Wednesday 23 March 2022

My Response To TfL’s Bus Action Plan, Published In March 2022 - Does London Have The Largest Bus Rapid Transit System? And Bus Improvement Plans In The UK And Ireland

I realise I’m rather late with my report covering this news but I’ve been writing this article in my spare time. I have also included the news from Manchester and Ireland about their bus improvement plans.

On 11th March 2022, Transport for London unveiled their new Bus Action Plan to help improve bus services in Greater London.

From TfL Press Release

Bus Action Plan sets out TfL's priorities for faster journeys, an improved customer experience, and the decarbonising of the network.

Transport for London (TfL) has today (11 March) published its long-term plan for buses, which will see the modern bus network attract more customers and help the capital become net zero by 2030. Buses are already the most used form of public transport in the capital, and TfL's Bus Action Plan will create an even more attractive alternative to car use by focusing on five areas:

• An inclusive customer experience - a modern, relevant bus network that allows for spontaneous, independent travel, including improved customer information and bus station refurbishment; with actions including upgrading more existing bus stops to meet the wheelchair accessible standard

• Safety and security - a safe, secure bus network, with no one killed on or by a bus by 2030, and with all elements of the Bus Safety Standard implemented by 2024; and ensuring all customers and staff feel confident on the bus network travelling day and night, including through improved bus driver training

• Faster journeys - a faster and more efficient bus network, with journeys 10 per cent quicker than in 2015, with initiatives including the aim to introduce 25km of new and improved bus lanes by 2025

• Improved connections - a bus network better suited to longer trips with better interchanges, especially in outer London; and ensuring London residents remain close to a bus stop

• Decarbonisation and climate resilience - a zero-emission bus fleet to tackle climate change and improve air quality, working with operators, boroughs and suppliers to reduce the cost and difficulty of infrastructure upgrades needed to enable the transition of the bus fleet; and safeguarding the network from extreme weather conditions

The plan can be seen in action on the route 63 from King's Cross to Honor Oak, where new higher specification all-electric buses were launched last month. The buses bring together a range of customer-friendly features for the first time, including a more welcoming feel, USB charge points and mobile phone holders, a larger wheelchair and buggy area and better real time travel information on board. A new bus lane on the New Kent Road section of the route is improving journey times and reliability in line with the plan. All vehicles meet TfL's Bus Safety Standard and feature upgraded CCTV, enhancing security.

After trials found that extending bus lane hours on London's busiest roads cut bus journey times and helped service reliability, TfL announced in December last year that the majority of bus lanes on London's red routes would be converted to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Louise Cheeseman, TfL's Director of Buses, said: "We are excited to set out our bus strategy for the rest of this decade, which is all about creating a bus service reflective of our customers and their evolving needs, supporting a sustainable recovery from the pandemic, making London a net zero city by 2030 and improving people's safety and wellbeing.

"Investment in buses is imperative in dealing with the climate crisis and cleaning up the toxic air that is damaging our health. Our red bus network is fundamental to preventing congestion and, more widely, is a catalyst for unlocking homes and employment in London, as well as creating green jobs across the UK. Buses are already an efficient, convenient form of public transport and London has the largest green bus fleet in western Europe, but we need to raise the bar. The Bus Action Plan sets out how we will meet the challenges now and into the future, making buses cleaner and greener, more efficient and an option for all our city's diverse communities. Ultimately, it's about making the bus the natural choice over the car.

"We can't do it by ourselves, and in publishing the action plan today we'll be well placed to start more engagement over the coming months on our shared objective of making London a better place to live."

Emma Gibson, Chief Executive at London TravelWatch, said: "TfL is spot-on in setting out what needs to be done to get more people using the bus. Making it quicker to get from A to B is key to this, and improving journey times is a win-win as it saves TfL money which can be re-invested in bus routes, particularly in outer London. But getting more people using the bus also requires protecting existing routes, and supporting this and the wider ambitions of the Bus Action Plan can't be done without long-term funding."

