INTEGRATED TRANSPORT AUTHORITY Meadowhall Our Vision for South Rotherham and Improving your Bus Travel Information Booklet Summer 2010
2 3 Introduction This booklet sets out our proposals of a vision for future bus travel in South Rotherham and. It introduces plans to improve the quality, performance and value for money of the bus network in order to make bus travel in South Rotherham and more attractive. What Our vision includes: would we like to do? An improved bus network across South Rotherham and that strengthens links to many communities. We would welcome your comments on our proposals and will use them to further develop our plans. Why improve do we need to the bus network South Rotherham and are home to many successful companies in the engineering, technological and creative industries and over the next few years these areas will attract increasing levels of investment, creating many new job opportunities. As a result, there will be a growing requirement for a bus network capable of meeting the needs of people to access jobs, schools, hospitals and leisure activities. Unfortunately, in recent years, the number of people using buses in South Yorkshire has been declining and the number of cars on the road has increased. This has led to increased traffic congestion, slower journey times, increased fares and falling levels of customer satisfaction.? Introducing a brand new fleet of fully accessible and environmentally friendly buses for every route. A simplified fare system with discounts available for passengers who use a smartcard to pay-as-you-go across the network. Improved connections to other bus routes by allowing passengers to use one ticket, avoiding the need to pay twice. Improved punctuality and reliability. Improved security through the use of CCTV on all buses. Consultation with stakeholders and bus users on changes to services, routes and timetables. These would be limited to once per year. One point of contact for all travel enquiries in South Yorkshire. Passenger satisfaction surveys tell us that there is much we can do to attract people onto the bus and away from the car. In response to this challenge, we have designed this package of proposals in order to address customer concerns and make bus travel a much more attractive, accessible and enjoyable experience for everyone. 2 3
What does the proposed bus network?? look like the new network The proposed bus network provides the essential links required by communities in South Rotherham and and will give residents improved access to the following: How did we design We looked carefully at the existing network in South Rotherham and and are proposing to make the following improvements: Job opportunities Healthcare Education Shopping and banking services Leisure facilities A good bus service is essential for communities to be strong and prosperous and it is our intention to create a bus network that has a local focus. We have divided the network into 7 areas, as highlighted on the map below. Identify routes where there are currently too many buses running and provide a more consistent service using fewer vehicles. Ensure that each community has the level of service best suited to its needs. Provide common sense network links that maximise accessibility to key destinations. Invest additional resources into areas with a specific need for better service. Strengthen circular services so that they provide access to nearby communities that are currently not on the bus route. For each area, there is a detailed network map. To look at these maps you can: North Visit www.busvision.co.uk North West North East South Rotherham Call the information line on 0800 028 8141 to request copies of the maps. Visit any of the our eighteen exhibition detailed on the back page of this booklet. South West South South East 4 5
How would the new bus fares system work? By simplifying the bus network, new fares and tickets would be introduced that make travelling by bus more affordable and more convenient. The new fares system would accept cash and also offer discounts for using a smartcard. The cost of a bus journey would depend on whether you used a smartcard or not and how far you travelled. A smartcard is a pay-as-you-go card that passengers would be able to use to pay for their journey by using electronic readers on the buses. The card would register when a passenger boards a bus. Passengers would be able to top up their smartcard online, at kiosks in the bus interchanges and local shops in Rotherham and. There would be different fares for different journeys based on different travel zones; if a passenger travels anywhere within one zone, it would be one set fare. Travel within two zones would be another set fare. There would also be day, weekly and monthly tickets available that could be used across the bus network. This system is currently being used very successfully for journeys by bus, tube and train in London, known as Oystercard. The zone-based fares would only apply to journeys between one to three miles. For example, if you travel to your local shops (a journey under 1 mile) you would be charged a single zone fare. But if you travel to a suburban shopping area and have travelled between one and three miles then you would be charged for travelling within two or three zones. The table on the following page gives you an idea about how the fares could look under the new system at June 2010 s prices. If you travel... Within city centre To your local shops (typically 1 mile, within one zone) To a suburban shopping centre (over a 3 mile distance, over two zones) To city centre from anywhere in the network Through city centre Between city centre and Rotherham town centre Cash Single 70p 1.10 1.50 1.80 2.20 2.50 Smartcard Single Day Week Month 60p 16.00 ( 10 1.60 4.00 for 60.00 one route) 2.00 19.50 74.00 Child, senior citizen and disabled concessions would continue as now, although there is no guarantee that free concessionary travel legislation will not change in the future. The zones and fares will be developed as part of the proposals. 6 7
