Transforming Bus Travel

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2 Transforming Bus Travel Centro introduced its Transforming Bus Travel (TBT) programme in 2008 and has continued to work with partners and stakeholders during 2013/14 to implement our vision to transform bus travel and deliver a world class public transport system to connect the towns and cities across our conurbation. The TBT programme has been delivered through investment via a series of area bus network reviews, partnerships with bus operators and from a number of funding streams including the Better Bus Area Fund and Local Sustainable Transport Fund. A modern, quality bus network assists in: tackling climate change reducing congestion sustaining economic growth and prosperity for the region promoting social inclusion and increased mobility providing world class connectivity within the region TBT Partnership Areas The network has been modernised through a continuation of bus network reviews in seven geographical areas across the West Midlands, delivering a simple and efficient network which meets the needs of passengers and creates sustainable services for the future. The partnership agreements signed through the network review process detail commitments to deliver quality improvements including the introduction of clean, modern vehicles complemented by new infrastructure, improved information and increased marketing. Centro has the most extensive range of partnership agreements of any Integrated Transport Authority in the UK, involving a total of twelve bus operators. In addition to the area based partnership agreements with operators, Centro has an agreement with National Express West Midlands, Partnership Plus, specifically to ensure a joint commitment to maximise quality improvements across the Centro region.

3 New Bus Networks Network Reviews have provided an opportunity to consult with the public and key stakeholders regarding their ideas for local bus services in their area. Especially whether routes and service frequencies reflect demand for travel between residential areas, employment centres and key facilities including hospitals, shops and schools. During the last 12 months we have completed: North Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield Network Review (Implemented June 2013). Southern Birmingham and Solihull Network Review Consultation (October 2013, changes to be implemented April 2014). These reviews has been undertaken in close partnership with Birmingham and Walsall Councils and bus operators in the area including National Express, Central Buses, Arriva and West Midlands Special Needs Transport. Significant improvements delivered include: More frequent services between Brownhills, Pheasey and Birmingham and also Streetly and Sutton Coldfield New link to Gravelly Industrial Park Coordinated timetables to provide more evenly spaced buses between Birmingham and Walsall. As well as the network improvements, the review was supported by a Voluntary Multilateral Agreement (VMA), signed by all partners committing them to a suite of quality improvements over the next three years. This includes over 50 new real time information displays, upgraded shelters, brand new buses on routes between Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham and commitments to deliver a number of highway improvements to improve bus reliability.

4 TBT Birmingham Statutory Quality Partnership Scheme (SQPS) July 2013 marked twelve months since the introduction of the Birmingham Statutory Quality Partnership Scheme (SQPS). Bus operators are working in partnership with Centro and Birmingham City Council, providing cleaner and more environmentally friendly buses that comply with the minimum emission standards introduced in January 2013 (Minimum Euro 3 on core services). All buses are low floor and DDA compliant. In Birmingham city centre we have delivered: The installation of 62 new bus stop and information totems with LED displays 85 new style bus shelters 24 new way-finding totems 12 interchange totems A slot booking system to help maximise the use of busy city centre bus stops This has helped to ensure that traffic in the city centre has kept moving during works to extend the Metro to New Street Station. Bus Lane Enforcement Cameras As of 15 July 2013, Birmingham City Council started to enforce the bus lanes in the city centre with automatic number plate recognition cameras. These cameras now automatically ticket vehicles using the bus lanes illegally. To ensure automatic enforcement can be undertaken legally, road lines and signs have had to be revised and audited, new CCTV technology procured and installed and legal agreements signed. City Centre Tunnel Closures The relationship developed between partners during the development of the SQPS was crucial when planning for the summer closures of the critical A38 Tunnels in Birmingham City Centre. During the closure of the 40 year old tunnels, work was undertaken to include structural modifications, upgrading fire protection and improving the lighting and general appearance. Further refurbishment works including new emergency control and communications systems are being planned for The closures had a significant impact on all traffic which would normally use these and surrounding routes but this was kept to a minimum by encouraging those coming into the city to use public transport. A massive marketing campaign was undertaken, special promotional tickets provided by operators and additional bus priority provided by the Birmingham City Council during the closures. This resulted in 200,000 additional bus trips during the summer with disruption kept to a minimum.