Silviya Barrett, Head of Policy and Research at Campaign for Better Transport, said: "London's buses are relied upon by millions, they keep the capital moving and communities connected. More modern buses, better customer information, additional bus priority lanes and plugging critical gaps in service provision will help improve passengers' experiences and enable more people to make buses part of their everyday journeys. This will support the economic recovery and help tackle congestion, air pollution and carbon emissions. To make this happen, it is vitally important that TfL has the sustainable funding deal it needs to keep investing in, and promoting a return to, public transport post-pandemic."

Harry Rushworth, Chair of TfL Youth Panel, said: "Buses play a critical role in the lives of young Londoners; providing convenient, reliable, and affordable access to education and employment. It is therefore essential that, as London undergoes transformation in the aftermath of the pandemic, we maintain and improve this important service through investment in bus priority, accessibility and information measures. This not only improves journeys and provides new opportunities for young people, but it will help us to achieve our joint ambition for an active, safe, and sustainable capital."

The bus network is central to life in the capital with around two thirds of residents using a bus at least once a week, and 90 per cent of Londoners using it in the last year. The bus network enables access to employment, education, health, retail and leisure activities. It is critical to the success of London, which is vital for the success of the wider economy. Buses are the most flexible element of London's public transport system, so TfL regularly reviews the bus network to ensure that services reflect changing demand and deliver value for money. Without sufficient, long-term capital support from the Government, the bus network itself and the priorities within the plan will be at risk.

Buses are the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to shift trips made by cars to public transport: buses carry up to 80 times the number of people as a car, making efficient use of road space, and cut emissions by both taking polluting private vehicles off the roads and offering up a green alternative. A high-quality bus service is vital in promoting active travel and preventing a car-led recovery. Most journeys to a bus stop involve walking or cycling, and increased physical activity benefits people's physical and mental health, helping relieve pressure on health services.

Cars are the largest source of road and rail emissions in London, and car traffic must drop by at least 27 per cent by 2030 to meet London's climate change targets. The scale of these reductions is likely to require a fairer and more sophisticated road user charging scheme, which would only be feasible with a comprehensive bus network.

The capital has one of highest number of zero emission buses in Europe, with 800 at present, and is on target to hit 10 per cent of the whole fleet this year. All new buses to the network are zero-emission and sustained Government funding could see all buses converted as early as 2030, taking 500,000 tonnes of carbon out of the transport system. Such funding from Government is critical if the benefits outlined in the plan are to be realised.

The benefits of investment in London buses are seen across the UK. TfL contracts support thousands of jobs outside London, with 3,000 roles in green bus manufacturing alone already created in Falkirk, Ballymena and Scarborough, where the buses on route 63 were made. These jobs are at risk however if TfL does not get the longer-term funding it needs.

As London works to make its bus fleet zero-emission, the costs for bus networks outside the capital to do the same will reduce. Within London, bus investment will help TfL achieve long-term financial sustainability, and support "good growth" in outer London, unlocking homes and employment.

You can download the PDF document of the Bus Action Plan and also check out the bus priority reports on the TfL website.

Does London have the world’s largest Bus Rapid Transit System?

Let’s have a look at the answer from the Mayor of London:

Meeting: MQT on 2021-05-27
Reference: 2021/1602
Question By: Elly Baker

The term 'Bus Rapid Transit' covers several elements. Can you outline what elements a bus service needs to have for TfL to class it as a bus rapid transit route?

Answered By: The Mayor Sadiq Khan
Date: Tuesday, 1st June 2021

Bus Rapid Transit is internationally defined as “a high-quality bus-based transit system that delivers fast, comfortable, and cost-effective services at metro-level capacities.” Identified service attributes include:

• High levels of service frequency, including 24 hour services;
• Dedicated busways and lanes;
• Traffic light priority;
• Distinct route and network branding;
• Investment in ‘tram-like’ passenger stops, shelters and wayfinding; and
• State of the art high capacity multi-door buses with features such as wi-fi and device charging.

