Our Vision for South Rotherham and Sheffield

Information BookletSummer 2010

Improving your Bus Travel

INTEGRATED TRANSPORTAUTHORITY

Meadowhall

This booklet sets out our proposals of a vision for future bus travel in South Rotherham and Sheffield. It introduces plans to improve the quality, performance and value for money of the bus network in order to make bus travel in South Rotherham and Sheffield more attractive.

We would welcome your comments on our proposals and will use them to further develop our plans.

South Rotherham and Sheffield are home to many successful companies in the engineering, technological and creative industries and over the next few years these areas will attract increasing levels of investment, creating many new job opportunities.

As a result, there will be a growing requirement for a bus network capable of meeting the needs of people to access jobs, schools, hospitals and leisure activities.

Unfortunately, in recent years, the number of people using buses in South Yorkshire has been declining and the number of cars on the road has increased. This has led to increased traffic congestion, slower journey times, increased fares and falling levels of customer satisfaction.

Passenger satisfaction surveys tell us that there is much we can do to attract people onto the bus and away from the car. In response to this challenge, we have designed this package of proposals in order to address customer concerns and make bus travel a much more attractive, accessible and enjoyable experience for everyone.

Introduction

do we need toimprove

Why?the bus network

2

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Our vision includes:

• An improved bus network across South Rotherham and Sheffield that strengthens links to many communities.

• Introducing a brand new fleet of fully accessible and environmentally friendly buses for every route.

• A simplified fare system with discounts available for passengers who use a smartcard to pay-as-you-go across the network.

• Improved connections to other bus routes by allowing passengers to use one ticket, avoiding the need to pay twice.

• Improved punctuality and reliability.

• Improved security through the use of CCTV on all buses.

• Consultation with stakeholders and bus users on changes to services, routes and timetables. These would be limited to once per year.

• One point of contact for all travel enquiries in South Yorkshire.

would we likeWhatto do?

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The proposed bus network provides the essential links required by communities in South Rotherham and Sheffield and will give residents improved access to the following:

• Job opportunities • Healthcare • Education • Shopping and banking services • Leisure facilities A good bus service is essential for communities to be strong and prosperous and it is our intention to create a bus network that has a local focus. We have divided the network into 7 areas, as highlighted on the map below.

does the proposedbus network

What?look like

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South Rotherham

North EastShe�eld

NorthShe�eld

North West She�eld

South West She�eld

South EastShe�eldSouth

She�eld

?We looked carefully at the existing network in South Rotherham and Sheffield and are proposing to make the following improvements:

• Identify routes where there are currently too many buses running and provide a more consistent service using fewer vehicles.

• Ensure that each community has the level of service best suited to its needs.

• Provide common sense network links that maximise accessibility to key destinations.

• Invest additional resources into areas with a specific need for better service.

• Strengthen circular services so that they provide access to nearby communities that are currently not on the bus route.

did we designnew network

Howthe

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For each area, there is a detailed network map. To look at these maps you can:

Visit www.busvision.co.uk

Call the information line on 0800 028 8141 to request copies of the maps.

Visit any of the our eighteen exhibition detailed onthe back page of this booklet.

By simplifying the bus network, new fares and tickets would be introduced that make travelling by bus more affordable and more convenient.

The new fares system would accept cash and also offer discounts for using a smartcard. The cost of a bus journey would depend on whether you used a smartcard or not and how far you travelled.

A smartcard is a pay-as-you-go card that passengers would be able to use to pay for their journey by using electronic readers on the buses. The card would register when a passenger boards a bus. Passengers would be able to top up their smartcard online, at kiosks in the bus interchanges and local shops in Rotherham and Sheffield.

There would be different fares for different journeys based on different travel zones; if a passenger travels anywhere within one zone, it would be one set fare. Travel within two zones would be another set fare. There would also be day, weekly and monthly tickets available that could be used across the bus network. This system is currently being used very successfully for journeys by bus, tube and train in London, known as ‘Oystercard’.