5 Victoria Street Junction In partnership with Birmingham City Council, work was undertaken to improve the Victoria Street junction at Bordesley Green. This was identified as a key congestion hotspot by operators through our partnership discussions. 40 buses an hour travel through this junction at peak times and it was a regular source of delay for all traffic, partly due to parking on the approaches to the junction. As part of the scheme parking restrictions were put in place and the junction was reconfigured which has significantly reduced instances of delay on the busy 97 route between Birmingham City Centre, Heartlands Hospital, Chelmsley Wood and the Airport. Improvements have also been implemented at the Cockshutt Hill junction in Garretts Green to help improve the punctuality of service 73 between Birmingham, Heartlands Hospital and Solihull.

6 TBT Coventry Work has continued with bus operators and Coventry City Council on the extensive public realm improvements in Coventry City Centre. The construction of an improved bus interchange in Trinity Street is well underway, which will provide wider pavements, better passenger information and improved bus docking arrangements. In November 2013, the partnership was recognised for its efforts to transform transport infrastructure and pedestrian access in the Excellence in Walking and Public Realm category at the National Transport Awards. 360 Outer Circle A new Coventry bus route made national news in June 2013, when it was announced that the city s new 360 Outer Circle would become the longest urban route in Europe at a total of 31.5 miles long. This is nearly six miles longer than that of the 11 outer circle route in Birmingham which is just under 26 miles and has held the title since The new 360, partly funded by S.106 contributions from University Hospital Coventry, links some of Coventry s biggest employers, including University Hospital, Jaguar Land Rover and the University of Warwick and was requested by stakeholders as part of the Coventry Bus Network Review in Over the last year, Centro has been working in close partnership with Travel De Courcey to get a framework in place for the route, which incorporates a number of former services into one contract. The route is operated by low-floor wheelchair friendly buses and runs up to two buses an hour, seven days a week, including evenings and Bank Holidays....the longest urban bus route in Europe

7 Pinchpoint Scheme Coventry City Council was successful in their bid for 1,725,000 to improve access to the University of Warwick/Westwood Park area, this was requested by operators through the partnership in order to address one of the city s biggest congestion hotspots. This complements work currently being done by the University to improve bus facilities on the site which will be delivered later in New Vehicles Passengers in Coventry benefitted from a fleet of 33 brand new buses rolled out by National Express Coventry in October The new 6.4 million fleet of 23 eco friendly Volvo single decks and 10 ADL double decks were part of the wider 80 million Partnership Plus deal between Centro and National Express signed in July The new single deck buses were deployed on the 9/9A between Finham, Coventry city centre and University Hospital via Anstey Road and on the 20/20A routes between the city centre and Bedworth and Bell Green including a brand new link between Foleshill Road, Bell Green and University Hospital Coventry, following calls for better links to the hospital. Vehicles have been branded with coloured liveries to match the colours on timetable leaflets and the area map and guide. The double deckers went into service on the 8/8A route between the city and University Hospital at Walsgrave. Surveying Satisfaction To ensure that improvements are targeted at increasing satisfaction with bus services, Centro and bus operators work closely in partnership with national transport watchdog, Passenger Focus. In Coventry, Centro and bus operators National Express Coventry, Stagecoach and Travel De Courcey contributed towards additional surveys to boost the sample size in the national bus users satisfaction survey, using the results to identify areas for further improvement in service delivery.

8 TBT Dudley Dudley Town Centre Centro has been working closely with Dudley Council and bus operators on a 6.7m scheme to improve the historic Market Place area of Dudley town centre. The work, which commenced in January 2014, covers the area from the junction of High Street all the way through Castle Street to the junction of Castle Hill. The scheme is providing a newly designed market featuring 74 stalls, new paving, feature lighting and street furniture. In addition the scheme will also provide new, relocated public toilets and restore the historic fountain, while the Earl of Dudley statue will be reset within a raised lawn. To facilitate the works, which are taking place adjacent to the bus station, Centro has organised the necessary bus diversions with operators and worked hard with the council and bus companies to provide information and minimise disruption, keeping the bus station operational. Better Bus Area Fund: Brierley Hill The 10m Brierley Hill Bus Transformation Project was developed in response to the Department for Transport s competition for Better Bus Area Fund projects, it was the only project in England to be awarded the full 5m from government, with an additional 5m forthcoming through local contributions. The objective is to make bus travel more attractive in the Brierley Hill area and encourage modal shift to bus. As part of the project 76 brand new shelters have been provided at stops in the area, 65 new real time information screens provided and planning work is well underway to transform the bus-rail interchange at Cradley Heath to encourage greater public transport use to Merry Hill and Brierley Hill. There also remains an aspiration to work with the new owners of Merry Hill Bus station to redevelop the bus station at the shopping centre. Service 22 In partnership with Arriva, Centro introduced changes to subsidised service 22 to provide improved links from the Swan Village/Roseville area of Dudley. The service was altered to serve more local residents and meant the local estates were provided with new connections to Oldbury, Great Bridge and Tipton. In addition, the changes provided passengers with significantly reduced journey times to Wolverhampton - previously passengers wanting to get to the city had to take a 45 minute journey on service 82 via Bilston, but the changes mean that the journey time has been cut to just 20 minutes. The changes were welcomed by local MP Ian Austin as well as councillors and residents.