In London many of these features are seen in much of the existing bus network, such as high frequency routes, traffic light priority, bus lane coverage on key corridors and investment in electric vehicles.

For a Bus Rapid Transit network to be developed in London there would need firstly to be the commitment to deliver the road infrastructure that is needed, in particular significant amounts of segregated busways and bus lanes. Secondly there would need to be an identified need that would justify this investment such as new residential and business growth where public transport connectivity is lacking.

A definition of Bus Rapid Transit from the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy is available at:

https://www.itdp.org/library/standards-and-guides/the-bus-rapid-transit-standard

Meeting: MQT on 2021-05-27
Reference: 2021/1603
Question By: Elly Baker

Can you confirm which current bus routes TfL consider to be 'Bus Rapid Transit' services? And what plans you have for future services?

Answered By: The Mayor Sadiq Khan
Date: Monday, 7th June 2021

There are no routes considered to be distinct ‘Bus Rapid Transit’ (BRT) routes although some routes such as the ‘EL’ route network use infrastructure that was designed to BRT standards in the Barking Riverside area.

Transport for London, as part of its planning process obligations under the Town Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008, review large scale developments and redevelopment areas, such as Opportunity Areas, to establish what future public transport requirements are needed to support growth. There may be some areas where elements of Bus Rapid Transit can be delivered to stimulate sustainable growth and reduce the environmental impact of new development as per the policies set out in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy.

I’d say ‘unofficial’ because the Mayor stated that some features of the BRT are already seen on the London Bus network, including: high frequency services, bus lanes and cash-free Smartcard Oyster/Contactless bank card payments to enable faster boarding. People can make their own decision on whether London has the largest BRT system in the world or not.

My response to the Bus Action Plan:

After some research, I found some old proposals from couple of decades ago which TfL could reinstate for Bus Rapid Transit services; some of my readers have already seen them on Twitter.

The proposals look exciting; unfortunately many of these proposals haven’t been implemented due to changes of administrations over the past decades. Some of them could be reinstated, such as the Uxbridge Road BRT as an alternative to the West London Tram proposal and expanding the East London Transit serving Romford and Rainham.

The Greenwich Waterfront Transit is still proposed as part of the Thamesmead and Abbey Wood Opportunity Area Planning Framework.

You may be interested to check out Bus Network Development papers on the TfL website for more information on bus improvements in various parts of London.

My opinion might be controversial but I think it would be interesting to see the return of the bendy bus (articulated buses). It could be a ‘tram-bus’ for Bus Rapid Transit services within Greater London and elsewhere.

During August 2017, the London Assembly suggested to TfL they reinstate bendy buses for express routes and major trunk routes to increase capacity, the report says:

Stakeholders in outer London told us that the bus network needs more express routes. These routes have limited stops, allowing faster travel between major centres. London has only eight express routes at present. The Mayor has said in his draft Transport Strategy that more express routes may be needed, but stopped short of including any specific proposal to introduce more of them.

Articulated buses might be the best option for express routes. Also known as bendy buses, these were used from 2001 until 2011, and provided both a higher capacity and faster loading/unloading than standard double decker vehicles. They were withdrawn from the network following a manifesto pledge by the previous Mayor.

Articulated buses may be appropriate for use on newly designed routes and offer passenger benefits, including more space, faster journeys, and enhanced accessibility for disabled passengers.

Attempts to redesign London’s bus network may be hampered by TfL’s current approach to bus tendering. TfL commissions operators to run individual bus routes, with each tendered every 5-7 years. This approach means that a single bus corridor—generally, a major trunk road along which several bus routes will converge—can have multiple operators providing routes, with services tendered at different times. We heard about alternative approaches to tendering, in which TfL could award all routes on one corridor, or those radiating from one interchange, to a single operator.

There is significant scope for TfL to consider whether its bus routes could be redesigned to make them more efficient. The availability of turn-around space may be a factor limiting radical change, but a move toward a feeder/trunk approach with more express routes and high capacity services should be an ambition. A more strategic approach to tendering routes may help achieve this.

