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NORTH SHEFFIELD STATUTORY QUALITY PARTNERSHIP SCHEME. Presentation by: David Brown To: EMTA Date: April 2007. AGENDA. Background to SQPS Why North Sheffield? Consultation The SQPS Monitoring Lessons learnt Next steps Questions/discussion. BACKGROUND TO THE SQPS.
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NORTH SHEFFIELDSTATUTORY QUALITY PARTNERSHIP SCHEME Presentation by: David Brown To: EMTA Date: April 2007
AGENDA • Background to SQPS • Why North Sheffield? • Consultation • The SQPS • Monitoring • Lessons learnt • Next steps • Questions/discussion
BACKGROUND TO THE SQPS • Dundee introduced first in Scotland under Scottish legislation • First in England and Wales • Sections 114 - 123 of the Transport Act 2000 • North Sheffield: • PTA/PTE/SCC “Made” Scheme – Jan 2007 • Implementation date – July 2007
WHAT IS A SQPS? An option to deliver the Bus Strategy….. where: • Local Authorities provide new “facilities” e.g: • improved bus stops • highway and priority measures • parking controls • improved information provision • Local Authorities “prescribe” minimum bus standards e.g: • low floor accessible vehicles • low emission engines • high standards of cleanliness and maintenance • driver training • Bus Operators “undertake” to provide services to the prescribed standard in order to use these facilities
SQPS – CAN’T COVER…. • Fare levels • Frequencies • Network + routings Fares Quality Frequency Network
WHY NORTH SHEFFIELD? • SY bus patronage falling by 2%pa – need to stop! • High population density • High levels of multiple deprivation • Low car ownership • High bus use and potential demand for growth • 40,000 households within 400m of bus stops and services (1/6th of Sheffield) • 78,000 households benefit from quality vehicles • 14m journeys on buses running in the SQPS area
WHY NORTH SHEFFIELD? • Major bus corridor • Worsening congestion/journey predictability • Area part of City Centre AQMA (issue = NOx + PM10) • 73% Sheffield bus fleet below Euro 3 standard in 2006 • SQPS affects 100 buses = 25% of Sheffield bus fleet • Passenger surveys show concerns about safety, punctuality, driver attitude
NORTH SHEFFIELD KEY ASSUMPTIONS… • The SQPS will drive up bus patronage • Better stops and shelters = 3.5% • Bus priority = 1.3% • 60% reduction in journey variation • 1min 24s journey time saving (or 5½ passenger years p.a.) • Increased patronage = bus investment affordable • Better buses = further (approx) 3% growth • Originated out of voluntary agreement with First signed 22 January 2004 • In place for 10 years - linked to DDA legislation
STATUTORY CONSULTATION • Spring 2006 - Statutory consultation (3 months formal) with statutory bodies, stakeholders and operators • Issues: - parking enforcement – commitment SCC - network stability – notification too restrictive - proportionality – cost v benefits - timescales to comply – requested longer - questioned benefits – sent for audit - review of benefits – annual reviews • Autumn 2006 - PTA and SCC Cabinet approvals gained • January 2007 - Notification period for introduction min 3 months (North Sheffield gives 6 months)
SCHEME – £2.8M PUBLIC INVESTMENT • 12km - A6135 corridor following main bus routes • Inner Ring Road to Chapeltown • Facilities (inc provision/maintenance/enforcement) • 200m new inbound bus lane • 97 upgraded stops (raised kerbs/TRO’s/shelters) - Real-time detection at 16 traffic signals • Better bus stop information • 18 Real-time displays at selected bus stops - Junction improvements and parking control
WHAT DO WE WANT FROM THE SQPS? quality not capacity…
EASY ACCESS LOW FLOOR BUS……. With thanks to DfT – Putting Passengers First !!!!!
MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT • How? – modified existing PTE surveys • Data sharing agreement • Agreement (almost) with Operators on protocols, with Appeal prior to going to Traffic Commissioner • Sanctions – Traffic Commissioner can: • fine for non-compliance • withdraw operators licence
NEXT STEPS • Consulting on: • Doncaster Interchange (June 2006) • Barnsley Interchange (May 2007) • A638 QBC (April 2008) • Other QBCs… • Operators say: • Euro 2 challenging • Euro 3 impossible (Supported services could cost PTE extra £1.8m) £ Quality
LESSONS LEARNT - EXTERNAL • Operator pre-consultation not taken seriously • Operators didn’t plan their investment • Locally Operators may not control Group investment • Critical to match Operators’ Capex bidding round dates • Despite consultation…. still arguing about standards: • CCTV provision - hours/minutes before PTA approved • Duration - Operators complained when 5 years due to investment payback, we increased to 10 yrs, then they objected wanting 5 yrs! • Operator poker (threats to divert/deregister) • Small local Operator withdrew from area (no problem) • Need to have a survey regime (or cost it into the scheme) • Agree monitoring/enforcement process earlier • Risk fares go up to fund investment
LESSONS LEARNT – PROCESS/INTERNAL • Why so detailed spec? … Time will tell… • Can’t use bus age as a proxy for quality (OfT) • Avoids misunderstanding and confusion • Consultation responses pushed us further this way • Consultation – detail costs and benefits clearly, know who/how affected (e.g. right Euro engine, CCTV etc.) • Infrastructure delivery – controlled timescales • By-pass routes need infrastructure too! • External road scheme further delayed • Lack of Traffic Commissioner engagement = risk • You have to pay for tendered service upgrades (North Sheffield costs us £285,000 annually)