9 TBT Sandwell Blackheath Sandwell Council and Centro continued their work together on plans to make Blackheath a more attractive place to visit and shop. In November 2013, a public consultation took place to provide people with an opportunity to have their say on new proposals to reduce traffic jams, improve the reliability of buses in Blackheath town centre and improve interchange between bus services by bringing stops closer together. A series of exhibitions were held for people to look at the plans, which have been drafted to enable us to bid for money to make the scheme happen. Under the proposals, road layouts and bus stops locations could be changed. The scheme will also provide extra loading bay space for businesses in the Market Place area, develop a new pedestrian area and improve access for cyclists. Following the consultation and analysis, plans will be finalised in Metro Plaza Scheme Centro is also working closely with Sandwell Council on the Metro plaza scheme to transform the area between West Bromwich Central tram stop, the bus station and Sandwell college. The scheme includes the regrading of the land between these three key destinations into a more pedestrian friendly area, removing the subway and providing enhanced walking routes. Sandwell College Information A new real time information display was unveiled at Sandwell College in March Located in the heart of the new Central Campus building, the RTI screen provides key information for staff and students taking public transport. New Square New Square is the brand new shopping and leisure complex in the heart of West Bromwich, which opened in July The role of public transport in supporting town centre redevelopment is crucial, therefore to support the opening of the new centre and encourage people to travel there by public transport Centro led a marketing campaign with bus operators to promote bus links to the site, producing a leaflet that included travel vouchers, vouchers to spend at the centre and details of routes serving the site.

10 TBT Solihull Signature Relaunch In June 2013 the Signature network around Solihull was reviewed and relaunched following extensive public consultation; around 700 people responded to a questionnaire distributed online and via local parish councils and residents associations. The Signature services, operated by Rotala plc, have proved a big success since they were launched in 2010 with passenger satisfaction over 90% and patronage increasing by up to 50% on some routes. Following feedback a number of additional improvements were made: Frequency of buses between Dickens Heath and Solihull increased from hourly to every half-hour Frequency of buses between Cheswick Green and Solihull increased from hourly to every half-hour and journey time reduced from 30 minutes to 15 minutes. Journey time between Balsall Common and Solihull reduced from 45 minutes to 30 minutes New links from Balsall Common, Knowle and Dorridge to Solihull Station Additional peak journeys between Solihull and Coventry New through journeys from Meriden and Hampton-in-Arden to Knowle and Balsall Common In addition to environmentally friendly Euro 5 low emission engines, high-quality leather seats, CCTV and free Wi-Fi, hybrid diesel-electric buses were introduced on the S3 route with audio-visual on bus announcements.

11 Marston Green Bus & Rail Interchange Spring 2013 saw the opening of a brand new bus interchange facility at Marston Green Rail Station. The 0.5m scheme included the implementation of a new pedestrian crossing, additional layover space for buses, a kiss and ride drop-off facility for passengers and a dedicated stop for ring and ride services as well as upgraded CCTV, lighting and public realm improvements. Marston Green Station car park, like many others across the network, is often over-subscribed and these improvements will help to encourage users to travel to the station by more sustainable modes. Future Network Development In October 2013, public consultation was undertaken across Solihull to understand public opinion of bus services ahead of the network review planned for April Centro also worked closely in partnership with Solihull Council and operators to develop proposals to improve the busy bus interchange in Solihull town centre, as part of the Solihull Gateway scheme. Over 10,000 passengers use the stops in Station Road and Poplar Road everyday and plans are now in place to ensure facilities will be upgraded to accommodate the demand safely and comfortably. On Bus Cleaning The successful on-bus cleaning initiative, jointly funded by Centro and National Express was expanded to include Chelmsley Wood Shopping Centre bus interchange in October As soon as a bus arrives and passengers have disembarked the cleaners sweep into action and the bus heads off again. As well as resulting in cleaner buses, cleaning the bus whilst it is in service clearly demonstrates to passengers that the buses are being looked after and encourages passengers to leave behind less litter.

