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7.1 A comprehensive, high quality and affordable public transport system is required to support the SYSSV.Public transport has a crucial role in underpinning the Accessibility and Congestion strategies and will alsosupport our goals for better road safety and improved air quality.

7.2 In order that it should fulfil this role, our goals for public transport in South Yorkshire are that it should providea realistic alternative to the car, to support modal shift; provide quality transport for those without use of acar, to support social inclusion; and provide good public transport services, linking businesses with employeesand customers, to support sustainable access.

7.3 During LTP1 the performance of public transport in addressing issues affecting South Yorkshire has beenmixed. In particular, despite investment in road based public transport, patronage and reliability have declinedwhile satisfaction levels have remained low, although increasing lately. Despite these problems we remainconvinced that the success of the LTP in supporting wider objectives is dependent on securing improvements

in the quality and reliability of public transport; buses in particular.

7.4 A continuation of current trends is clearly unsustainable. Significant actions are required to reverse thedecline in bus use, while the increasing role of rail in providing an alternative to the car for longer commutertrips within South Yorkshire, and beyond, is constrained by network capacity issues that require interventionoutside the LTP process. The tram, which has so successfully taken many car trips off the roads, will bereaching capacity within a few years and requires increased capacity if it is to continue to contribute to modalshift. Extensions to the system could build on its success. In addition, demand responsive bus services,taxis and private hire vehicles provide an essential part of the integrated passenger transport network andwe will be working with local communities and operators to ensure they play a full role in delivering accessibilityimprovements where traditional bus based services are inappropriate.

7.5 Our revised Bus Strategy and Rail Plan (sister documents to this LTP) set out the framework for how thesetwo modes will contribute to the development of a fully integrated transport network.

Bus

7.6 The bus is, and will remain, the most well used and flexible form of public transport in South Yorkshire. Ittherefore forms the backbone of the LTP Strategy and improvements to the performance, quality andconnectivity of bus services are vital to the LTPs success. In particular, improvements to bus travel willallow us to make the biggest impact on LTP and wider policy objectives of:-

Modal shift

Achieving social inclusionImproving accessibility

7.7 The actions we need to take have to consider the increasing proportion of the population that have a choiceas to whether or not to travel by bus. Bus must be seen as a quality means of travel and, in particular, issuesof reliability and punctuality will have to be addressed. Our actions in respect of demand management,improving network capacity, implementing effective bus priority measures and improving how we work aspartners in delivering schemes are all part of our response in LTP2 to ensuring the bus is capable of playinga fuller part within an improved integrated transport system.

7.8 Poor access to work, education, health-care and other facilities can be a significant contributor to socialexclusion.The bus network is a key means of providing the accessibility that people need. Broadly we needto aspire to provide:-

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A network of reliable services providing access to key destinations at the times people need to travel,supplemented by and integrated with Feeder Services, Demand Responsive, Taxibus and Dial-a-Rideservices where appropriate;

Simple, understandable ticketing that provides travel at an affordable cost;

Easily available and understandable information about the services that are provided;

Provision for interchange that allows people to change between services and other public transportmodes easily and with no or minimal fare penalty;

Infrastructure provision to ensure that those with mobility difficulties can use the system;

Bus services of a high quality that are not regarded as a second class means of travel.

Bus Priority Measures

7.9 The Bus Strategy identifies that, despite many trends in favour of the car, negative aspects of increasingcar use are creating an opportunity to grow bus use in the right circumstances, with viable alternatives.However, with finite resources and funding, we need to prioritise use of our future resources where theycan achieve the best effect. We must also acknowledge that many of the actions we have already carriedout may have slowed an overall decline in bus usage but they have not yet reversed it.

7.10 Reflecting information from consultation and engagement with the travelling public (both users and nonusers of buses) to identify customer priorities the revised Bus Strategy defines the basic requirements of agood bus service.The key features are:-

Frequent during the daytime;

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Consider the case for conductors on vehicles;Availability and access to customer assistance.

