Improvements
A key element of our work will be to support bus service improvements. These can relate to the speed of buses through a network, for example by specific bus priority and stop design measures; reliability and matching initiatives that improve all aspects of bus user experience.
Current policies at both national and local level focus on the development of partnerships, including Bus Service Improvement Partnerships (BSIPs), and these are an integral and required element of our work. Partnerships also include an increased level of involvement for Local Transport Authorities, and a detailed understanding of demand for bus services and factors influencing travel choices.
The Tayside Bus Alliance is actively working toward and fully supports the improvement of bus services throughout our region. Bus service improvements are built in as a part of our principles and the development of a Bus Service Improvement Partnership (BSIP) a required outcome of Transport Scotland support.
Bus service improvements can exist across a range of fields. Our initial work includes an appraisal of Bus Priority Measures, improved bus stops, bus lanes and junctions, amongst others. In addition the work will look at reducing conflicts between buses and other vehicles, at improving the total journey, on vehicle and at stop experiences.
Our work brings together key stakeholders, including passenger and representative groups, the bus industry, and local transport authorities with a direct input to bus services across the Tayside region.
Innovative Partnership
The Tayside Bus Alliance is an initiative bringing together Perth and Kinross, Dundee City, Fife, and Angus councils; Stagecoach and Xplore bus companies; Tactran and SEStran; as well as passenger user and transport representative groups; each contributing specialist and expert input.
The alliance is undertaking an appraisal of bus priority measures in a number of locations across the Tayside area, as well as the potential for bus service improvement partnerships, a specific requirement of the funding programme. Details of the Bus Partnership Fund can be found at:
www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/buses/bus-partnership-fund/
Transport Appraisal
The Alliance has undertaken an initial assessment of bus improvement measures for the Tayside area, and is currently in the process of detailed options appraisal as part of a number of steps that included:
A Case for Change phase – identifying the main transport problems in the Tayside region, alongside opportunities, issues and constraints for the study. It also set out a range of high-level objectives, from which a ‘long list’ of transport options were developed for consideration in the appraisal.
A Preliminary Options Appraisal – which assessed the transport options qualitatively against: the study objectives; Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance criteria (such as environment and economy); feasibility; affordability; and public acceptability. All options scored positively against the assessment criteria and were recommended for further appraisal.
And a Detailed Options Appraisal, the current stage, assessing packages of transport options at a detailed level.
Detailed Options Appraisal Document
Bus Service Improvements
A key element of our work will be to support bus service improvements. These can relate to the speed of buses through a network, for example by specific bus priority and stop design measures; reliability and matching initiatives that improve all aspects of bus user experience.
Current policies at both national and local level focus on the development of partnerships, including Bus Service Improvement Partnerships (BSIPs), and these are an integral and required element of our work. Partnerships also include an increased level of involvement for Local Transport Authorities, and a detailed understanding of demand for bus services and factors influencing travel choices.
Our work includes extensive active engagement with the public and key stakeholders to work toward service improvements across the Tayside region.