12 TBT Walsall Bradford Place Centro worked in partnership with Walsall Council and bus operators to deliver a series of improvements to the bus interchange at Bradford Place in April The works saw the number of stands on the Saddlers Centre side reduced from five to four to give more space for buses to pull into their stands, giving better access for customers. The changes should also help with congestion at Bradford Place, making it easier for buses to move within the area. Some customers also benefitted from timetable changes on the 9, 34 and 334 services as together these services were given more evenly spaced, co-ordinated timetables to a similar destination. Centro worked in partnership with Walsall Council to apply for a revision to the Traffic Regulation Condition to reflect the new arrangements. Route 9 More than 440,000 was spent improving a key Black Country bus route for passengers following a joint partnership agreement between Arriva and Centro. The agreement saw Arriva investing in three brand new buses for the route 9 service between Walsall, Darlaston and Lodge Farm. The new single deck buses are specially branded, have easy access, low floors and greener Euro 5 engines. The route 9 timetable was also improved to provide a regular 20 minute service through the majority of the day. Centro subsidises additional journeys on the route before 9:30am and has also produced and funded a joint marketing campaign aimed at making Black Country customers more aware of what transport services are available.

13 Improvements to Route 529 Corridor Bus service 529 provides the quickest public transport link between Walsall and Wolverhampton, passing through some key residential, retail and development areas including north Darlaston and Willenhall. As part of the Walsall and Wolverhampton Partnership Agreement, Centro invested in new shelters for passengers along this popular bus corridor, while Walsall Council has been working to enforce the bus lanes along the route on the approach to the M6 Junction 10 to help provide quick, reliable services for customers. Streetly Highway Improvements Following feedback from bus operators, Walsall Council delivered some highways improvements in Streetly near to the Hardwick Arms pub to improve the road surface and realign the kerb to help make it easier for buses to make a tricky left hand turn out of the bus terminus. The buses are required to follow the route to serve the northern part of the village, and the works have significantly helped bus operation in the area. Darlaston Strategic Development Area & Local Enterprise Zone Centro has continued to work closely with Walsall Council on regeneration proposals in Darlaston. The aim is to facilitate new investment in the area and create new employment opportunities that will benefit local people. The role of public transport in enabling easy access to the area is crucial and plans have been drawn up to redevelop the bus interchange and provide new waiting facilities and information displays. Walsall Council is delivering a number of highways improvements in the area around Bentley Road South, Bentley Mill Way and along the main Darlaston Road to improve access to the development area. Centro and operators have been working with Walsall Council on the planning of the scheme to look at how the works can help to improve bus journey times and reliability in the area, as well as to minimise disruption as the project is implemented.

14 TBT Wolverhampton Wednesfield Changes In January 2014, passengers in Wednesfield, Willenhall and Wolverhampton benefitted from faster, more reliable and convenient bus services thanks to a package of new routes and timetable improvements. Centro, working in partnership with local bus companies, launched several new services alongside other enhancements to the existing network. Many of the bus service changes were the direct result of requests and feedback from passengers and included: A new, fast service between i54 and Wolverhampton city centre, taking just 18 minutes instead of the previous 38 minute journey New services to i54 from The Scotlands, Wednesfield, Willenhall and Bilston A new service from the city centre into and around the New Cross Hospital site A new pilot service through Portobello linking with Walsall, Wolverhampton and Willenhall A new service from Wood End to Cannock Road temple Co-ordination of the 69 and 89 services to provide a 15 minute frequency between Wolverhampton, Wednesfield and New Invention In addition the Wednesfield area saw further improvements to public transport thanks to the installation of new bus shelters on service 59 between Wolverhampton and Ashmore Park. This was also complemented by the shelter upgrades along the 529 corridor that links Walsall and Wolverhampton. Wolverhampton Bus Reliability Figures in 2013 showed bus reliability and punctuality in Wolverhampton and West Walsall has reached new heights following the network review in 2011, with over 99% of bus mileage operated and average punctuality at termini 95%. These figures demonstrate that the attention to detail when planning timetables in this area has paid off and passengers are reaping the benefits. Reliability was a key issue raised by passengers prior to the network review in A marketing campaign was undertaken to promote the punctuality of services in this area to both users and non-users. Wolverhampton City Centre Centro have been working closely with Wolverhampton City Council and bus operators on plans to enhance the public realm in the city centre. The scheme is aimed at making Wolverhampton a more attractive place to live, work and shop and ensuring that bus services can easily access the city centre is key to this. Implementation of the scheme begins in 2014 and will include brand new bus stop infrastructure.