7.16 Priority:Comfort and convenience across the whole journey.

Improved seating availability through larger or more frequent buses at busy times;

Larger entrances or separate bus boarding/alighting;

Close and level boarding;

New, or refurbished Disability Discrimination Act compliant vehicles to provide better entry and morespace;

Weather protection and seating at stops;

Road/Bus Lane maintenance.

7.17 Priority:Value for money.

Make it easier for customers to create personalised tickets at the lowest cost for their particular journeys;

Simplifying the ticket range as much as possible whilst seeking to retain attractive pricing;

Link future maximum fares increases to an agreed index.

7.18 Priority:Good and consistent standards of cleanliness, upkeep and information.

Regular bus and stop/shelter maintenance;

Daily cleaning of vehicles and litter collection during the day;

Service numbers displayed on front, side and rear of bus.

7.19 Priority:Safety and security throughout the whole journey and effective systems making bus use easy (i.e.it should be easy to get value for money tickets, up to date accurate information should be widelyavailable).

ADSS (Attractive, Direct, Short and Safe ) pedestrian routes;

CCTV Cameras or conductors in passenger areas;Wider availability of ticket products on bus where this can be achieved with no time or cost penalty;

More service/timetable/route information on-vehicle;

More locations to access information;

More locations to purchase tickets;

More comprehensive information;

Regular provision of updated information.

7.20 Priority:Ensure interchange is not a big barrier.

Multi-leg and through (integrated) ticketing to minimise interchange penalty;

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Integrated timetables to assist interchange;Minimise walk distances where interchange required.

New Interchanges

7.21 Priority:Improve the overall image of bus services, positively market, and promote confidence in the services.

Stronger, more effective co-ordinated marketing and promotion of public transport as a 21st

centuryproduct;

More stable and easily comprehended network, reducing frequency of service changes.

7.22 In particular our on-going QBC Programme, supported by LTP investment and linked to our congestionstrategy, will secure many of the physical infrastructure and journey time improvements needed to improvethe attractiveness and reliability of the bus. We will focus our efforts on the Key Routes, initially thoseexperiencing the worst problems of congestion and performing the most important role in terms of accessibilityand supporting the countys economic regeneration. Our measures to address congestion, including tacklinghotspots at specific locations and minimising traffic growth across the network through a mix of demandmanagement, network management and urban traffic control interventions, will bring benefits on the mostfrequent and busiest bus routes. Demand Management measures are of particular importance as thesewill help lock in the benefits of our investment in improving bus services. Chapter 9 explains in more detailour approach to Demand Management in the context of our Congestion Strategy.

7.23 As we make these improvements we must also promote the benefits of bus travel, ensuring that existingand potential customers know about the improvements we are making. We need to significantly increaseour levels of marketing, raising awareness and attracting customers to the bus.

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7.24 In developing the revised Bus Strategy for this LTP a clear view has developed that the crucial issue is howwe are to improve delivery rather than changing significantly the content of the improvement plans themselves.We are therefore developing a more focused approach to the delivery of our QBC Programme, taking accountof lessons learned during the first Bus Strategy and best practice elsewhere. This includes:-

Clear prioritisation of the actions likely to have the greatest impact for the greatest number ofpassengers, coupled with a pragmatic approach to design that will avoid high risk elements where thisdoes not seriously compromise achievement of our objectives;

Realistic programming and phasing that balances the need to address the quality issues along acorridor with achievement of a marketable overall product within a reasonable timescale;

Consideration of how available staff resource and expertise within South Yorkshire can best bemobilised, including assessing the potential of a central delivery team.

7.25 Options for improving delivery of the Bus Strategy within LTP2 are being considered in relation to thefollowing:-

Strategy Partners;

Improving Services;

Ticketing;

Information;

Investment and Funding.

Strategy Partners

7.26 Addressing the bus journey in its entirety requires the active participation of many different partners to deliverthe numerous elements that make up a complete bus journey. Different bodies are responsible, sometimejointly, for different links. Some of our lack of success in LTP1 has been due to issues of coordination andtiming of actions between different bodies.