Bendy buses would only be suitable for larger roads (including bus lanes) because the roads in London are usually narrow and space is needed for cyclists and pedestrians.

The use of tram-like bendy buses for Bus Rapid Transit services already exists in Belfast, Northern Ireland and was endorsed by the UK Government’s ‘Bus Back Better’ plan.

TfL proposed to use Bus Rapid Transit as an alternative option for the Sutton Link project to expand London Trams.

From the Sutton Link consultation report

Next steps for the Sutton Link project

While some of the funding to deliver the project is currently in place, other sources of funding need to be confirmed if the project is to move forward. We are continuing to work with the London Boroughs of Sutton and Merton to explore options for obtaining the remaining funding needed. We are also considering how we can collectively access national sources of funding.

Since the public consultation, we have undertaken further assessment of the options for the scheme. Assuming we are successful in securing funding to deliver the project, Route Option 2 (Colliers Wood – Sutton) operated as a tram service has emerged as the preferred option.

Outside of London, a bus magazine named Route One have reported on Kent County Council opening a new tender to replace the Fastrack BRT fleet with zero emission buses, they have included articulated buses as an option to increase capacity.

New Routemasters (NRMs) on Bus Rapid Transit routes

Currently the East London Transit routes are using the NRMs on routes EL1, EL2 & EL3. The NRMs have three-doors and two-staircases; the original purpose was to have a part-time open platform and conductor which then became a three door open boarding bus similar to the bendy buses in London.


The use of open boarding buses has been controversial for TfL due to increased fare evasion; hence the reason TfL converted all the NRMs to front door only boarding during 2020. TfL had stated the conversion to front door only boarding had no adverse effect on service efficiency and does not expect to see any net difference in end-to-end route travel time.

I know the NRM project had been controversial with £350 million spent on 1,000 vehicles. I pointed out some of the issues in a previous article and tend to look at the NRM from a pros and cons perspective to make use out of them.

The concept of three-doors and two-staircase buses has been adopted in Singapore to make boarding and alighting smoother. You can read more about the rollout on the Singapore Land Transport Authority website.

I’ve also suggested in a previous article that Alexander Dennis, in collaboration with BYD, should build a three-door and two-staircase variant of the Enviro400EV City for London; this also includes other bus manufacturers such as Arrival to give TfL an option to use them to potentially replace the NRMs in the near future.

Open boarding continues on Red Arrow routes 507 and 521 as TfL stated in a Freedom of Information request on March 2020:

The changes above are limited to New Routemasters. Routes 507 and 521 which are single decks and do not have high fare evasion rates will remain two-door boarding to clear some of London’s busiest stops.

Other areas in the UK have proposed their own Bus Rapid Transit services, they are:

Aberdeen, Dover, Essex, Hertfordshire, Slough and many more.

Bus improvement plans in other areas of the UK

The Bus Services Act 2017 (and Transport (Scotland) Act 2019) gave powers to local and regional authorities to create enhanced partnerships with bus operators or regulate bus services with franchising equivalent to London Buses to deliver bus improvements.

Many local and regional authorities in the United Kingdom have proposed plans to improve their bus services, they are:

Cornwall, Essex, Glasgow, North East of England, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, West Yorkshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire, and many more that I have left out.

I’d like to see TfL collaborating with Councils in the Home Counties surrounding the Greater London area to help enhance bus services which are near to Greater London and services crossing the Greater London boundary. This would be similar to when London Transport operated Green Country Bus services before they were transferred over to National Bus Company in 1970 and later privatised and deregulated in 1988.

After the High Court ruling which Stagecoach Group and Rotala Plc lost to Greater Manchester Combined Authority on 8th March 2021, the Mayor of Greater Manchester announced the introduction of franchised, regulated bus services, with set fares equivalent to London Buses as part of their bus improvements.

From Greater Manchester Combined Authority

THE Mayor of Greater Manchester will today, Monday 14 March, announce a series of major steps to move Greater Manchester towards a London-style public transport system with London-level bus fares.