15 i54 & the Stafford Road Area Action Plan The i54 & Stafford Road Local Enterprise Zone was created in 2011 and will deliver over 5,000 new jobs to the area. Ensuring the site is easily accessible by public transport is crucial to its success. Centro is working with Wolverhampton City Council, Staffordshire County Council and South Staffordshire Council to develop a package of schemes to improve access to the site, including the new fast bus service between Wolverhampton city centre and the i54 which started in January Pinchpoint Scheme A successful joint bid to the Department for Transport from Centro and Wolverhampton City Council led to over 1 million being awarded for improvements on the Stafford Road corridor. Improvements will include: Improvements to traffic lights on Stafford Road, including bus detection techonolgy Variable message signage Upgrade of the bus park & ride site on Stafford Road for people travelling to i54 and city centre bringing the site up to Park Mark accredited standard Contribution towards wireless communication along the corridor allowing for improved traffic management and wifi on buses CCTV along the corridor, allowing for improved traffic management Upgrade of bus stops along the Stafford Road corridor, including Real Time Information This also complements another Pinchpoint Scheme currently being delivered by Wolverhampton City Council to widen the Wobaston Road (the main corridor linking Stafford Road to the i54) and install a cycle lane. Other Funding Centro has also been successful in obtaining money from two European transport funds to bring in sustainable travel enhancements in the Stafford Road and i54 area. This includes 150,000 for technological innovations and 40,000 for smarter travel measures. Work is taking place to develop the proposals to benefit bus users, cyclists and pedestrians.

16 TBT Partnership Plus Delivery Progress As well as our area based bus partnerships, Centro continues to work in close partnership on specific commitments with individual bus operators to align investment and deliver even better services for customers. An 81m investment package in the West Midlands bus network was agreed in July 2013, with the signing of the new Partnership Plus agreement between Centro and National Express West Midlands. The two year agreement builds on improvements delivered by the previous Transforming Bus Travel 2 partnership, which included the introduction of the Network West Midlands smartphone app, the region s first hybrid diesel-electric buses and increased the number of ticket inspectors on the bus network. Partnership Plus, which comprises 65 million of investment by National Express and 16 million by Centro, will also deliver ambitious new programmes, including: 300 new buses including 15 environmentally friendly hybrids Ten new gold bus corridors, benefitting from improved buses, real time information and increased bus priority 350 new bus shelters Swift smartcard ticketing New infrastructure, shelters and information provision for Wolverhampton and Coventry city centres Expansion of the successful on-bus cleaning scheme Golden rules of customer service introduced for all drivers and staff More talking buses featuring audio visual equipment informing passengers of their next stop Opportunity for Centro elected members to Adopt a Bus Route Fare increases limited to no more than RPI +1% (within commercial viability)

17 Vehicle Investment National Express have commited to deliver 300 brand new buses between 2013 and The first of these have been delivered on routes in North Birmingham and Coventry. All of the new buses include state of the art CCTV with on board displays and bespoke route branding to give them a strong identity. Another initiative has been to name all new vehicles after the daughters and nieces of staff. This has given each bus a unique personality and passengers look forward to spotting their favourite out on the network! On Bus Cleaning Cleaners are now in action in Birmingham s Colmore Row, Solihull Rail and Bus Interchange and Chelmsley Wood Pine Square Shopping Centre after proving a success in Wolverhampton, West Bromwich and Coventry bus stations. They have been introduced and jointly funded as part of the Transforming Bus Travel partnership agreement between Centro and bus operator National Express West Midlands. Cleaners board the buses after all passengers have alighted taking off any discarded rubbish and newspapers before passengers board for the next journey. A survey undertaken in October 2013 indicated passengers had a high awareness of the scheme and felt it was having a significant impact on cleanliness. Adopt a Bus Route October 2013 marked the launch of a brand new initiative Adopt a Bus Route. ITA members have each adopted a bus route and are encouraged to provide regular feedback on operational issues, performance and passenger experience, both positive and negative. As well as providing National Express West Midlands with feedback to enable performance to be improved, the scheme also helps increase awareness amongst ITA members of issues faced by operators on a day-today basis and secure additional political backing to help implement highways measures to improve performance.

