New government bus funding

[DD12]

In the new government plan, constant references are made to "LTAs", but I don't know whether that includes the city of Worcester, or Worcestershire ?

Can anyone who knows please tell me ( .... I hope we are not going to miss-out on the benefits here in Worcester).

THANKS.

 

[WatcherZero]

Local Transport Authorities

Worcestershire County Council are the LTA for that area.

 

[DD12]

Local Transport Authorities

Worcestershire County Council are the LTA for that area.

Thanks very much Watcher Zero, - much appreciated !!

 

[GusB]

Please stick to the topic of New Government Bus Funding.

 

[domcoop7]

Part of the proposals was for what they called a "Superbus" network, of which Cornwall is supposed to be the first example.

Unfortunately my searches online, including of Cornwall Council, and First Kernow, don't reveal anything about what this actually means or what it is supposed to be.

Does anyone know what they mean by a Superbus Network, and what it means in practice?

 

[Typhoon]

Part of the proposals was for what they called a "Superbus" network, of which Cornwall is supposed to be the first example.

Unfortunately my searches online, including of Cornwall Council, and First Kernow, don't reveal anything about what this actually means or what it is supposed to be.

Does anyone know what they mean by a Superbus Network, and what it means in practice?

I imagine that what is being referred to is:

The website https://www.transportforcornwall.co.uk/our-partners/go-cornwall-bus-copy/ says

"Cornwall Council recently awarded an 8-year contract to Go Cornwall Bus (Plymouth Citybus/Go-Ahead) to operate the whole of the county supported local bus network. This equates to around half of all bus journeys made in Cornwall. First Kernow will continue to operate commercially within the county.

Services under contract to Cornwall Council will be branded as Transport for Cornwall. Many bus services previously operated by First Kernow will be run by Transport for Cornwall. Go Cornwall Bus will be working with three local operators, namely Hopley’s Coaches, OTS of Falmouth and Summercourt Travel Ltd, to provide the whole supported bus network.

Transport for Cornwall is the name of the partnership between Cornwall Council, Go Cornwall Bus and other local public transport providers working towards the delivery of the vision for a high-quality, integrated and customer-focused public transport network."

It is from a reliable contributor and is in the thread "Go Cornwall Bus", which you might find interesting reading. Where the term 'superbus' comes from, I can only imagine it is the same place as 'world beating', 'oven ready' and 'sunlit uplands' but this is hardly a high frequency service. Others may have better ideas!

 

[Bletchleyite]

"Superbus" sounds straight out of about 1990. Not a great brand. I wonder will it receive a more sensible one?

 

[domcoop7]

I imagine that what is being referred to is:

It is from a reliable contributor and is in the thread "Go Cornwall Bus", which you might find interesting reading. Where the term 'superbus' comes from, I can only imagine it is the same place as 'world beating', 'oven ready' and 'sunlit uplands' but this is hardly a high frequency service. Others may have better ideas!

Thanks! I've just read through some of that.

So what they promise in the new proposal is

"Superbus networks for “intermediate” areas – neither fully urbanised nor deeply rural. A Superbus network provides higher frequency, lower fare services; it can deliver the type of change we want to see. Places such as South Northumberland, County Durham, Lancashire, and the East Midlands, with their patchworks of small industrial towns and large villages, have not had the advantages of metropolitan transport authorities but are ideal bus territories that could really benefit from the Superbus concept. We particularly encourage ambitious Bus Service Improvement Plans in these types of places and remain committed to supporting the first, low fare Superbus network in Cornwall."

What we actually get (unless I'm missing anything) is the tendered network goes to one operator for a longer period of time. And that's it!

 

[edwin_m]

"Superbus" sounds straight out of about 1990. Not a great brand. I wonder will it receive a more sensible one?

Latin for "proud" or "arrogant".

 

[Hophead]

"Superbus" sounds straight out of about 1990. Not a great brand. I wonder will it receive a more sensible one?

Straight out of 1971, in fact, at least as far as Stevenage was concerned, as that was when the "SB" prefixed network of high-frequency town services started.

 

[Typhoon]

Latin for "proud" or "arrogant".

I'd forgotten that, no wonder I failed 'O' Level Latin.

Straight out of 1971, in fact, at least as far as Stevenage was concerned, as that was when the "SB" prefixed network of high-frequency town services started.

Ah, yes, a reminder that London Country had Metro-Scanias and discovered there were more colours than Poppy Red and Leaf Green. Not my area, but it seemed to be quite successful (unless I've been taken in by the publicity). I would have thought that looking at that scheme might be useful for DfT to look at - it did seem like 'turn-up-and-go'.

Anyone interested, there is an article (not error free - 7.5 not 74 for a start):
http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/6th-august-1971/31/superbus-comes-to-stevenage

 

[Ken H]

I wonder if Cumbria or North Yorkshire will apply for any of the cash, as currently, apart from school buses, they do not (as far as I am aware) subsidise any bus services..

NYCC operate their own services, many on marginal time when the buses are not used as school buses. but that makes them useless except for mid day shopping trips.

 

[pdsalford]

I suspect this will all disappear into the mist after the May local elections. Coincidence? not in my eyes

 

[Typhoon]

I suspect this will all disappear into the mist after the May local elections. Coincidence? not in my eyes

A little longer I suspect, United Nations Climate Change Conference in November. An opportunity to boast!