CPT welcomes recognition of need to change travel habits
Route 120 bus in Sheffield
South Yorkshire is considering bold measures to encourage motorists out of their cars and onto public transport.
Road user charging, workplace parking levies and reallocating road space away from private cars to buses are among the ideas put forward in documents published by South Yorkshire’s Mayoral Combined Authority to encourage a shift in travel habits from private motoring to public transport.
An official assessment of bus franchising by the mayoral authority notes that if it takes control of the transport network, it would be better able to drive a switch away from cars through “workplace parking levies or other parking charges”.
It adds that subject to broader political support, measures to improve bus patronage could include “reallocation of road space to buses and/or road user charging”.
The Confederation of Passenger Transport has welcomed consideration of these measures. Andrew McGuinness, CPT’s regional manager for the North of England, commented: “Bus operators in South Yorkshire share the same goal as the mayor – to deliver frequent, reliable and affordable buses. As an industry, we stand ready to work with local authorities to make a success of any regulatory model.
“However, local authority control of buses isn’t a silver bullet and will not, in isolation, enhance services or encourage any more passengers to catch the bus. The key to increasing passenger numbers is to speed up journeys, tackle traffic jams and to back any plan with long-term funding for buses.
As an industry, we stand ready to work with local authorities to make a success of any regulatory model
“We welcome consideration in South Yorkshire of bold steps to devote more road space to buses and to reduce the attractiveness of car travel, which can be done with or without franchising.
Every passenger who switches from car to bus will cut congestion, contribute to better air quality and deliver a boosting to the local economy.”
Research published by the CPT has found that a 10% increase in bus speeds typically increases passenger demand by 2.5% and reduces bus operating costs by 8%, freeing money that can be invested in more frequent services or zero-emission vehicles.
If increased bus speeds are combined with measures to increase the cost of running a private car, passenger demand can increase by as much as 20% – equivalent to an extra 10 million bus journeys a year in South Yorkshire.
A consultation on South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s proposals closed on January 15.
This article appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.
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