(15 Mar 2021, 11:16 pm)Adrian wrote I've been reading through the 86-page document tonight. Its well worth a read through, if you've got some time on your hands. 

Being the cynic that I am, I am still curious as to what exactly is in the scheme for all parties, for it to be so openly promoted by operators. I think a couple of years ago, most operators would have walked out of the room if an offer was made to the degree that Enhanced Partnerships provide control to the local authority. Despite it being a Tory scheme, from what I've read so far, it doesn't appear to be all too bad on paper... but as with most things, the proof is always in the pudding. My biggest reservations remain that I don't think £3bn is nearly enough to cover more than a decade of austerity impacting secured services and that the option of municipal bus companies should exist for every local authority to consider. 

As far as the operators go, I think the biggest carrot on a stick that is being dangled in front of them is this - "From 1 July 2021, only LTAs and operators who meet these requirements will continue to receive the COVID-19 Bus Services Support Grant (CBSSG) or any new sources of bus funding from the Government’s £3bn budget. The terms and conditions of CBSSG already make clear that it is discretionary."

The funding is obviously heavily relied on at present, and I think it'll remain the case for the foreseeable future. Even after social distancing rules are dropped. Public confidence in being around others will be a real challenge and clearly that has a knock-on effect to efforts of encouraging people back onto buses. The loss of this funding, combined with the scale-down of the furlough scheme later in the year, would be devastating to operators. 

I've made no secret that I'm a fan of the public/local authorities having more control over bus services in the past, so a route to Enhanced Partnerships would be welcome, but I'm somewhat surprised that the approach is to almost hold a gun to the operators heads. As much as I'd like a scheme to exist, I'd want it to be the right scheme first time, and not the quickest scheme that could be achieved in a short timescale. 


The timescale itself is quite fast-paced:

• By the end of June 2021 LTAs will need to commit to establishing Enhanced Partnerships under the Bus Services Act or the LTA should begin the statutory process of franchising services. Operators in those areas should cooperate with those processes.
• Those LTAs who do not have access to franchising powers at present, but consider that it is the best route to adopt in the interest of passengers and that they have the capability and resources to deliver it, should progress with the implementation of an Enhanced Partnership alongside applying to the Secretary of State for access to franchising powers.
• By the end of October 2021 each LTA will need to publish a local Bus Service Improvement Plan. Each plan will need to be updated annually and reflected in the authority’s Local Transport Plan* and in other relevant local plans such as Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs).
• From April 2022, LTAs will need to have an Enhanced Partnership in place, or be following the statutory process to decide whether to implement a franchising scheme, to access the new discretionary streams of bus funding. Only services operated or measures taken under an Enhanced Partnership or where a franchising scheme has been made will be eligible to  receive the new funding streams.

I've pulled some bits from the document that enthusiasts might find of interest:

"Each local area should have a common numbering system, to avoid two routes with the same number in the same place, and bus stops should be named consistently by operators running the same bus routes."
Of course, at one time this is something that we had and it generally worked very well. I don't particularly think that this is a bad thing.

"Local branding that reflects the community and not the operator should be adopted, though successful existing brands such as Harrogate’s 36 should not be sacrificed."
This is obviously something that would impact Go North East more than any other operator, as far as the North East goes. I'd personally hope that Xlines is something that could be adapted as an express brand for the entire region, but I'm not sure how much of a life the likes of the Crusader or Coaster might have left.

"All operators which run the same route should accept the same tickets, use the same route number and be shown on the same timetable." 
and 
"Timetable changes should be minimised and co-ordinated across operators, so they happen at the same time."
It'll be interesting to see what degree this is done to, i.e. whether it's full identical routes, or how it impacts those that largely share a common section. The 21/X12 for example. 

"Common tickets, passes and daily capping should be available on all services irrespective of operator, at little or no premium to single-operator fares. All buses should accept contactless payment. Tickets and fares should be simple; flat fares should increasingly be standard in urban areas. Bus stations should be protected from closure and redevelopment and improved."
This would be a real improvement IMO. Operators tend to point to Network One as an example of this already happening, despite it being a scheme that has remained largely unchanged for decades. There's also the North East Smartzone of course, which was a step in the right direction, but very slow in progress and only exists in areas of strong competition. 
On the final point, I wonder if that will see a return to staffed bus stations with information points. 

"Railway stations should be hubs for connecting services with high quality stops close to station entrances. Schemes that move buses further away from stations should not be allowed."
This could potentially be more services serving Durham Railway Station, which I believe at one time they did. You only have the 40 now with a limited service during the day, so not great in terms of accessibility to Durham station at other times.

"Accessible and inclusive by design: Disabled people must be able to use bus services as easily as other passengers. Making buses more accessible (not just the vehicles themselves, but also bus stops, bus stations, and by providing excellent customer service) will benefit other passengers too. Next stop announcements, for example, will help everyone know where the bus is going and when they’ve reached their stop"
This obviously comes up quite often on this forum, so its good to see that the benefit of next stop is heavily referenced throughout. 

Interesting times...