What are the benefits A new fares system would deliver: of a new fare system? Reduced Waiting Time The amount of time it takes for people to get on and off the bus would be reduced because more passengers would use a smartcard to pay for their travel. This will make journeys quicker and cheaper and make it easier for bus services to run on time. Capped Fares For those using a smartcard, all journeys taken within one day on the South Rotherham and bus network would be capped at 4.00 (based on today s prices) no matter how many journeys were made. Single Ticket A single ticket would allow you to travel anywhere on the network, even if you have to change buses. Flexibility Day, weekly or monthly travel passes could be paid for by using a smartcard and could be used on all of the routes on the bus network and across all zones. The benefits of our vision A brand new fleet of fully accessible, more environmentally friendly buses for every route in the network. Every bus in the South Rotherham and network will be fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act, which will improve accessibility for everyone. The new vehicles would also have engines that meet the latest exhaust emission standards, which will help improve the air quality. All vehicles will also be fitted with satellite positioning equipment that provides real time information to passengers. Improved punctuality and reliability. We will aim to make these services more reliable by working closely with the bus operators and Rotherham and Councils to keep services to the scheduled timetables. Improved connections to other bus routes with through ticketing, avoiding the need to pay twice. Our new ticketing scheme will allow you to buy a single ticket between any two locations on the network, even if this involves a change of bus. Meadowhall 8 9
Improved security through the use of CCTV on all buses. All of the buses will be fitted with internal and external CCTV, which will improve the personal security of staff, passengers and vehicles. Changes to services limited to once per year. Alongside punctuality and reliability, it is important that services are not changed too often and that there is a sense of stability. We would make any changes to a timetable or route only once a year and only following public consultation in the local area. Consultation with stakeholders and bus users on any proposed changes. If changes do need to be made to a route, these will be presented to the local public so that we can gather their views and feedback before making a final decision. A one stop shop for all travel enquiries through Travel South Yorkshire. We will combine resources to improve the way you access information about travel in your area. You will have a single point of contact for all your enquiries. Have your say This is your opportunity to let us know what you think about our vision to improve the bus network in South Rotherham and. To have your say you can: Request a response slip by visiting one of our information centres or calling the information line on 0800 028 8141 By visiting www.busvision.co.uk By meeting the team at one of the exhibitions listed on the back page of this booklet. Write to FREEPOST BUS VISION. For further information and to request a network map, please: Call freephone 0800 028 8141 If you require this leaflet in large print or Braille, please call 0800 028 8141 What happens next? Email yoursay@busvision.co.uk The consultation will end on Friday 3 September 2010. We will then consider the feedback and prepare a report that will highlight the views of the people of South Rotherham and that have responded to the consultation. The report will then be used as a basis for us to work with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, City Council and the bus operators to improve bus services in South Rotherham and. 10 11
Bus Vision Exhibitions - July Calendar You can have your say at any of these eighteen exhibitions. Tues 6th July Fargate in City Centre, S1 Wed 7th July Dinnington Resource Centre, 131 Laughton Road, S25 8am 6pm 9am 5pm Sun 11th July Mon 12th July All Saints Square, Rotherham, S60 Fri 16th July Crystal Peaks Shopping Centre, S20 10am 6pm Wed 21st July Manor Library, Ridgeway Road, S12 10am - 4pm 9am 5pm Sat 17th July Town Hall, City Centre, S1 8am 6pm Thurs 22nd July Woodseats Advice Centre, Chesterfield Rd, S8 10am - 1.30pm Sat 3rd July Chapeltown Library, Nether Ley Avenue, S35 9am 12pm Sun 4th July Mon 5th July Broomhill Methodist Church, Fulwood Road, S10 Thurs 8th July Newfield Green Tenants Hall, Gleadless Road, S2 9am 1pm Tues 13th July First Start Children s Centre, 441 Firth Park Road, Shiregreen, S5 Fri 9th July Chapeltown Library, Nether Ley Avenue, S35 12pm 4pm Wed 14th July Meadowhall Shopping Centre, S9 10am 6pm Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, S5 Sat 10th July Newfield Green Tenants Hall, Gleadless Road, S2 1pm 4pm Thurs 15th July Ecclesall Library, Ecclesall Road South, S11 2pm - 8pm Sun 18th July Mon 19th July Tues 20th July Fri 23rd July Hillsborough Interchange, Langsett Road, S6 The Venue, 650 Manchester Road in Stocksbridge, S36 These details may be subject to change. Please check the website or call the information line for more details. 9am 5pm