7.27 There is also a role for other partnerships with, for example, employers, development agencies, localcommunities and bus users in delivering specific elements of the Bus Strategy, but also with other transportoperators to ensure integration with other modes of transport.

Improving Services

7.28 We are committed to improving bus services. The factors that have contributed to successive years of buspatronage decline cover a range of issues and trends, many of which relate to the growth in car ownership,changing travel patterns and rising costs of public transport compared with private motoring.

7.29 Some of the factors affecting patronage levels however relate to the way in which bus services are deliveredand the ability of the network to provide reliable journey times.

7.30 Three broad options exist for delivering improved services.

7.31 Voluntary partnerships represent the approach currently being adopted for QBC in South Yorkshire. Thisis a voluntary arrangement whereby the District Councils, PTE, Police and bus operators work together toimprove bus services through priority measures, better buses and infrastructure, driver training and ticketing.Voluntary arrangements can cover a corridor or network and are founded on the basis that joint working

achieves more for each partner than working alone.

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7.32 Voluntary partnerships also include the Punctuality Improvement Plans

a partnership agreement betweenSYPTE, the relevant Council, and bus operators. All parties to the partnership agree a joint commitment toachieving continuous improvement in the punctuality and reliability of bus services over an agreed period.

7.33 A Statutory Quality Bus Partnership Scheme (QBPS) allows local authorities to prescribe qualitystandards to be met by operators when using facilities provided by the authorities. These schemes areusually developed on a corridor by corridor basis and link patronage to infrastructure investment. Such ascheme is a development of the voluntary agreement outlined above. Both influence quality primarily yraising the standards of bus provision and infrastructure on a given route.

7.34 The principle benefit of a QBPS is to commit all parties to delivery of enhancements to infrastructure andvehicles to ensure their use. Such a scheme however cannot prescribe service frequency, fares, ticketingarrangements or the timing of services. As such, it is a tool best employed in areas where suitable network

resources exist but the quality of the product is not acceptable to passengers.

7.35 Schemes could be enhanced by additional voluntary partnership agreements with the operators. Thesewould, however, need to be within the current legislative limits of the Competition Act.

7.36 Statutory Quality Bus Contracts involve an arrangement whereby PTE franchises local bus serviceprovision. This option can only be implemented when considered to be the only practicable way to deliverthe Bus Strategy. Under a Quality Contract the PTE would determine the standards and network to beprovided and would let contracts to operators granting them exclusive rights to run specified services. QualityContracts can consider routing, quality, frequency, price and interchange efficiency with other modes therebyextending the control of the PTE over many of the areas of concern relating to current bus service provisionin South Yorkshire.

7.37 Given our commitment to improving services all these options are being considered in relation to the urgentneed to address the sharp drop of around 20 million journeys over the past five years. The implications ofthe third and most interventionist option, Quality Contracts, are being actively explored and any futuredecisions that may be taken by the Partners will be informed by the views of the industry which were formallyand widely sought early in 2006.

Ticketing

7.38 Partnerships and joint ventures offer different but not necessarily mutually exclusive approaches to developingthe ticketing range and the marketing of the constituent products. Partnership working has already securedzonal pre-paid multi modal ticketing in South Yorkshire. A more formal joint venture approach, either through

a formal agreement or the setting up of a joint venture company, would allow the local transport authorityto make a scheme under which a range of ticketing products are made available, acceptance of which wouldbecome mandatory for all local operators. A joint venture company is widely seen as an essential componentof the Yorcard (South and West Yorkshires Smartcard) programme.

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New Ticketing Initiatives

Information

7.39 This Strategy envisages a transparent, targeted information provision which will encourage modal shift andincrease the public transport market. On the basis that the Strategy creates a virtuous circle of sustainableinvestment and increased revenue to commercial operators they will be expected to provide information asoutlined within the Information Strategy to which we will also be providing significant resources.

Investment and Funding

7.40 The prioritised actions within the Bus Strategy will govern the success of the LTP given the centrality of thebus to addressing congestion, accessibility and other objectives. Successful delivery of the full range ofactions within the Bus Strategy identified above and aimed at impacting on critical performance aspects ofservice quality, quality of vehicle, value for money, convenience, interchange and information is dependenton securing capital and revenue resources.

