West Yorkshire bus franchising

[TheGrandWazoo]

Yes I get that but a franchising authority has more to gain in reducing operating costs by implementing bus priority measures.

When I read your line...

This is one of the arguments in favour of franchising. Authorities restricting private vehicle access only improve things for private operators whereas under franchising it would be the authorities themselves who reaped any rewards from faster running times due to less traffic.

...my first thought was the passenger - they should be the ones getting the reward.

Perhaps a slightly different way of approaching it is for local authorities to recognise it is in their interest to sort it out... full stop. Unfortunately, politics and finances often get in the way.

 

[Deerfold]

There's been a few areas in West Yorkshire where roads have been improved for buses and then the operator has changed the route to not use the improved section.
There should be more coordination so such waste doesn't happen.

 

[Megafuss]

When I read your line...


...my first thought was the passenger - they should be the ones getting the reward.

Perhaps a slightly different way of approaching it is for local authorities to recognise it is in their interest to sort it out... full stop. Unfortunately, politics and finances often get in the way.

Don't hold your breath

At a bus franchising event a few weeks ago, I asked whether operational coordination between bus authorities and highway planning teams had improved in franchised areas. The answer was a definitive...NO...beyond an initial surge during the very first week

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Don't hold your breath

At a bus franchising event a few weeks ago, I asked whether operational coordination between bus authorities and highway planning teams had improved in franchised areas. The answer was a definitive...NO...beyond an initial surge during the very first week

I am not holding my breath.

As we've already seen in Greater Manchester, they've tackled the issue of congestion by simply adding more vehicles into the PVR of certain routes. The issue is that the Combined Authority run the transport but the roads and parking are the preserve of the local councils. Whilst the CA is made up of council reps, that divide is a significant challenge.

 

[Andyh82]

There's been a few areas in West Yorkshire where roads have been improved for buses and then the operator has changed the route to not use the improved section.
There should be more coordination so such waste doesn't happen.

Where are these places you speak of?

 

[johncrossley]

What's insane (I don't know if these are the areas being referred to) is that there are some roads in Leeds and maybe elsewhere in West Yorkshire where there are two bus stops at each location, one on the guided busway and a regular bus stop at the kerb for buses without guidewheels.

 

[tomoufc]

Looking forward to discussing the rollout of franchising, rather than revising arguments over whether it should be happening at all.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There's been a few areas in West Yorkshire where roads have been improved for buses and then the operator has changed the route to not use the improved section.
There should be more coordination so such waste doesn't happen.

Or places where one team have put in raised kerbs to assist with level boarding onto buses, only for another team to come along and install a bus shelter with a solid panel blocking that raised kerb!

 

[TheWierdOne]

I'm not sure where you would put light rail if there isn't room for a bus lane.

In the case of the Otley Road it was planned to have the light rail dip on and off the road at strategic points.