After a legal challenge brought by bus operators against the city-region’s bus franchising plans was dismissed, the Mayor is set to announce that under a franchised bus network adult single journeys would cost no more than £2, and single child journeys no more than £1. Currently, there are many different adult single bus fares, some costing as much as £4.

The move will be the first step towards the Greater Manchester public being able to access a more affordable public transport network.

During a major event to outline a new era for Greater Manchester – held at Escape to Freight Island in front of the city-region’s key business, political and civic leaders – the Mayor is also expected to set out a revised timetable for the introduction of bus franchising, which will see:

• Regulated buses first introduced in Bolton and Wigan as well as parts of Salford and west Manchester from next autumn (2023)

• Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and areas of north Manchester to follow in Spring 2024

• Final tranche covering Stockport, Trafford, Tameside, south Manchester and remaining parts of Salford to run by end of 2024

The Mayor will today announce that Greater Manchester is moving to the next important stage of franchising bus services. Invitations to negotiate will be issued shortly to prospective providers of bus services in Bolton and Wigan, as well as in parts of Salford and west Manchester.

The levels of interest have been extremely strong, bringing a range of organisations from local SMEs through to large bus operators with operational experience throughout the UK, including London, and in some cases internationally.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “The court ruling means we now have the green light to deliver on our plans to deliver a London-style public transport system.

“We will make travelling by public transport more appealing, easier and, significantly, put our people before profits.

“Government has signalled its intention to support our ambitions many times over and we now need them to work in partnership with us, to help us turn our shared vision into a reality.”

Transformed bus services is a key pillar of the Bee Network vision, which aims to provide real public transport and active travel choices for all; promote sustainable travel behavioural change through integrated city-region planning; support the electrification of vehicles and public transport fleets; promotes levelling up through the provision of sustainable transport connectivity to key growth locations and the provision of affordable public transport options for all our communities.

Greater Manchester will have a new Transport Commissioner, with former Transport for London (TfL) Managing Director of Customers, Communication and Technology, Vernon Everitt, set to take a leading role in the delivery of the Bee Network.

The Mayor is also set to announce a new Active Travel Commissioner at today’s New Era event.

Vernon Everitt, the Mayor’s new Transport Commissioner, said: “It is a privilege to be given the responsibility to help write the next chapter of Greater Manchester’s ambitious and truly transformational transport story. The Bee Network vision sets out a compelling plan for better transport and I will bring all my experience to the table to ensure we deliver it.

“Our integrated transport network will unlock access to opportunity and public services, and drive reduced carbon emissions and improved wellbeing, benefitting everyone who lives, works or visits here. I look forward to working with the mayor, councils, transport operators and people across Greater Manchester to deliver a world class public transport system.”

The Greater Manchester Independent Prosperity Review found that parts of Greater Manchester with lower productivity, pay and living standards need infrastructure that supports both access to jobs in the centre of the city-region and improved local job opportunities.

Improving public transport connectivity into and between Greater Manchester’s major centres and other growth locations is a key part of proposals contained within the Bee Network vision – which will, subject to agreement with government, be supported by an initial £1.2bn five-year programme of investment, with £438m worth of investment to improve buses, routes and services, including:

• £205m for new electric buses and infrastructure, supporting a move to a cleaner, greener city-region;

• £202m to improve bus services, with new quality bus lanes, corridors, and junctions to improve connectivity between our towns and cities; and

• £30m to improve bus passenger information, fares and ticketing

Andy Burnham added: “I’m delighted to welcome Vernon onboard, as we deliver a new era of London-style transport for Greater Manchester. He is a great signing for this city-region. Our new Transport Commissioner spent 14 years as a Managing Director at Transport for London, leading on London’s integration of public transport through simple and intuitive fares, ticketing and customer information.

“In Greater Manchester we are leading the way and developing a blueprint for other city-regions to follow when it comes to improving intra-city transport and connectivity between our villages, towns and cities. People need to be able to get to where they want to go without having to spend as much as £4 on a single trip. My ambition is that soon here in Greater Manchester it will be simpler, cheaper and more reliable to get around on public transport.”