18 Traffic Management Centre Birmingham City Council s Urban Traffic Management Centre (UTMC) monitors and manages the road network across Birmingham. This includes a network of CCTV cameras at key junctions and the ability to alter traffic flows by changing traffic signals. Following a best practice visit to Bristol City Council in November 2013, Centro facilitated a partnership between National Express West Midlands and Birmingham City Council to have a member of National Express staff permanently stationed in the control centre. This replicates the pioneering scheme developed in Bristol. As a result of this scheme a driver could advise the control centre of an incident on the network through the cab radio, the control centre can then observe the incident in real-time through the CCTV network and determine what action is required to resolve it. The benefits of the partnership include: Partners can be fully informed quickly of any incidents on the network and take appropriate action. Forming a better understanding between partners and their key priorities. Identifying common areas of development between the highways and transport networks. And ultimately, providing a better service and information to passengers. Civil Enforcement Officer During March 2014 a 12 week trial commenced, which saw an additional Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO) specifically enforcing parking restrictions along some of Birmingham s busiest bus routes. The CEO is initially enforcing contraventions such as cars parked in bus stops, bus lane violations and inappropriately parked vehicles. The aim of the initiative is to improve punctuality and reliability for passengers. The trial is being funded jointly by Centro and National Express who determine each day where the additional resource should be deployed, and facilitated by Birmingham City Council.

19 TBT Partnership Working Commendation from Charity Centro s work to promote audio visual announcements on buses in the West Midlands has been recognised by the national charity Guide Dogs. Guide Dogs began a campaign in 2013 called Talking Buses to try and encourage transport authorities and bus operators across England to install equipment to enable next-stop announcements to be made on board buses. This is particularly useful for the blind and partially sighted as well as being useful for visitors and those unfamiliar with the local area. To support the campaign, Centro agreed with National Express West Midlands that at least 50 additional buses will be installed with audio-visual announcement through our Partnership Plus agreement. This is in addition to those Centro have already contributed towards on routes 22 and 23 in Birmingham, route 1 between Wolverhampton and Dudley, route 222 between Dudley and Merry Hill and Rotala s S3 Signature service in Solihull. To support their campaign, Guide Dogs have taken out a series of full page adverts in the trade press, in which Centro and National Express have been commended for our efforts.

20 TBT Ticketing Swift Smartcard In 2013/14 we continued the roll out of Swift smartcard ticketing, which was first launched in October Direct Debit season ticket holders had their traditional paper tickets transferred to smartcards and new area nbus tickets were launched (see below). Next year we ll see further roll out of smart ticketing throughout the region with the introduction of new carnet tickets and an all operator pay-as-you-go scheme, with cards available to be purchased and topped up in PayZone outlets throughout the region. The introduction of smart ticketing technology has massively improved back office ticketing infrastructure and provided us with the tools to deliver new and existing passengers with better value, innovative and convenient ticketing solutions. nbus Area Tickets Autumn 2013 saw the launch of two brand new ticketing products in Coventry and the Black Country. Area nbus tickets offer residents of Coventry and the Black Country a competitively priced multi-bus operator product for the first time marking a significant milestone in our smart ticketing journey as the first season ticket available on Swift. These multi-operator local area tickets offer a significant monthly saving for customers compared to the region wide ticket which was only available previously.

