Cydffederasiwn Cludwyr Teithwyr Cymru

Confederation of Passenger Transport Wales

 

 

 

The Confederation of Passenger Transport in Wales (CPT Cymru) is pleased to present its written submission to the Business & Enterprise Committee’s inquiry into integrated transport in Wales. CPT Cymru is the professional trade association of the bus, coach and light rail industry in Wales, and is part of CPT UK. It has members all across Wales, and they include large multinational operators, municipally owned operators and small and medium sized independent companies. CPT Cymru members provide over two-thirds of all public transport journeys in Wales and they are significant employers and contributors to the economy of Wales.

 

CPT Cymru’s governance comprises the Bus Commission Cymru and the Coach Commission Cymru, whose meetings are held across Wales and open to all CPT Cymru members. Members are regularly consulted on the activities of CPT Cymru, and they contribute to responses to consultations and discussions with the Welsh Government.

 

In order to assist the Committee and its staff, this submission has broadly followed the sections relevant to CPT Cymru in the questionnaire that was available on-line for public response.

 

 

 

Integration of public transport services in Wales is currently at odds between urban and rural areas. Urban areas such as Cardiff, Swansea and Newport enjoy some degree of successful integration, due to their proximity to main line/local rail services, coupled with the availability of larger bus operators able to service local areas. This is not necessarily true for more rural areas and is therefore difficult to quantify. Wales has a number of distinctive features, for example, a difficult terrain, absence of large cities, and a lack of employment opportunities in more rural areas, to name a few.

 

Factors which limit integration in rural areas include:

·        lack of good physical interchange facilities at rail stations with other forms of public transport;

·        lack of passenger information and communication between bus and rail operators where delays occur, thus leading to a lack of passenger assurance that a multi-stage journey will successfully link up;

·         service frequency and reliability in all modes, not just buses;

·        transport economics - excellent integration usually conflicts with service efficiency because modes have to wait around for each other.  Passengers making multi-modal journeys are almost always in the minority;

·         partnership working between bus service providers and rail operators, where commercial bus operations are not viable and supported services are withdrawn due to budgetary constraints placed on local authorities;

·        perceived passenger security at stations;

·        journeys are door-to-door, whereas public transport is generally stp-to-stop;

·        cost of the complete journey;

 

Whilst urban areas do, in fact, enjoy a better degree of integration between transport modes, it should be noted that these areas also suffer from the points raised above.

 

 

To date it is difficult to quantify this in respect of the Wales Transport Strategy – ‘Connecting Wales’ policy objectives, as ever more constraints are placed on funding for public transport and infrastructure. Whilst there have been some successful initiatives which fully support the needs of Welsh travellers, these have been achieved only within certain areas of Wales.

 

 

There are four main components which must be considered in order to improve public transport integration in Wales.

 

1.     Information for passengers – before and during their journey.

2.     Integrated multi-modal ticketing including modern purchase methods

3.     Interchange infrastructure and facilities being prioritised throughout Wales; the facilities at interchanges should be consistent and appropriate for the population it serves.

4.     The ability to provide timely connections between the differing modes of transport.

 

Good integration needs to ensure that the complete door-to-door journey is convenient, easy to use, safe, cost effective, frequent, and reliable, with journey times and changes kept to a minimum.

 

 

In order to support the integration of the differing modes, Welsh Government and local authorities must focus on bus priority measures in and around the interchanges themselves, and on main bus corridors connecting communities and businesses. By working to reduce travelling times between urban and rural areas, greater social inclusion and modal shift can be achieved.

 

 

The success of any of the four RTCs in Wales is dependent upon their ability to fund the provision of integrated services both within and between their respective areas.

 

     The other problem with integration is the difference in funding levels

     between bus and rail, where frequently the considerably more highly

     subsidised rail service competes with the commercial bus service - in

     situations like this there is little drive to integrate.

 

 

The first part of this question which deals with the Wales and Border Rail Franchise is outside the scope of bus operators’ activities.

 

CPT is supportive of the use of voluntary quality partnerships in the delivery of bus services and sees such measures as a positive way forward. However, we do not support the introduction of quality contracts in Wales. The introduction by the minister of QCs in Wales will have a harmful impact upon both the level of services currently being provided and the introduction of new services due to their prescriptive nature, indeed CPT feels that the introduction of such measures will only serve to limit the ability of the Welsh Government to enhance integrated transport in Wales. Quality Contracts should only be introduced where all other avenues have been explored and exhausted.

 

 

Many Welsh stations are part of PlusBus scheme which gives a rail ticket which is valid on the local bus network. Additionally Cardiff Bus have an arrangement with ATW for a Valleys rail ticket which is valid on all Cardiff Bus services. This commendable scheme would benefit from better promotion at stations throughout Wales.

The ideal scenario, however, is one form of ticket which is truly valid on all forms of transport; this is hopefully where things such as the GoCymru

e-purse come in.

The key to integration is to make the movement from bus to rail and vice versa as easy as possible – but, using the capital city as an example, it is easier to hail a taxi than find the appropriate bus service.

 

Bus operators are on the whole keen to cooperate with public bodies in order to ensure effective service delivery: however, such cooperation is unfortunately not always possible due to the differing needs of the parties involved. Bus operators must ultimately retain the ability to manage and control their businesses without any undue influence being placed upon them. Where local authority contracts exist for the provision of services there must be more emphasis placed on quality rather than on cost alone. In order for truly effective cooperation clear lines of communication must be established and maintained.

 

The following examples are taken from the Journey Solutions report ‘Door-to-door’ and are used throughout the UK:

 

·        First Great Western ‘Train Times’ booklets include a three page chapter about getting to and from the Train station which gives details of bus, cycle and parking facilities.

·        South West Trains produce a leaflet promoting connceting services, such as Airport Links.

·        The Southeastern and First Capital Connect Network maps show the PLUSBUS icon beside all stations that are PLUSBUS interchanges.

·        First Bus timetables show the national rail symbol beside rail station timing points.

·        Traveline Cymru provides nation-wide public transport enquiry service for both bus and train travel, along with an sms text alert service for bus stops, and a journey planner facility.

 

Further examples can be found by following the link:

http://www.journeysolutions.com/sites/default/files/documents/Door-to-door%20report%20June%202009%20Final.pdf

 

CPT Cymru would be very happy to provide further information on any of the responses above, and there is no objection to this submission being placed in the public domain.

 

 

JOHN POCKETT

Cyfarwyddwr Government Relations, CPT Cymru

Director Government Relations, CPT Cymru

 

16 Tachwedd 2012 : 16 November 2012