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ITEM EX7

EXECUTIVE – 2 APRIL 2003

BUS STOP STANDARDS AND PROCUREMENT OF BUS SHELTERS

Report by Assistant Director of Environmental Services (Transport Development)

Introduction

  1. The purpose of this report is to present progress being made with the Council’s Bus Stop Standards and Bus Shelter Procurement strategy. The report asks the Executive to note the progress being made with producing a definitive Bus Stop Infrastructure Standards document and to authorise officers to proceed with a negotiated procedure for the procurement of new bus shelters across Oxfordshire.

    2. Background

  2. The provision of high quality bus stop and shelter facilities is an integral aspect of the Council’s general policy of encouraging Oxfordshire residents to choose the bus for many of their travel needs. Whilst the 50% growth of bus travel in the County in the last decade is encouraging, the general standard of bus stops and shelters can only be described as highly variable, in many cases providing a very poor contrast to the quality of bus service on offer. The Local Transport Plan sets targets for growth in bus passengers and the new PSA commitment is for 13% growth in the next three years.

  3. Historically, the County Council has had little direct influence in the provision of bus stops and shelters, although since 2000 it has provided some financial assistance to Town and Parish Councils through its Bus Shelter Grant Scheme. While the County Council and other Councils have concurrent powers, the County Council currently has no responsibility for maintaining and cleaning any shelters in Oxfordshire. The Premium Routes report by Colin Buchanan and Partners identified the need for the Council to become more proactive in setting higher standards and in facilitating the provision of much better bus stop infrastructure facilities as a contribution to encouraging growth in bus travel through the Premium Route concept. Members approved the ‘in principle’ inclusion of Premium Routes schemes in future transport capital programmes at the 18 February meeting. The Council is developing proposals for displaying real-time information at bus stops, and this will necessitate the introduction of new shelters at many stops.

    4. The Bus Stop Standards and Shelter Procurement Study

  4. Consultants Halcrow were commissioned last year to investigate how this Council could facilitate higher standards for Bus Stop Infrastructure and Shelters. A draft design guide for stop and shelter layouts has now been produced after considerable discussion with stakeholders. Consultation is underway on the revised draft, with a view to printing and issuing it to relevant parties this summer. A copy of the draft guide has been placed in the Members’ Resource Centre.

  5. The consultants have also researched arrangements for the provision and maintenance of bus shelters across the County, and have advised on alternative procurement models elsewhere in the United Kingdom. It has been estimated that there are currently over 800 bus shelters in Oxfordshire. These have been procured by no less than 150 different local Councils. Oxford City Council is responsible for almost 40% of these, the remainder being the responsibility of Town and Parish Councils. Several of the larger Councils have procured some of their shelters through advertising contracts.

  6. The larger Town and Parish Councils and the Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils were invited to a seminar on 3 March 2003, where the County Council’s aspirations for higher infrastructure standards were expressed in the context of the Premium Routes strategy and the Council’s targets for growth in bus usage. Those present were taken through alternative models for shelter procurement. There was general agreement that the County Council should investigate the possibility of negotiating a county-wide contract for the provision and maintenance of advertising and non-advertising shelters, for those local Councils wishing to opt in. Furthermore, local council representatives generally welcomed this County initiative towards achieving higher standards for bus infrastructure.

    7. Environmental Implications

  7. One explicit objective of the Premium Route concept is to achieve a substantial growth in travel by bus rather than by the private car, which should have a beneficial impact on the environment, reducing future total vehicle movements and emissions. The Premium Routes strategy has been identified as the single largest tool for the Council to achieve its Road Traffic Reduction target of reducing traffic growth to half of that previously forecast and boosting bus use. It is envisaged that better bus stops and shelters selected from a range of standard designs available, will not have an adverse effect on the visual environment. In many sensitive locations, such as in a number of streets in central Oxford, advertising panels on shelters would be inappropriate. Advertising panels, but not shelters, are subject to planning control.

    8. Financial Implications

  8. Given the existing contractual agreements between a number of local Councils and advertising companies it is virtually impossible for the County Council to issue a conventional tender invitation for a county-wide contract, since the full financial implications would be subject to negotiations with all the other parties involved. Our consultants have advised that the EU negotiated procurement procedure is the best method of extracting the maximum financial benefit for the people of Oxfordshire. Appropriate suppliers would be invited to put forward proposals, and following discussions with all the parties involved, we would be able to move towards selection of the most suitable partner for the County Council.

  9. Early indications are that there would be significant financial benefits from proceeding with a negotiated procurement procedure for the provision of new bus shelters across Oxfordshire. This procurement route can only sensibly be pursued with the consent of those councils currently responsible for bus shelters, and it would be desirable, but not essential for all to ‘opt in’ to a county-wide system. Significantly, there would need to be provision within a new Countywide contract to ‘buy out’ the remaining term of those local Councils currently procuring shelters through an advertising contract who wish to ‘opt in’ to the new countywide scheme.

  10. There is considerable evidence elsewhere that for a contract of this size, providers of advertising shelters would provide and maintain a considerable number of additional ‘non advertising’ shelters suitable for sensitive locations or for bus stops in residential areas remote from the arterial roads generally favoured by such companies.

  11. Whilst it is difficult to put a figure on the extent of these financial benefits, it is anticipated that up to 50% of shelters along Premium Routes could be procured at no cost to the Council through such a negotiated procedure, a benefit which could be worth at least £2 million of avoided capital investment, and more significantly, the supplier would be responsible for their cleaning and maintenance. The actual capital and revenue implications would only become apparent during the negotiated procurement process. It is likely to take many months of discussions and negotiations before all of the costs and other implications become clear. At that stage I would report back to the Executive with a recommendation as to whether or not the Council should proceed towards securing a contract. If the terms were unacceptable, there would be no requirement for the County Council to proceed further.

    12. Staff Implications

  12. The pursuit of a negotiated procurement procedure for new shelters will create a considerable amount of work both within the Environment and Economy department and the Council’s Legal Services division, although it is anticipated that Halcrow will continue to assist in advising the Council.

  13. There will be a continued client role within the Public Transport Development section to administer any new contract, once in place, and to coordinate requests from local councils. At this time, it is believed that this duty can be absorbed within existing staff levels.

    14. RECOMMENDATIONS

  14. The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

          1. note the progress towards the production of a Bus Stop Infrastructure design guide;

          2. authorise officers to pursue a negotiated contract procedure for the procurement of new bus shelters for the Premium Routes Network and elsewhere in Oxfordshire; and

          3. ask officers to report back to a future meeting on the full financial implications of entering into such a contract.

EDDIE LUCK
Assistant Director of Environmental Services (Transport Development}

Background papers: Draft Oxfordshire Bus Stop Infrastructure Design Guide (Halcrow, March 2003)

Draft Bus Shelter Procurement report (Halcrow, March 2003)

Contact Officer: David Taylor Tel: Oxford 816519

March 2003

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