The zone-based fares would only apply to journeys between one to three miles. For example, if you travel to your local shops (a journey under 1 mile) you would be charged a single zone fare. But if you travel to a suburban shopping area and have travelled between one and three miles then you would be charged for travelling within two or three zones.

The table on the following page gives you an idea about how the fares could look under the new system at June 2010’s prices.

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would thenew bus fares

How ?system work

Child, senior citizen and disabled concessions would continue as now, although there is no guarantee that free concessionary travel legislation will not change in the future. The zones and fares will be developed as part of the proposals.

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If you travel... SmartcardCash Single

Single Day Week Month

Within Sheffield city centre

To your local shops (typically 1 mile, within one zone)

To a suburban shopping centre (over a 3 mile distance, over two zones)

To Sheffield city centre from anywhere in the Sheffield network

Through Sheffield city centre

Between Sheffield city centre and Rotherham town centre

70p 60p

£1.60 £4.00 £60.00

£16.00

(£10 for

one route)

£2.00 £19.50 £74.00

£1.10

£1.50

£1.80

£2.20

£2.50

Meadowhall

A new fares system would deliver:

• Reduced Waiting Time The amount of time it takes for people to get on

and off the bus would be reduced because more passengers would use a smartcard to pay for their travel. This will make journeys quicker and cheaper and make it easier for bus services to run on time.

• Capped Fares For those using a smartcard, all journeys taken

within one day on the South Rotherham and Sheffield bus network would be capped at £4.00 (based on today’s prices) no matter how many journeys were made.

• Single Ticket A single ticket would allow you to travel anywhere

on the network, even if you have to change buses. • Flexibility Day, weekly or monthly travel passes could be paid

for by using a smartcard and could be used on all of the routes on the bus network and across all zones.

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are the benefitsWhat ?of a new fare system

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A brand new fleet of fully accessible, more environmentally friendly buses for every route in the network.

Every bus in the South Rotherham and Sheffield network will be fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act, which will improve accessibility for everyone. The new vehicles would also have engines that meet the latest exhaust emission standards, which will help improve the air quality. All vehicles

will also be fitted with satellite positioning equipment that provides real time information to passengers.

We will aim to make these services more reliable by working closely with the bus operators and Rotherham and Sheffield Councils to keep services to the scheduled timetables.

Improved punctuality and reliability.

Our new ticketing scheme will allow you to buy a single ticket between any two locations on the network, even if this involves a change of bus.

Improved connections to other bus routes with ‘through ticketing’, avoiding the need to pay twice.

ofThe benefits

our vision

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All of the buses will be fitted with internal and external CCTV, which will improve the personal security of staff, passengers and vehicles.

Improved security through the use of CCTV on all buses.

Consultation with stakeholders and bus users on any proposed changes.

If changes do need to be made to a route, these will be presented to the local public so that we can gather their views and feedback before making a final decision.

We will combine resources to improve the way you access information about travel in your area. You will have a single point of contact for all your enquiries.

A ‘one stop shop’ for all travel enquiries through Travel South Yorkshire.

Alongside punctuality and reliability, it is important that services are not changed too often and that there is a sense of stability. We would make any changes to a timetable or route only once a year and only following public consultation in the local area.

Changes to services limited to once per year.

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The consultation will end on Friday 3 September 2010. We will then consider the feedback and prepare a report that will highlight the views of the people of South Rotherham and Sheffield that have responded to the consultation.

The report will then be used as a basis for us to work with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Sheffield City Council and the bus operators to improve bus services in South Rotherham and Sheffield.

What happens next?

This is your opportunity to let us know what you think about our vision to improve the bus network in South Rotherham and Sheffield. To have your say you can:

If you require this leaflet in large print or Braille, please call 0800 028 8141

For further information and to request a network map, please:

Write to FREEPOST BUS VISION.

Request a response slip by visiting one of our information centres or calling the information line on 0800 028 8141

By visiting www.busvision.co.uk

By meeting the team at one of the exhibitions listed on the back page of this booklet.

Have your say

Call freephone 0800 028 8141

Emailyoursay@busvision.co.uk

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