WoE Sustainable Transport Forum - Buses
In the midst of huge closures of bus routes this October, WESTACT held our second Sustainable Transport Forum on the 22nd September.
Bus Franchising
We heard from Better Buses campaigner Matthew Topham about the need for bus franchising to give the WECA mayor the power he needs to. Have a look at the video of his talk and the Q&A below which explains why we need to go for franchising if we want an integrated bus network:
Video of Matthew Topham talking followed by Q&A
Why Franchising and what is it?
Combined Authorities had two choices: Enhanced Partnership or Franchising.
Franchising means that the authority designs a bus network and timetable that provides the services people need, and bus companies bid to provide the specified contract at the best price. The authority receives the ticket sale money, and pays the bus companies to run buses.
Enhanced Partnership means bus companies decide what routes they operate, the timetables they run, and only have to give 12 weeks notice of any changes. Local transport authorities are allowed to run subsidised services for routes that are not commercial, but have no control over commercial routes. They also can’t design a joined up network where timetables line up.
Dan Norris admits franchising is needed:
Even WECA Mayor Dan Norris acknowledges that Franchising is the way forward.
We asked the WECA Committee on the 23rd September
Is it the opinion of WECA that it is possible to deliver a fully integrated bus network with the Enhanced Partnership rather than with Franchising? If so please explain how the limitations of the Enhanced Partnership will be addressed.
Dan Norris told us:
The limitations of an Enhanced Partnership include that I cannot set the routes, frequencies and running hours of a stable bus network nor control the fare revenue. I also cannot set standards for bus vehicles, emissions, seating or design.
I therefore want to keep franchising as an option on the table but in order to progress this we need time and the West of England Combined Authority would need a brand new team with the capabilities to run the bus network. I also remain concerned that we don’t have another income stream to cross subsidise with such as a tram system that other Metro Mayors have. The current Enhanced Partnership is working well and will include legally binding commitments by all partners to make best use of the large amount of funding that we have been super successful in securing.
This is the right time to campaign for bus franchising. Join us to be part of that journey.
Breakout group discussion on franchising
What would it take to achieve bus franchising in the West of England?
The steps that WECA would need to go through are as follows:
(0) Authority agrees to release a notice of intent,
(1) developing the case for change,
(2) setting objectives,
(3) generating options for what system to have for buses in future,
(4) detailed assessment of options - which ones deliver the objectives best?
(5) select preferred options
(6) independent audit of the assessment
(7) public consultation
(8) final decision and transition.
Strategies we could use for campaigning:
Petition to WECA cabinet panel
Petition to all four of the Unitary Authorities to support WECA in moving to franchising
Build up Parish Council level support for franchising - e.g. talks at parish council meetings, asking parish councils to sign petition as a council (or open letter or similar)
Education of the wider population across WECA as a whole to understand the benefits of franchising.
Barriers to franchising
Lack of capacity in WECA - too few staff currently.
Difficulties in collaboration across boundaries and between WECA and UAs.
Newness of WECA as a transport authority when the decision to go for either Enhanced Partnership or Franchising was made.
Lack of income stream for WECA to cross subsidise from - no tram, no trains etc. Also no ability to directly raise funds for transport from council tax (the way that council tax directly raises funds for police).
What more we could find out
What was the evidence base for choosing EP? (but by WECA’s own admission franchising would be an improvement - see our official question and their response, so maybe this is not so necessary to dig into).
What we need to run an effective campaign for franchising?
Learn for bus franchising campaigns in other places - Matthew Topham can share experience
Recruit a team who wants to run an effective franchising campaign. Perhaps this could be a spin-off from WESTACT - so we don’t get stretched too thin or mission-drift. It could work well as a single-issue campaign.
WECA and networks.
WECA officer Phil Wright also joined us and shared information on WECA’s successful funding from central government, and how this will be allocated. He also talked about the need to create a bus network with faster main routes connected with smaller local stopping services, and a single ticket for all. The video of his talk is below:
June 2021 government required decision on whether to choose Enhanced Partnership or Franchising. This was a couple of months after Dan Norris was elected, so he didn’t have very long to make this significant decision. Franchising is still on the table (as per Dan Norris answer to our official question above).
Two main funds from central government (DfT - Department for Transport):
These have overlapping timelines for delivery. Inflation will mean that the money doesn’t easily stretch as far as was originally anticipated. Timing of funding has been delayed from central government, so WECA negotiating to get a longer timeframe to spend it.
CRSTS City Region Sustainable transport Settlement - source of capital funding for WECA. NS could not apply for this - so they got their capital funding from BSIP
BSIP (Bus Service Improvement Plan) - joint with North Somerset who are their own transport authority. ‘Cross Boundary’. Capital funding for reallocation of roadspace to buses and sustainable transport. BSIP has to be used for ‘additional services’ - not existing routes. Can’t provide like for like to support a service (although sometimes a grey area to provide something a bit similar).
WECA is the only combined authority that doesn’t have the power to raise funds for local bus services - they have to go to the local authorities to raise this money. Other combined authorities have a ‘precept’ where they can raise transport money directly on council tax bill (like we currently have police costs on our council tax).
Money will be for:
Review of network in two phases:
Short term
Longer term - to develop more robust bus network.
Historically - buses set up based on commuting. Post-pandemic commuting has reduced, so now time to review bus network for something different.
Operator fare reduction and simplification - on its way now.
Funding to get to multi-modal ticketing (across different operators, e-scooters, hire bikes, car clubs etc).
Passenger experience:
Good information, smooth changes from one bus to another/ bus to train
Enhanced Partnership:
Advantage in WECA compared to some places because most of the network is one operator
Enhanced partnership is to embed the other aims above.
Infrastructure investment has to be through local highway authorities (which are the local government - B&NES, NS, SG, BCC).
National guidance for bus infrastructure is old - currently under review
Corridor scheme maps - green and blue ones are the first to be delivered. Pink/red later phases.
Breakout Group Discussion on local and link routes
What would it look like if we had fast routes to go longer distances, and local stopping services, with easy interchanges?
Buses have been cut in South Gloucestershire - people are making life decisions away from buses e.g. choosing work/education they can get to. May never get these passengers back.
Next steps for WECA - put out plan for approval at December meeting to deliver in April 2023.
WECA needs to seek more money for tendering (as prices have gone up in last 6 months) - seeking funds from South Glos and Bristol - but political decisions need to be made
WECA considering loop link smaller buses to take people around villages/shops and link to bus corridors with interchanges - where people can wait safely and swap between transport models
Need links between major centres - e.g. North Bristol fringe (e.g. ring road) links between employment/education centres and Yate/Thornbury loops
Reviewing the network with local bus users and authorities to discuss where transport hubs need to be - and reviewing equity requirements of safety, timing, transport needs for young people etc.
