OVER 75% of people in West Yorkshire would consider using a bus more often if First’s proposed ‘New Bus’ proposal was introduced. This is one of the key findings of First’s report, published today, on the results of the public consultation on the New Bus for West Yorkshire (NBfWY) proposal.
The report showed that:
- 77% of respondents said that they would consider using bus services more if the proposal was introduced
- On all measurements, passengers rated the proposed bus highly
- 85% of respondents thought that the layout of the new bus was either ‘good’ or ‘very good’
- 95% said they would welcome next stop information on bus services. Respondents commented that audio-visual announcements would increase their bus use by giving them more confidence to travel independently and on unfamiliar routes
- Many respondents were strongly in favour of the smartcard aspect of the proposal, noting that it would contribute to a great improvement to journey times. 64% of respondents said smartcards would be their preferred method of payment.
Together with Wrightbus, First will produce a design illustration of what the new bus aspect of the proposal could look like, based on the public specification preferences revealed in the consultation.
Once a “Bus Partnership” framework is in place and there is clarity on West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s medium to long term Bus Strategy, First will work with partners to identify a potential corridor for a New Bus for West Yorkshire pilot operation.
Commenting on the findings of the consultation, First’s Head of Commercial Paul Turner said, “The consultation has shown potential for a substantial increase in bus use across the county. Through engaging with the public of West Yorkshire we have been able to better understand their transport needs and concerns and we would like to thank all of those who took part in the consultation and provided their feedback. Working with our partners, we will use the results to inform future bus design.”
The NBfWY proposal is a package of measures designed to achieve radical a transformation to bus services in West Yorkshire. This includes the introduction of new, iconic vehicles (similar in concept to the ‘New Routemaster’ used in London), smart ticketing and aligning investment with infrastructure improvements through the West Yorkshire Transport fund to tackle congestion hotspots.
The new bus features up to three entry and exit points, two staircases, and smart ticketing touchpads, all designed to increase efficiency and speed up bus journeys by reducing the time spent boarding and alighting.
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- Between August 2014 and February 2015, First consulted with politicians, business, special interest groups, community organisations and the public in West Yorkshire over the proposal
- The results are based on 821 surveys (431 paper and 390 online). Over 1,200 people attended the consultation events and although not everybody chose to complete a survey, many stopped to chat and provide feedback.
- Surveyed indicators were: layout of entrances/exits; layout of staircases; ease of use; comfort of seating; interior lighting; overall feel of interior; overall look of exterior.
- First is working closely in partnership with Wrightbus, the manufacturers of the New Routemaster, to feed back the results of the survey and consider how they can inform future bus design.
- In line with the strong public desire for audio-visual next stop announcements, First is working in partnership with another operator and the Confederation of Passenger Transport and has launched the trial of a smartphone app that will deliver this information.
- The NBfWY proposal is focused on improving bus services across West Yorkshire as a whole. Over the last two years, First and other bus operators in the county have been negotiating with Metro to establish a bus partnership agreement, as successfully implemented in South Yorkshire in Sheffield and Rotherham. Proposals have been presented and First is collaborating with its partners to reach agreement before it makes long term, significant investment decisions in its services.
- Once a partnership framework is in place and there is clarity on WYCA’s medium to long term Bus Strategy, First will work with partners to identify a potential corridor for a New Bus for West Yorkshire pilot operation. It is envisaged that a trial will take place, to allow the concept to be refined for further applications.
- Roll out of further corridors and the significant investment this would entail would be dependent on the success of a trial and also on the plans by WYCA for bus operations in the county. If the pilot is successful and the Authority’s plans provide a supportive environment for significant investment, the roll out would be phased with the initial tranches to be completed over a five year period.
- First bus in West Yorkshire: serve over 100m customer journeys a year with a fleet of 900 buses and a team of nearly 3000 people.
- FirstGroup plc is the leading transport operator in the UK and North America with revenues of more than £6.7 billion. Our services help to create strong, vibrant and sustainable local economies. During the last year around 2.5 billion people relied on us to get to work, to education, to visit family and friends and much more and, each day, every one of our 117,000 employees works hard to deliver vitally important services for our passengers.
UK Bus - FirstGroup is one of Britain’s largest bus operators with around a fifth of bus services outside London. A fleet of some 6,400 buses carries approximately 1.6 million passengers a day in a huge number of communities including 40 of the UK's largest towns and cities. We operate some US-style yellow school buses and have a fleet of coaches available for charter. We also operate the Aircoach network in Ireland.