Notes:

A single capped fare would mean passengers would be able to make a single trip and pay no more than £2 for adults and £1 for children, regardless of how many times they change buses on the journey. Single journey assumes no more than one hour passes between one journey ending and another starting. It will be introduced in a phased manner as bus franchising is rolled-out and will then, ultimately, cover the whole city-region.

You can read more about their bus franchising plan on the Transport for Greater Manchester website.

In the Republic of Ireland, the Irish Government have approved National Transport Authority’s (NTA) ‘BusConnects’ program to deliver high frequency services and certain London Bus style features for Dublin.

From Ireland’s Department for Transport

The Government gave the green light to the multi-billion BusConnects programme for Dublin today, paving the way for the National Transport Authority (NTA) to submit planning applications for the Core Bus Corridors to An Bord Pleanála.

BusConnects will transform the city of Dublin, providing a faster and more efficient bus service for everyone in addition to delivering improved cycling and pedestrian facilities. The programme means that the city will see an increase of nearly 25% in bus services.

Minister Ryan said: ‘This is an exciting day for public transport in the city. Commuters will have access to a faster, and more flexible service, allowing them to more quickly move about the city for work, school and pleasure. We will have cleaner and quieter streets, and with the additional roll-out of zero emissions buses, to be incorporated into the BusConnects routes, we can look forward to a much better quality of life for Dubliners and visitors to the city. This is yet another example of how Government is delivering on our commitments to put major investment behind public transport projects that will meet our climate ambitions, and make our cities more sustainable and healthier for future generations’

By 2030, BusConnects Dublin will deliver 230km of bus corridors and 200km of cycling lanes, providing safe, accessible, and efficient transport to a many more people, while reducing traffic congestion as well as noise and air pollution.

It will represent a step-change in the provision of cycling facilities, delivering safe, segregated cycling provision along some of the busiest cycling arteries across the city. Alongside this, a new network of bus services will be rolled out across the city, with high-frequency services running along nine new Spines, improved orbital services and increased local services. Cleaner and quieter streets will be another benefit.

The current fleet of buses in Dublin will be increased and converted to zero-emission fleet by 2035, meeting rising demand and saving the equivalent of circa 85,000 tonnes of CO2 a year in line with our Climate Action Plan targets. Buses and shelters will be modernised, increasing accessibility, ensuring safe and enjoyable trips for passengers.

Today’s decision by Government will also allow the NTA to start the tendering process for the procurement of Next Generation Ticketing technology, allowing simple payment of fares with credit and debit cards, which will allow a greater number of citizens to travel more easily and efficiently by public transport.

Minister of State Naughton added ‘BusConnects will make travel much easier for many more people. Complex bus networks and fares will be replaced by an efficient, safe, and reliable system. High-capacity zero-emission bus services will operate with increased frequency, improving access to employment, education and healthcare for all users. Improved bus capacity and payment options will reduce crowding and improve the quality of service to vulnerable passengers through more comfortable and accessible journeys.’

BusConnects Dublin will be delivered by the NTA.

Anne Graham, CEO of the NTA. welcomed Government’s decision stating “The NTA welcomes today’s decision by the cabinet to give clearance for BusConnects to proceed. We believe that BusConnects is a game changer and will make a major contribution in terms of encouraging people on to public transport.

We want to provide a public transport service that delivers better on frequency and reliability so that it becomes more useful for more people in the years ahead, while at the same time, offering a sustainable alternative as part of the effort to tackle climate change.

The investment we are proposing through BusConnects is good news, but not just for bus passengers. Under our Core Bus Corridor plans we will be building 200km of cycle lanes on sixteen of the busiest bus corridors in and out of the city centre, and in so doing, making cycling safer and more attractive than ever before.”

You can read more of the BusConnects scheme on their website.

I invite you to follow me on Twitter by searching for @CLondoner92 or by clicking on the direct link to my Twitter page here.

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