7.41 Through the LTP, both the integrated transport block allocation for minor works and resources made availablevia the LTP for major schemes, we will seek to deploy around 125 million of capital resources over the 5years of the Plan period.

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7.42 The Bus Strategy also assumes the continuation of investment for bus services of approximately 230 millionfor the next five years on tendered and community transport services; provision of concessionary travel foreligible groups; information and marketing; customer services and maintenance of infrastructure and facilities;and driver and customer facing staff training.

7.43 Other funding sources to supplement LTP funding and our own revenue resources include:-

Objective 1 Funding (and transitional arrangements after December 2006);

Third Party Contributions;

Operator Investment.

Heavy Rail

7.44 Significant improvements to inter-regional rail links and between the main centres and RHADS are vital forthe new SYSSV. Rail can also provide an attractive alternative to the car for some local journeys althoughits role is strongest in covering longer distance travel within the sub-region and beyond.

7.45 The role of local rail services is primarily centred on improving accessibility to the key regional andsub-regional centres, for all trips, particularly for work and business trips, whilst enhancing Doncaster andSheffields role as gateways to South Yorkshire. Rails more direct routing, its higher speeds over longerdistances and its immunity from road congestion currently gives it an advantage over equivalent existingbus services and a potentially increasing advantage over the car. It is therefore able to make a realcontribution to our key aims of improving modal choice and supporting social inclusiveness and economicregeneration.

7.46 A new Rail Strategy for the next 20 years has been produced. It builds on increasing rail use and customersatisfaction levels. The Strategy takes a realistic and pragmatic approach to the development of the SouthYorkshire rail network, particularly over the short term, to ensure that the plan remains focused anddeliverable.

7.47 It sets out the plan for the future development of the rail network in South Yorkshire over a 20 year periodon a two phase approach, identifying:-

A short to medium term phase, focusing primarily on improving the quality and performance of existinginfrastructure and services and maximising their efficient and effective use, together with targetedinvestment;

A longer-term programme of prioritised investments which, over a period of 10 15 years, could radicallytransform the network such that a high quality, high frequency service linking the main centres becomesa realistic possibility by 2020.

7.48 In the short and medium term, the limited investment available for the local network will be mainly concentratedon delivering an efficient operation of the existing South Yorkshire rail network. Investment will therefore befocused on:-

Improving the reliability and general performance of the network through the new franchises particularlythe Northern Franchise;

Providing faster links between Leeds and Sheffield via Barnsley;

Securing investment to improve the standard and capacity of rolling stock;

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Improving access, standards and upgrading facilities at existing local stations;Evaluating the case for limited investment in new rail stations and bringing forward the case to secureinvestment if there is a sound business and broader policy case in comparison with the cost;

Facilitating ease of interchange between services, including the development of bus/rail interchanges;

Maximising the benefits of the significant investment already taking place in main urban centre stations;

Investigating opportunities to deliver improvements to Rotherham Central Station;

Improving ticketing and information provision;

Park and Ride expansion at some local stations;

Promotion/development of the Huddersfield to Barnsley via Penistone line as a Community RailPartnership project;

Lobbying and working with partners to secure strategy delivery and in support of longer term projects.

7.49 In the medium to longer term, the transformational agenda set by South Yorkshires Spatial Strategy wouldbe strongly supported by the establishment of frequent, reliable high quality rail services between SouthYorkshires main urban centres, urban centres in neighbouring areas, particularly Leeds and RHADS.However, it is recognised that there are significant barriers to their introduction.

7.50 In this context, the following issues have been identified as priorities for the medium / long term developmentof the network:-

Addressing capacity constraints at Sheffield Station;

Addressing capacity constraints North of Sheffield;

Access to Doncaster from Barnsley and the Dearne Valley;

Access to RHADS;

Access to and from Rotherham;

Links from Stocksbridge and Oughtibridge to Sheffield.

