Tom Quay, Passenger CEO

buses up with other travel modes” explains Passenger CEO Tom Quay.

Aware of the need to harmonise aspects of operations that can differ throughout the bus industry, many of the objectives set out in the National Bus Strategy can be achieved using Passenger Premium or myTrip products.

“We want passengers to be able to plan, buy and show tickets on their smartphone for any journey, including through-trips on buses and other transport modes” Bus Back Better

We already integrate seamless local ticketing between operators, multi-operator ticketing, and can support introductory promotional offers to attract new users through our Discounts function.

Passenger offers ways for operators to share live information with customers

“Public transport should be easy to access via journey planning websites and apps, with everything passengers need to know at their fingertips” Bus Back Better

Enhanced Partnerships with Local Transport Authorities will be the first step for many operators, and in 2020, Passenger and Hertfordshire County Council launched the Intalink website.

Passenger works closely with operators, meeting their needs with a range of solutions

Seeing our environment improve following the reduction of cars on the roads during lockdowns, myTrip - the UK’s first multi-operator ticketing app - was launched in September 2020 to support operators otherwise unable to take the first step on their digital journey. myTrip was designed to give users the confidence to continue using buses and brought affordable live bus tracking and mobile ticketing to operators.

Celebrated in the National Bus Strategy were operators who modernise the passenger experience, which is exactly what Passenger will continue to do as the industry strives forward.

“I’m so excited to see a bit of oomph and ambition in the strategy. The knowledge and insights of operators will be a powerful tool in delivering its outcomes and Passenger will continue to deliver industryleading technology solutions and advocating for positive industry change” Tom Quay explains.

By changing and reforming the systems we are restrained by; government, operators and suppliers can work together to craft a future with safer streets, cleaner air, better societal equality and smarter allocation of shared resources.

Now is the time to reflect on the learnings that have been made over the past year, remove disparity and strengthen bus operations. There is a huge amount of work ahead to stop a car-led post-pandemic return to travel, but when operators and suppliers work together, the strength of that collective knowledge is a force to be reckoned with. ■

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B EG I N N I N G T H E BUS REVOLUTION

Linda McCord: ‘It is pleasing to see that the key bus improvements that passengers want align with the ambition set out in the strategy’

KEEPING PASSENGERS AT THE HEART OF PLANS FOR BUSES Linda McCord, senior stakeholder manager at Transport Focus, explains how the transport user watchdog can ensure that efforts to deliver the National Bus Strategy remain firmly focussed on passengers

he government has promised a revolution in bus services.

Can the National Bus Strategy for England really deliver more frequent, reliable, and better value services for passengers as the country emerges from Covid-19?

As we build back from the pandemic, better buses will be vital to getting people and the economy moving again. The country now faces a challenge to encourage more people to return to bus travel and increase the number of new passengers getting onboard.

Local Transport Authorities are required to publish a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) by October 2021. This is intended

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out of the Covid-19 pandemic and encourage people back onto our buses. Indeed, the key aim of the strategy is to increase patronage, in the short term to get people who used to use them back onto buses and, in the longer term, convince those who do not normally use buses to do so.

to set out how bus services will be improved in their area. It is pleasing to see that the key bus improvements that passengers want align with the ambition set out in the strategy: more frequent, more reliable, more evening services and less complex and cheaper ticketing.

Our bus insight, Bus Passengers’ Priorities for Improvement published in 2019, found that improving the bus network is by far the biggest priority for passengers.

Passengers want buses to run more often, go to more places, be on time at the bus stop, and for more of their bus journeys to arrive on time at their destination.

Delivering this has never been more important as we emerge

PASSENGER PRIORITIES

Throughout the Covid-19 crisis Transport Focus has been working to ensure transport users’ voices are heard by transport providers and governments. Our regular research reports have provided invaluable, independent evidence of transport users’ views. This ensures decision-makers can understand what transport users - and, just as

importantly, lapsed users - want, and respond to their needs.

Our latest report looks at attitudes of passengers and nonusers towards bus services since the start of the pandemic. This shows that passengers’ priorities prior to the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic have not gone away. The bus industry still needs to focus on getting the basics right: frequent, punctual services and value for money fares.

It is encouraging to see that punctuality is an area identified in the National Bus Strategy that needs addressing. Will all local authorities be able and willing to rise to the challenge? How will some local opposition to bus priority measures be tackled and

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PASSENGERS TRA N SP ORT FOCUS

how will schemes be expedited?

Could making punctuality data more transparent locally help by building accountability?

Being transparent about how punctual and reliable bus services are can give people confidence to travel more by bus. Reporting on performance within BSIPs is a good way to do this.

