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A High Quality Public Transport System for the Crawley, Gatwick, Horley Area. Government Policy. National policy ‘From workhorse to thoroughbred’ bus policy document 1999 ‘The 10 year transport plan’ 2000 Regional policy SEEDA’s regional transport strategy 1999
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A High Quality Public Transport System for the Crawley, Gatwick, Horley Area
Government Policy National policy • ‘From workhorse to thoroughbred’ bus policy document 1999 • ‘The 10 year transport plan’ 2000 Regional policy • SEEDA’s regional transport strategy 1999 • RPG9 planning policy guidance 2001
Local Policy • Local transport plan • six objectives • choice • safety • integration • environment • economic • accessibility • Crawley Urban Transport Plan • Crawley Horley Gatwick Integrated Transport Plan
Early Development 1995/95 • Major review of Crawley’s existing transport network through a local consultative forum ; 1996 • Crawley Transport Plan identifies need for a radical improvement in PT provision. Plan also recognised the relationship in terms of travel demand between Crawley, Gatwick Airport and Horley; 1997 • Local Authority and BAA partnership established • Feasibility study commissioned to consider all options including trams. Recommends a bus based solution inc. bus priority & dedicated road space; • Integrated Transport Plan covering wider area published.
Development continued ….. 1998 • second consultants’ study confirmed the principle of developing a bus based system of core routes • partnership widened to include British Airways, Go-Ahead and Metrobus. 1999/00 • Submissions to DfT via Local Transport plan for approval and funding contributions
Expected Growth • Large housing allocations expected in the Crawley, Gatwick, Horley and East Grinstead area; • Continued growth in business, retail and leisure sectors in Crawley; • Gatwick Airport to grow as a single runway two terminal airport handling up to 40 million passengers per annum by 2010.
Why a guided bus ? • Greater accessibility/maximum penetration into residential areas • greater flexibility for route choice and design • no costly infrastructure constraint • minimised land take (generally within existing highway boundary through road space re-allocation) • requires no special powers to implement (although Rail Inspectorate approval required) • deliverable at an affordable price and in a comparatively short time
Fastway Objectives • Widen travel choice • Improve road and personal safety • Integration • Economic performance • Environmental enhancement • Accessibility
Fastway is … • A new fast, frequent, reliable and high quality bus service between key origins and destinations • a major integrated transport system - an ‘intelligent’, comfortable and efficient alternative to the private car • equipped with the latest ‘smart’ technology such as • real-time passenger information • automatic vehicle location to help maintain schedules • dedicated lanes and priority at traffic lights
Modal Shift Benefits By 2008, it is predicted that Fastway will :- • remove 1000 car trips from the Fastway corridor in the peak hour • increase peak hour bus use by 60% • increase daily bus use by 29% (5500 trips) • achieve 9000 passengers per day • significantly reduce traffic growth that would otherwise prevail
Fastway Firsts • the first in south-east England; • the first in the world to be built outside a major city; • the first in the world to be built by a partnership of local • authorities and private companies; • the first in the world to serve an international airport; • the first in the world to be built from the start as an integral part • of a hi-tech public transport system incorporating automatic • vehicle detection and pre-trip and in-trip passenger information • as well as automatic traffic signal priority; • and …. • the seventh permanent bus ‘guideway’ in the world.
Fastway Partnership • West Sussex County Council • Surrey County Council • BAA London Gatwick • Crawley Borough Council • Reigate and Banstead Borough Council • Metrobus • Go-Ahead • British Airways • Department for Transport
Phasing Phase 1 • Bewbush to Crawley town centre • Crawley town centre • Gatwick Airport Phase 2 • Town Centre to Manor Royal Estate Phase 3a • Gatwick Road • Horley Phase 3b • Town Centre to Three Bridges Station • Hazelwick Avenue
Technical Stuff • Core Route (24km) comprising of • 11km of bus lane; • 2km of concrete guideway with 180mm kerb guidance; • 40 modified junctions; • improved pedestrian and cyclist facilities; • an Urban Traffic Control system; and • Real Time Passenger Information both at stops and on buses
Issues • construction works • shelters • bus gate • vandalism • funding • flexibility • taxis
Procedures & Initiatives • Appointment of Specialist Communication Agency • A full time Customer Care officer to manage community relations • Promotion and marking of the Fastway brand • Use of Engineering Construction Contract - offers partnering opportunities • Adoption of CIB considerate contractor scheme • A ‘Fastway Team’ partnership • Achieves best practice as promoted by Commission for Integrated Transport
Landscaping • Extensive clearance of mature trees required as part of advance works • Replaced on a two new for one old basis Tilhill
Costs and Funding • Private / public funding package of £32 million • £16.4 million of government support • £15 million from private sector anticipated • BAA gatwick commitment reaffirmed • Operator commitment • S106 development contributions……...
Funding Infrastructure • Dept for Transport £16.6m £19.5m • West Sussex CC £0.6m £5.5m • Surrey CC £0.5m £1.0m • BAA Gatwick £4.0m £1.0m (off airport) • Developer Contributions £7.2m£3.0m £28.9m £30.0m +£3m on airport BAA Vehicle Costs • Metrobus £3.0m
Early Conclusions Fastway :- • has the potential to have a real impact in meeting future travel needs in the Crawley Gatwick area • will help, through modal shift, to reduce the growth in traffic otherwise predicted in the area; • will enable Gatwick Airport to continue to grow and will facilitate other sustainable developments in the area; • fully meets the government’s transport agenda of providing people with choice and travel opportunities for those who might otherwise be excluded; • achieves best practice promoted by the Commission for Integrated Transport through integrated institutional and funding arrangements, providing public transport co-ordination, quality and affordability and making balanced use of street space.
Early Conclusions “The Fastway partners are delivering an exciting project that is well supported locally. It has raised many challenges and continues to raise diverse challenges for technical experts and politicians alike as it progresses.”
The Fastway QBP • Took over from Steering Group • Protect brand and develop the concept • Surveys and comparisons • Strong growth has continued • Strong partnership approach has continued • From workhorse to thoroughbred to stud