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ITEM EX11

EXECUTIVE – 8 JULY 2003

PREMIUM BUS ROUTES NETWORK

Report by Assistant Director (Transport Development)

Introduction

  1. At its meeting on 15 April 2003 the Executive approved a Project Appraisal and allocated £650,000 for 2003/04 for the Premium Routes project, following earlier consideration by the Executive on 18 February 2003.

  2. The purpose of this report is to propose a programme for development and implementation of the project for the next three financial years.

    3. Background

  3. County Council policies are supportive of public transport in Oxfordshire, as a means of delivering personal mobility and maintaining a high-quality physical environment. Of particular note is the inclusion of public transport as a Target within the Public Service Agreement (PSA) now negotiated with Government, which commits the County Council to deliver a 13% growth in bus patronage between 2003 and 2006.

  4. It is considered that the Council can best achieve this target, at moderate cost, by focussing attention onto a limited number of busy transport corridors with a potential for modal shift from car to bus. The potential for such a shift has already been identified in the ‘Premium Routes and Interchanges Study’ which was completed by Colin Buchanan and Partners and approved by the former Public Transport Sub-Committee on 17 May 2001.

  5. The Premium Routes report identifies a core network of high frequency routes that could be commercially self-sustaining by 2011, given some capital investment to provide bus priority measures and quality stop infrastructure; and ‘pump priming’ revenue funding for some alignments to bring the frequency of buses on all routes up to a ‘turn up and go’ threshold of four buses per hour. The routes which make up the Premium Routes network are listed in Annex 1, with a brief commentary on each. This is not intended to be a full description of the measures proposed, many of which will emerge from feasibility studies and consultation.

  6. It is anticipated that Quality Bus Partnerships will be negotiated with operators as the Premium Route network is delivered, on the basis of an overarching agreement regarding common aims and principles, and with specific detailed annexes for each bus corridor. A Quality Partnership is a public-private agreement where the County agrees to invest in improved infrastructure to facilitate effective bus operation (e.g. bus priorities, stops and shelters) whilst the operators agree to provide a bus service of an agreed quality and minimum frequency). Certain partnership aspects, such as information and publicity, are to be jointly provided.

    7. The Implementation Programme

  7. The Executive report of 18 February 2003 included a list of identified Premium Routes for development over the next eight years. These routes include all of the urban and inter-urban links within the County expected to sustain a daytime frequency of four buses per hour by 2011. The list appended in Annex 1 includes all of the main radial routes into Oxford, links from surrounding country towns and some urban routes into Banbury.

  8. The Executive report estimated that the capital cost of implementing the entire Premium Routes Network, as recommended by Buchanan and Partners, would be £12.6 million, to be achieved over 8 years. This amount comprised £5.1 million of measures to provide priority measures for buses (such as new bus lanes and bus-actuated traffic signals), £5.5 million to improve the quality of bus stops (such as new shelters, better seating, lighting and information displays) and £2 million for enhanced facilities at interchanges.

  9. A project appraisal for the Premium Routes proposals was incorporated in the Transport Capital Programme report to Executive on 15 April 2003. This appraisal was based on indicative annual capital expenditure of £650,000 in 2003/4, then £1.5 million in 2004/5 and 2005/06, £1.75 million in 2006/7, 2007/8, 2008/9 rising eventually to £1.85 million in 2009/10 and 2010/11. It is anticipated that the £12.6 million overall cost will be moderated by developer contributions. It is also hoped that the cost of providing better bus stop infrastructure will be reduced by the successful negotiation of a county-wide bus shelter contract.

  10. Annex 1 lists each section of the Premium Routes Network with a brief commentary on associated constraints associated with each scheme. These reflect the following influences:

        1. a Premium Routes Planning Day in July 2002, to which operators and relevant Council officers were invited;

        2. timescales of planning other important initiatives, such as ITS / OTS strategies;

        3. indicative GTE planning timescales;

        4. A40 corridor review;

        5. feedback from certain District and Parish councils;

        6. current service frequencies and likelihood of commercial enhancement;

        7. views of bus operators;

        8. a logical sequence of delivery, maximising the return on the investment.

  11. From these notes, recommended designations of ‘early’, ‘medium term’ and ‘longer term’ have been attached to each Premium Route scheme. An ‘early’ designation denotes a need to commence feasibility work in the 2003/04, 2004/05 or 2005/06 financial years. In some cases, it is anticipated that work would be completed during this three year period, but for many schemes implementation would be in 2006/07 or beyond. To achieve maximum benefit, it is suggested that the full package of improvements on a given corridor should be broadly delivered at the same time, rather than scattering the investment piecemeal across the Network. In reality, some improvements will go forward well ahead of others for differing reasons. However, inevitably some routes will not see much investment until towards the end of the programme.

  12. The proposed programme for 2003/04 to 2005/06 is set out in Annex 2 (download as .doc file), and includes a wide range of Premium Routes across the County, each with an indicative timescale for delivery. Most of the Premium Routes require considerable feasibility work being exposed to scrutiny through public consultation. Further details of measures and timescales for each route will only become clear during the feasibility and consultation stages. It is proposed that, in addition to individual schemes being considered by the Transport Implementation Committee after public consultation, the programme be reviewed and updated annually in the light of capital allocations made by the Executive each Spring.

    13. Environmental Implications

  13. One explicit objective of the Premium Routes Network is a substantial modal switch from car to bus, which should have a beneficial impact on the environment, reducing total vehicle movements and emissions. It is envisaged that better bus stops and shelters, within a range of standard designs, will be provided, that do not have an adverse effect on the visual environment.

    14. Financial Implications

  14. The capital estimate of implementing the whole Premium Route programme is estimated at £12.6 million. Annex 2 illustrates the proposed programme for the period from 2003/04 to 2005/06, subject to confirmation of capital allocations for 2004/05 onwards. It demonstrates how this could be achieved over the next eight financial years, subject to future capital allocations. There is also a requirement for some additional revenue funding to secure better bus frequencies to bring all identified corridors up to Premium Route standards. An initial sum has been included in the 2003/04 revenue budget for this, and a more detailed programme is being developed. Individual measures will be submitted to the Transport Implementation Committee for approval in accordance with standard procedures, as will any request for pump-priming revenue support for individual services.

    15. Staffing Implications

  15. A new section is being established to fulfil the role of implementing the Premium Routes network and Oxford Expressway/Guided Transit Express (GTE). An additional post will be funded from the pump-priming grant secured from Government as part of the Public Service Agreement commitment to increase bus patronage. Consultants will also be used to assist the team as and where appropriate.

    16. RECOMMENDATIONS

  16. The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

          1. agree the programme for 2003/04 to 2005/06 as set out in Annex 2, subject to annual review in the light of progress with implementation and the capital allocations available for this purpose as determined by the Executive each Spring;

          2. authorise the Head of Roads and Transport, in consultation with the Executive Member for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management, to enter into Quality Partnership agreements with operators on the Premium Routes network as required to meet the agreed programme.

 

EDDIE LUCK
Assistant Director (Transport Development)

Background papers:
Premium Routes and Interchanges Study
Colin Buchanan and Partners (2001)

Contact Officer: David Taylor Tel: Oxford 816519

June 2003

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