Measuring how satisfied people are with their bus service is critical too. The guidelines state that the BSIPs must have targets for passenger growth and satisfaction and should include details of how this will be measured.

Transport Focus is keen to help with this measurement and will develop and deliver a scalable version of the respected and industry-leading Bus Passenger Survey. This survey must be able to track, report and benchmark the core factors that matter most to bus passengers. We hope this will be adopted as a core method for use across all BSIPs to ensure consistency in measuring passenger satisfaction.

Value for money is another top priority for passengers. The bus strategy sets out an aim to see more low, flat fares in towns and cities, lower point-to-point fares elsewhere, and more daily price capping everywhere. Passengers will welcome this. In addition, our insight showed that operators should introduce, and promote the availability of, more flexible tickets which reflect new patterns of demand. These should provide attractive deals for those who are travelling two or three times a week and those wishing to make multiple trips over an extended period.

Operators should also consider increasing their promotions, such as reduced/discounted fares for a fixed period or deals for travelling to visitor attractions.

It is important that the passenger and non-user voice and experience is established in BSIPs and Bus Advisory Boards.

Understanding how this will be implemented, and how Plans will be monitored and reported on is important. Any consultation on the plans needs to give people confidence that their input is taken seriously and will be acted upon.

Requirements to monitor performance and demonstrate

passengers. This commitment is welcome. Transport Focus recent insight into accessible transport shows that more needs to be done to make this a reality. Disabled people don’t find it as easy as non-disabled people to use public transport. 53% of non-disabled respondents to the survey of our Transport Panel members said it is very easy, compared with only 36% of disabled respondents; a higher proportion of disabled respondents say it is difficult.

The reasons they gave included the distance to the bus stop being too far for them to manage and greater complexity for journeys with more than one element. A significantly higher proportion of disabled panellists reported that public transport limits their ability to go places. This means that they do not use public transport as often as they would like to and they would go to many more places if public transport was easier for them to use.

These findings highlight some marked differences between the experiences of disabled and non-disabled transport users.

Making it easier to use our buses has the potential to improve access to employment and other opportunities for disabled people - allowing more people to make more journeys. It is important that, as we emerge from this pandemic, transport operators proactively seek the views of disabled people - both users and non-users of their services - and incorporate this feedback into

improvements in local bus services, to develop a Bus Passenger Charter and to consider the views of local people all present challenges if they are to be meaningfully addressed. We are currently developing a package of passenger research and a series of guides and toolkits to support Local Transport Authorities as they develop their BSIPs. The requirement for BSIPs to commit to a Bus Passenger Charter is welcome; such charters can play an important role in clarifying passenger rights and entitlements as consumers of local bus services.

To be effective they need to contain clear commitments on punctuality

“It is important that the passenger and non-user voice and experience is established in BSIPs and Bus Advisory Boards”

and user-friendly ways of seeking redress for service failures.

Passengers will not be satisfied with area-wide targets averaging out performance across the day.

It should go without saying that charters need to be well-publicised, easy to access and to understand.

The strategy states that disabled people must be able to use bus services as easily as other

Throughout the Covid-19 crisis we’ve worked to ensure transport users’ voices are heard

their future transport plans. It’s not enough to simply go back to normal after the Covid-19 pandemic is over - services need to be better than before. We intend to follow up this initial report with a more detailed look at the findings and our other insight work.

The strategy expresses a commitment to improving the connectivity of isolated rural communities and those with infrequent and unreliable services.

It sees the potential of demand responsive services in improving provision in the countryside and in the evenings and on Sundays.

DELIVERING DRT

Demand responsive transport (DRT) has been around for a long time and can play an important role in supporting conventional bus services, filling the gaps in the network and preventing the emergence of public transport ‘deserts’. Five years ago we published the results of research into the views of users and non-users of a range of these services, concluding that while DRT can make a limited contribution to meeting the needs of isolated communities, the savings resulting from the reductions in service frequency compared with the unsustainable conventional services they have replaced came largely from meeting fewer passengers’ needs.

DRT tended to be disproportionately used by older and disabled people and there was a need to market them more effectively to younger and middleaged people. The exciting potential of the app-based services which have emerged in the last few years suggest that this message has been understood. However, despite a number of promising trials, it is not yet clear how such services can be made commercially viable.

We welcome the funding of the 17 pilot projects announced in the strategy and hope they will provide an answer.

Transport Focus wants the strategy’s ambition to succeed and passengers’ experiences to improve. We will continue to share our research and work with the bus industry to ensure that their views are at the heart of the new system. n

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