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Rail Station Improvements at Sheffield

Supertram

7.51 The Sheffield Supertram system already carries high volumes of passengers along key corridors of whicha significant number are attracted from their cars reflecting customers' high satisfaction levels with theservice. Making the most of this by continuing or exceeding an annual average patronage growth, whichhas exceeded 4.5% over the past 6 years, is a high priority.

7.52 The Strategy for growth includes proposals for improvements to the current system and network extensions.In particular:-

A two year refurbishment programme for the existing fleet has already commenced, to help ensurethat this continues to be a high quality system. This is being carried out by the operator under theterms of the franchise agreement.

Improvements will be made to information provision at tram stops in line with our Information Strategy.

A key limitation within a few years will be the actual capacity of the system. It may then be necessaryto add further tram sets to the existing fleet to continue this growth during this LTP period. A studyhas been commissioned to consider the business case in more detail;

Proposals to extend the system, building on its success, have been developed through a series ofstudies. They would make a step change addition to patronage growth and improve strategic linksalong the corridor between Sheffield and Rotherham in support of the South Yorkshire Spatial Strategy.A business case has already been submitted in support of these proposals. (More detail is providedin Chapter 12.)

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Supertram

Taxis And Private Hire Vehicles

7.53 Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles continue to play an essential role in delivering services that supplement thecore public transport network. Demand responsive services, which taxis make a valuable contributiontowards, often plug the gaps in the scheduled commercial public transport network and so fulfil a vital socialneed. Mainstreaming these services into the public transport network will be an important part of our effortsin LTP2.

7.54 In South Yorkshire we are reviewing the effect of our policies on taxis and private hire vehicles with reference

to how they integrate with the rest of the public transport network .We have identified each licensing authority'sapproach to the issue of licenses, whether a deregulated or a control approach is adopted by each authorityand the numbers of licences issued annually.We have established there is a need for a common sub-regionalapproach to the integration of taxis and private hire vehicles into the general public transport offer and willbe including them in our future accessibility planning work.

7.55 To improve the contribution of taxis and PHVs to our strategy we will be working with licensing authoritiesand with drivers organisations to address issues such as driver training and awareness in respect of disabledpassengers as well as the accessibility of vehicles.

7.56 During the Plan period we will be developing measures that assist in integrating taxis and PHV serviceswith public transport services and coach services as well as improving the quality and location of taxi ranksat accessible locations around the sub-region, including at major rail stations, RHADS and within our urban

centres.

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Coaches

7.57 Scheduled coach travel offers a comparatively cheap form of long distance inter urban travel and addressesthe sub-region's requirement for improved external connectivity. Our Strategy to address congestion andour commitment to work with the Highways Agency in addressing motorway congestion will see benefits forthis mode and excursion coaches, while locally, bus priority measures and enhanced facilities at interchanges,where most scheduled coach services operate from, will contribute to the improved efficiency andattractiveness of coach travel.

Community Transport

7.58 The use of conventional public transport services is often not possible for certain sectors of our community.Predominantly this exclusion tends to be as a result of disability and is closely linked with the provision oftransport services by the health sector and social services.These services provide an invaluable supplementto traditional commercial services and we will continue to support them through a range of measures in thePlan period, including through support for vehicle purchase and driver training and customer awarenessprogrammes.

7.59 A number of innovative schemes run by community transport providers in South Yorkshire also contributeto our strategy and deal in particular with issues relating to accessibility planning. For example the Wheelsto Work programme offers support to job seekers who might be prevented from taking job offers becauseof transport difficulties. Transport brokerage initiatives also allow better coordination between the servicesof different transport providers to address the accessibility requirements of a greater number of peoplemaking more effective use of vehicles that would otherwise lie idle.

7.60 Shopmobility, which provides a valuable service for disabled shoppers in our main urban centres, will continueto be supported, through our programmes to install dropped kerbs, removing clutter and improving the overallstreet environment. We will work with our partners to identify opportunities to enhance or extend theShopmobility initiative.

7.61 LAAs will provide a means by which cooperation between service providers can be enhanced as well as anopportunity to seek freedoms and flexilbilities around the use of certain classes of vehicle to improve theflexibility and range of community transport services.

