Innovations - Service deal to try to increase bus use

Adam Branson, Regeneration & Renewal, 6 June 2008

The Sheffield Bus Agreement sets out the steps the three bodies are willing to take to improve local bus services. A year since its signing, the agreement seems to be working. The number of people using Sheffield's buses has increased (albeit by just 0.4 per cent), levels of customer satisfaction are up, and the reliability and punctuality of services have improved. SYPTE director general David Brown answers our panel's questions.

Q: An increase of 0.4 per cent doesn't sound like much. Are you convinced that the agreement is having the desired impact?

A: The headline figure of a 0.4 per cent increase in passenger journeys doesn't sound huge, but it does correspond to more than 200,000 extra journeys last year. Also, you have to take into account what the situation was like before we introduced the agreement. Previously, we had seen a substantial decline in the level of bus use, which had been falling by about four per cent a year.

Q: Do you think the public sector got a fair deal? What did First Group bring to the table?

A: First Group agreed to run a network of services, and that those services - routes and number of buses - wouldn't change for 12 months. It also agreed to set prices for a year. Previously, the group made constant changes to prices, routes and timetables, and as a result the service was unpredictable. First Group also agreed to bring 3,000 new vehicles into use over the year and to equip buses with security cameras. Finally, it agreed to send its drivers on customer service training - there had previously been a lot of complaints about rudeness. In return, the council said it would tackle congestion hotspots by providing more bus lanes and ensuring that they are policed. The council also agreed to pay to make waiting areas at bus stations and bus shelters more comfortable.

Q: What does First Group get from the agreement?

A: It gets more passengers, for a start. Also, while most routes can operate as commercial concerns, some are simply not profitable throughout the day. So we put up some money to ensure a sufficiently regular service on uncommercial routes or those that lose money at certain times of day. The agreement also benefits First Group's drivers. The customer service training, which is provided by the council, can form the basis for further study: drivers can go on to gain NVQ accreditation.

Q: To what extent were the people of Sheffield consulted on the agreement?

A: We consulted residents extensively on what they wanted from the bus service, and what would persuade them to use buses instead of cars more frequently. The consultation we did was also extremely useful in establishing which congestion hotspots were causing the most problems along bus routes.

THE PANEL

Questions were compiled with help from Andy Southern, managing director of transport planning at Atkins Highways and Transportation, and Sharon Clarke, Worthing town centre manager.

Contact us: If you know of an innovative scheme that merits closer scrutiny, email Adam Branson at adam.branson@haymarket.com.