Agenda item

The Bus Partnerships Project Director informed the Board of progress against agreed targets and deliverables to improve bus services.

The current network performance was still failing to meet the Enhanced Partnership (EP) targets:

·       61m passenger journeys per year (target of 77m).

·       78.9% punctuality (target of 95%).

·       97.5% reliability (target of 99.5%).

There had been good progress in areas such as the installation of bus shelters and real time displays, electric buses, and new ticketing equipment. However, there were concerns around the lack of progress in network development, punctuality, and ticket simplification.

The Executive Director of Infrastructure & Place added that a critical part of turning the network around and improving public perception would be operators attempting growth initiatives. In response, operators advised that the last year had been focussed on recovery and although capacity had now improved, it was not yet feasible to look at expansion. The development of the network was a longer term goal.

The Chair also challenged operators on the progress of the deliverables assigned specifically to them as many operator owned actions had stalled.

Cllr Read also requested that EP commitments to progress a Demand-Responsive Transport pilot be recognised and that a location in the region be identified along with suitable funding to commence service testing.

ACTION: The Executive Director of Infrastructure & Place to explore alternative funding options to run a Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) pilot scheme.

The Bus Partnerships Project Director advised that work on the development of a single source of journey planning information was ongoing with potential providers currently being explored. The Bus Users Representative highlighted that the EP Forum had identified this as a key priority.

The First fleet had been fitted with ‘tap and cap’ technology was but was not planned to be switched on until Government’s £2 fare cap came to an end. Although Stagecoach was rolling out ‘tap and cap’ nationally, it had not yet been confirmed when the technology would be implemented on their South Yorkshire fleet.

ACTION: The Stagecoach Representative to write to the Chair, setting out the plan for the delivery of ‘tap and cap’ within Stagecoach.

The MCA exploring the procurement of a number of electronic ticketing machines (ETMs) which could be leased out to smaller operators where they were not yet installed. It was noted that ETMs also tracked vehicles in real time and would therefore improve the accuracy of this data.

On ticket simplification, TravelMaster products were being reviewed to try and make these tickets more attractive to passengers and prompt a shift in sales. This could then provide a justification for operators to withdraw their own equivalent products.

ACTION: A Working Group, including the Executive Director of Infrastructure & Place, the Bus Partnerships Project Director, Operator and TravelMaster Representatives to be set up to look at progressing the EP scheme and refreshed EP programme deliverables. An update to be provided to the next meeting.

ACTION: The Bus Partnerships Project Director to arrange a meeting with appropriate local authority colleagues to discuss bus priority measures and agree a coordinated approach.

RESOLVED that:

1.    Board members note the slippage in the delivery of the EP programme reported in this paper, and the slow improvement of performance indicators which in all instances remain below the agreed targets.

2.    All partners in the EP are again strongly encouraged to step up the delivery of agreed measures. Without comprehensive delivery, it is likely that agreed targets will not be reached, and the bus network will continue to be in a state of crisis.

3.    Operators to inform the EP Board of their plans to grow the network by trialling new services or service enhancements on a commercial basis.

4.    The Board agrees that a formal variation to the EP Scheme is commenced and brought back to the next EP Board meeting.

5.    The EP Board reports to the next Transport and Environment Board with an outline of progress based on this and other papers at this Board meeting.