21 TBT Marketing A number of marketing campaigns were undertaken in 2013/14 to support partners objectives within our local partnership agreements. The campaigns covered a number of objectives including increasing the awareness of services, increasing patronage and encouraging take up of well-targeted offers to support local businesses. Area Bus Route Numbers Timing of activity Marketing activity Wolverhampton Walsall National Express 1,2,3,4 Bradford Place changes April 2013 April 2013 Leaflet drops, bus stop vinyls, shelter posters & bus rears Phone boxes, billboards, newspaper adverts, on bus posters and leaflets Birmingham National Express April 2013 Leaflet drop along line of route 55/55A Coventry National Express 4, April 2013 Leaflet drop along line of route 18/A, 6/A, 10 Wolverhampton Rebranding of Arriva 9 May 2013 Leaflet drop with operator discounted travel voucher Walsall Walsall Community Transport 26 May 2013 Leaflet drop with operator discounted travel voucher Walsall Walsall Community Transport 30 May 2013 Leaflet drop with operator discounted travel voucher Coventry National Express 20 June 2013 Leaflet drop & shelter adverts Sandwell Diamond & National Express 4, 4H, 4M, 46, 47/A July 2013 Line of route leaflet drop with operator vouchers, amenities vouchers and information about New Square Walsall/Sandwell National Express/Diamond 4, 4M, 4H August 2013 development Leaflet drop with operator voucher & summer attraction vouchers Walsall Arriva 35 November 2013 Leaflet drop with operator and local amenity vouchers Coventry Multiple Operators November- December 2013 Leaflet drop with voucher for local amenities ANITA National Express 97 April - December 2013 Black Country Digital campaign February-March 2014 Leaflet drops with ticket discounts, shelter adverts & Shelter vinyls Google adverts, SMS / MMS mobile adverts, Digital adverts on local newspaper sites & website landing page

22 TBT Information Thanks to the partnership work between Centro and bus operators, there are now over 1,500 RTI displays across the network supporting the passenger at all stages of their journey. Improved Information at the Airport Over 10 million people travel to Birmingham Airport and the NEC complex every year. It is imperative that detailed public transport information is available as many will be unfamiliar with the region. A new digital poster was designed and is displayed prominently at the bus interchange at Birmingham International station, providing customers with details about transport links including fares, frequencies and real time departure information. Web-based Bus Departure Boards There are hundreds of electronic real time information displays that Centro have been installing at bus stops and bus stations throughout the West Midlands. To provide even more real time information to our customers we have been offering web-based departure boards in partnership with schools, colleges, hospitals and businesses. Centro been working with these partners to configure web pages which convert the sites own large screens with internet capability into custom bus departure boards. The first five of these have been installed at: Birmingham City University Birmingham Airport ExtraCare Retirement Housing, Edgbaston Bournville College Dudley College with more to follow in Next Departures App In December 2013 an upgrade of the Network West Midlands App was released for iphone and Android users, bringing new features to provide a greater customer experience. More bus stops now displayed on the app, including some on routes that cross over the West Midlands boundary Bus stand and stop identifiers added to each stop description so users can easily find the correct stand in Bus Stations and in City Centres/Interchanges

23 Bus operator names added to each trip, for easy identification of the company that operates the next bus departing from a stop A new and improved Useful Information section, to help with travel related queries such as ticketing and lost property. It also provides direct links to our Fix It service, should there be a problem with a stop or shelter. Access to a mobile version of our Journey Planner which gives door-to-door trip information for travel via Bus, Train, Metro, Cycling and Walking As of March 2014, the app had been downloaded by over 170,000 customers. e-paper Trial at Oldbury Interchange In August 2013 a prototype e-paper Timetable display was successfully installed in Oldbury town centre. E-paper is an innovative display technology designed to mimic the appearance of ordinary ink on paper and is capable of holding text and images indefinitely, without drawing any electricity. The trial display in Oldbury is effectively eight e-paper units linked together in a traditional timetable poster case. Each unit can show something different and can be updated remotely at any time. Information displayed can include live departure information, traditional timetables, fares and other messages for passengers. Each panel also has an Near Field Communication (NFC) tag that users with an enabled smartphone can scan to access further content via the internet. With the financial costs and environmental impact of producing and installing paper based timetables at bus stops, e-paper technology might well prove to be a suitable, cost effective alternative to paper, with the flexibility to provide additional benefits, such as integration with Real Time Information.