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Community Transport

Targets and Indicators

7.62 Chapter 13, 'Measuring Progress', provides a fuller description of our indicators and targets, including thoserelating to public transport patronage (BVPI 102+). Appendix H provides a fuller statement of the factorsinfluencing the setting of the targets and the risks associated with meeting them.

7.63 Given the significant negative trends that have been impacting on bus travel over the past two decades,with particularly sharp decline in recent years as car ownership and traffic levels have increased, theachievement of modest bus passenger growth over the Plan period is seen as hugely challenging.

7.64 Our mandatory LTP target for public transport patronage covers all public transport modes. Stripping outour targeted growth for heavy rail and Supertram patronage leaves us with a growth figure for bus patronageof around 5.5 million passengers by 2010/11 (3.2%). Much of this growth will be accounted for by the newpassengers brought onto public transport through the national concessionary fares initiative which, from 1April 2006, gives free travel to all pensioners travelling by public transport outside peak hours. In addition,as the countys economic performance continues to improve and the overall number of trips rise as a result,public transport will inevitably take a share of that increase, our challenge being to maximise that share asmuch as possible through the measures outlined here.

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Our 5 Year Action Plan

7.65 Our 5 Year Action Plan for Public Transport can be summarised as follows:-

Bus

Continue to implement the QBC Programme, with 3 (to be agreed) fur ther corridors developed on the KeyRoutes Network;

Implement bus priority measures at hot spots on Key Routes Network;

Marketing and branding of enhanced bus routes;

Integrated Ticketing through Yorcard Project;Complete programme of interchange improvement and development;

Implement measures from the Bus Strategy;

Real Time Information;

Deliver driver training programmes in customer awareness and meeting the needs of passengers withdisabilities.

Heavy Rail

Promote further enhancement of interchange facilities;

Promote extension of park and ride facilities;

To improve capacity, address reliability and reduce over-crowding work with DfT (Rail), Network Rail andTrain Operating Companies (TOC) to pursue network and rolling stock enhancements;

Work with DfT (Rail) and Network Rail to encourage greater freight use of the South Yorkshire rail network,linked to capacity constraints being addressed at key pinch points (eg North of Sheffield Station,TransPennine routes);

Work with DfT (Rail) and train operators to improve internal links and enhance South Yorkshires links tothe national rail network.

Supertram

Pursue proposals for the extension of the tram network to Rotherham Parkgate and Sheffield RoyalHallamshire Hospital.

Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles

Pursue with licensing authorities and driver organisations measures and initiatives to make more use oftaxis and PHVs to assist in the delivery of accessibility objectives;

Work with licensing authorities and driver organisations to ensure adequate availability of accessible taxisand the driver training to maximise their benefits;

Work with licensing authorities and driver organisations to improve role of taxis and PHVs in providing orcomplementing demand responsive transport services and their integration with the mainstream publictransport network;

Recognise the importance of providing high quality taxi services through the provision of well located taxiranks with improved information and links to the public transport network, especially at key locationsincluding RHADS, main rail stations and in our main urban centres;

Extend driver training programmes to include meeting the needs of passengers with disabilities.

Coach

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Develop further drop off/pick up points for coach travellers at suitable locations in the main urban Centres,including at public transport interchanges.

Community Transport

Support work of Community Transport organisations through vehicle replacement programme and customerawareness training initiatives;

Support and contribute to 'Wheels to Work' programme and its development throughout South Yorkshireas an innovative solution for job seekers requiring access to employment outside normal hours of publictransport operation;

Promote and support the development of brokerage schemes to co-ordinate the transport activities ofCommunity Transport operators alongside Local Authority and Healthcare transport services;

Work with Government and Local Authorities to pursue appropriate changes to regulations governing theuse of minibuses. Use Well-being powers and LAA Freedoms and Flexibilities as appropriate;

Work with partners through LSP and LAAs to secure opportunities to enhance and improve Shopmobilityas well as improving street environments to assist the efficient movement of Shopmobility vehicles.

Table 7.1: 5-Year Action Plan for Public Transport


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