Agenda item

Resolved: That the early findings from the Mayor’s Big Bus Chat survey and the progress being made on delivery of the Bus Service Improvement Plan be noted.

Members received a report providing an update on the outcome of the first three months of the Mayor’s Fares initiative and the next steps for development and delivery of the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). The report also sets out the high-level findings of the Mayor’s Big Bus Chat public engagement to inform ongoing delivery of the BSIP.

Officers noted that initial data interpretations have been made using the first three months of data from the Mayor’s Fares scheme. The data suggests growth in patronage in the final quarter of 2022 and a saving of approximately £3.6 million for bus passengers in that time. Changes to commuting patterns have also been identified, and fewer season tickets are being sold for daily travel.

The Mayor’s Big Bus Chat public engagement was carried out between July and September 2022. Details are currently being finalised and will be published on the Combined Authority website within the coming weeks. Headline results validate the current direction of the Bus Service Improvement Plan. Key themes suggest communities want to protect their existing services, and support bus priority.

Members queried if the customer charter being created in conjunction with operators will have measurable outcomes, officers offered to follow the issue in more detail at the next meeting. Most of the criteria to be monitored are in line with BSIP, such as reliability and punctuality.

Members questioned how the passenger experience at bus stops can be improved, particularly regarding accessibility, the ongoing issue of ghost buses and the lack of clear information about how to submit complaints. Officers responded that many issues around bus stops are local to the immediate area and so can be addressed at the local level. Regarding ghost buses there are ongoing conversations with operators to ensure that the data used by real time information systems is as accurate as possible. Lots of resources have been and are being utilised to address this issue but there may still be imperfections along the way. A workshop on the ghost bus issue will be organised so it may be discussed in greater detail. Regarding the visibility of complaints information there is a need to balance operator accountability without putting passengers off from using buses in the future.

Members raised concerns that the bus network will never return to sustainable levels, owing to continued reductions in services and lower passenger numbers. Members noted that the issue is not exclusive to West Yorkshire, and longer-term planning can only be accomplished with more sustainability from the government.

Members raised concerns about the lack of integration for journeys, such as Leeds bus station having no car drop-off location and the banning of e-scooters from buses.

There are further issues about the lack of mobile connectivity in rural areas which also have fewer real-time information systems at bus stops. Members noted that there is much work being undertaken to reduce car traffic into the centre and to improve the reliability of buses in general. E-scooters are currently not road legal and so there is a grey area about allowing them on buses until further guidance is released. Officers noted that the Transforming Cities Fund should introduce more information screens in rural areas.

Resolved: That the early findings from the Mayor’s Big Bus Chat survey and the progress being made on delivery of the Bus Service Improvement Plan be noted.