24 TBT Safety & Security Local Transport Policing Plan Launch A three year plan to combat crime and anti-social behaviour on the region s public transport system was formally launched in November The Local Transport Policing Plan, which will involve an increase in uniformed officers on buses, trains and trams, was launched in Birmingham by Bob Jones, the West Midlands Police Commissioner and Cllr John McNicholas, chairman of Centro. The Safer Travel Partnership, which includes West Midlands Police, British Transport Police, Centro, bus company National Express West Midlands and train operator London Midland, has already helped cut crime on the network by more than 67 per cent over the last six years. Latest figures show an 11 per cent increase in passenger satisfaction with safety on the West Midlands transport network but 17 per cent of passengers still say they feel uncomfortable because of the anti-social behaviour of others. Action set out in the policing plan to tackle crime and nuisance behaviour includes: Increasing the use of CCTV and other technology Increasing the presence of uniformed officers on the network to enhance the feeling of safety amongst passengers Expanding the use of Special Constables within the Safer Travel Police Team Providing greater support for crime victims Educating young people about appropriate behaviour on public transport Using expert analysis of graffiti and bus window etching to identify culprits Another key element includes asking the Government to give Centro the same powers to tackle anti-social behaviour enjoyed by Transport for London. This would be the use of injunction powers within new legislation due to come out.

25 See Something Say Something The See Something, Say Something campaign encourages passengers to report instances of anti-social behaviour they observe during their journeys by text message. Posters now advertise this campaign on all National Express buses across the region. Restorative Justice In February 2014, a scheme putting young people to work repairing vandalism they have caused on public transport was launched in Birmingham by Birmingham Youth Offending Service and the Safer Travel Partnership. The pilot scheme is for young people aged between 10 and 18-years-old across Birmingham and encourages them to recognise the harm their anti-social activities cause. It is seen as more constructive than simply prosecuting them and giving them a criminal record. This scheme can make a huge difference by encouraging young people to think about the consequences of their actions. Previously those actions could potentially have resulted in a criminal conviction - restorative justice prevents this yet sees the perpetrator putting right the damage they have caused. Restorative justice has been known to reduce reoffending by as much as 27 per cent and is cost effective - for every 1 spent on restorative justice the criminal justice system saves 9. Zero Tolerance The Partnership Plus agreement with National Express includes a commitment for Zero Tolerance at Bordesley Garage. As part of this campaign there is a concerted effort to ensure buses containing window etching, graffiti or non-operational CCTV are not put into service. This has had a positive impact on reducing further instances of vandalism on these vehicles.

26 TBT Subsidised Bus Services Even though Centro do not own or operate any buses, we do pay for socially necessary services to operate that are not commercially viable for example, some early morning, late evening and Sunday day time services. Centro subsidises around 10% of bus services in the West Midlands, costing around 8.5 million a year. Contracts are typically let for a three or four year period with two tender rounds every year in April and October. In 2013/14, Centro procured and processed a total of 105 subsidised bus service contracts, totalling over 5.1 million. Boxing Day Services Until 2002 bus services had not operated on Boxing Day in the West Midlands for many years. For Boxing Day 2002 we experimented with a limited network of bus services which proved to be very successful. The network has been expanded year-on-year since then. In 2013 Centro provided subsidy to enable a Sunday service to operate on almost every bus route in the Network West Midlands area from the usual time of the first bus on a Sunday until last departures between 1800 and The running of this Sunday bus network is only possible because of some Centro subsidy and hard work of operators including National Express West Midlands, Diamond Bus, WMSNT and The Green Bus Company to encourage over 1200 drivers to volunteer to work on the 26th December to ensure we were able to run the services. Centro also staffed its bus stations to help with customer enquiries and to ensure the safe operation of our facilities. In total over 235,000 journeys were made on services across the West Midlands on Boxing Day 2013.

27 TBT Monitoring Passenger Focus Customer Satisfaction Monitoring of outcomes is essential to ensure we are meeting our objectives and helps deliver continuous improvement. As well as our local monitoring, Centro works closely with national bus watchdog Passenger Focus so that we can gain an independent assessment of how we perform compared to other areas. The 2013 National Bus Satisfaction Survey showed satisfaction increasing in every single attribute, but also highlights there is still lots of work to do in many categories! In 2013 a Bus Satisfaction Working Group was established to focus on key areas of improvement. This consists of ITA Members, bus company representatives and Passenger Champions who work together to identify initiatives that will further increase satisfaction. Figures from Passenger Focus Bus Passenger Satisfaction Survey Autumn 2013 compared to Autumn 2012.