Buses Project
February 2007
This paper sets out a programme of activity and provides the commitment and support of Passenger Transport Group to the project.
Purpose:
Representatives of Surrey County Council’s Passenger Transport Group and the Local Transportation Service to engage with Leatherhead Tomorrow and other stakeholders, including bus companies, to identify, develop and implement a range of measures that are consistent with the common objectives, and to increase the number of residents using bus services to access Leatherhead town centre. This will lead to establishing a voluntary Quality Bus Partnership.
Scope:
This work will initially focus on public transport information, the availability and quality of this information on bus routes serving the outlying settlements of Bookham, Fetcham and Ashtead, but will also include the wider Leatherhead urban area.
Service 479 Guildford – Bookham – Leatherhead – Ashtead – Epsom
Bus stop replacement: Upgrade the passenger waiting facilities and information along this corridor; the first phase will include a bus stop replacement programme – renewing all bus stops along the route to provide attractive, modern bus stops poles and flags. Each stop will be fitted with a timetable case, and the bus stops flags will display the stop name, direction of travel and all services calling. This work would be managed by Passenger Transport Group through an existing supplier contract.
Cost estimate: £40,000
Public Transport Information: agree an information and marketing programme for travel to Leatherhead targeted for residents of Bookham, Fetcham and Ashtead. This will include bespoke timetable publicity such as maps with bus routes and bus stops clearly advertised, fares information and will be printed using larger text. This publicity will be distributed to households and businesses along the route.
Cost estimate: £15,000
Bus shelters: through the Quality Bus Partnership a programme will be agreed with stakeholders for the future maintenance and upgrading of bus shelters. Additional sites will be identified will passengers will benefit from bus shelters and a funding mechanism/package will be identified.
Real Time Passenger Information: to work with the bus companies, Transport for London and interested stakeholders to establish the need and scope for Real Time Passenger Information, and to agree a programme for the delivery of the system in the Leatherhead area. This will include bus depot/on-bus equipment ,electronic signs at bus shelters and the availability of information on the internet.
Cost estimate: Electronic bus shelter displays approx. £10,000 each
Bus stop accessibility improvements: Passenger Transport Group and the Local Transportation Service together with all stakeholders will identify and prioritise a programme of bus stop accessibility improvements at key bus stops along the corridor; this can include upgrading footways and kerbs at bus stops to provide passengers with a level access to/from buses, better lighting and pedestrian links and appropriate traffic management measures to prevent illegal parking at bus stops.
Cost estimate: £2,000 - £10,000 per stop
Funding and Programme
2006/07:
Passenger Transport Group has committed £25,000 to upgrade bus stops poles/flags/timetable cases along the route of service 479 between Bookham – Fetcham – Leatherhead – Ashtead. This initial phase of work will be completed by end March 2007. In addition £40,000 has been identified to assist with the fitting of Real Time Passenger Information equipment on service 479 buses; this work is expected to be completed by end of March 2007.
2007/08:
Further funding for the development of the Quality Bus Corridor has been identified within the 2007/08 Local Transport Plan Capital Allocation for Passenger Transport Initiatives and this will match fund investment brought forward through Leatherhead Tomorrow up to a maximum of £40,000. This phase of work will include passenger transport information, bus stop accessibility improvements and the development of the Suretime Real Time Passenger Information system.
2008/09:
Subject to Local Transport Plan Capital Funding being available further funding will be secured to implement a range of passenger transport improvements consistent with the targets and objectives of the Surrey County Council Local Transport Plan 2006/07-10/11.