Arriva,
Stagecoach and Merseytravel have signed a new agreement that will
deliver more than £25m worth of investment in bus services in year one
of the five year partnership, for the benefit of existing passengers and in a bid to attract new ones.
The Liverpool City Region Bus
Alliance will provide local people with improved, more efficient,
joined-up and better value services. The landmark agreement also sees a
commitment from operators to provide modern bus fleets with an average
age of no more than seven years.
Passengers
will benefit from a range of new services and customer-focused
improvements, including improved smart ticketing, and Wi-Fi and USB
charging on all new buses so passengers can charge their mobile devices
on the move.
The formal signing of the Bus Alliance agreement also releases additional Government OLEV funding of
£4.7 million – the single biggest award out of the last round of
funding in July – for 72 new, greener buses across the City Region.
The
two operators will partner fully on a range of initiatives including
marketing campaigns, on-bus cleaning and customer service training. The
agreement promises improved links to the city’s John Lennon Airport, and
a new night bus service will continue to be piloted.
To
encourage significantly more people to use buses across the city region
both operators will also sign up to clearly defined targets around
punctuality and passenger satisfaction.
The Liverpool City Region
Bus Alliance is a key element of a comprehensive bus strategy for the
region. Built around the idea of ‘multimodal’ transport for customers,
changing between rail and bus services will be simplified making
journeys easier and more enjoyable for passengers.
Elisabeth Tasker, Managing Director of Stagecoach Merseyside &
South Lancashire, said: "Buses are central to life in Merseyside, from
getting people to work, helping shoppers access our high streets, and
connecting people with education, health and leisure opportunities.
"We are making a huge investment to attract more people to bus travel: better value fares, greener vehicles, smart ticketing and tools like our new Stagecoach bus app which offers features such as journey planning and live bus information.
"Merseyside already has one of the highest levels of bus satisfaction in the country. By working together through the new alliance, and tackling the growing challenge of road congestion, we can deliver an even better customer experience and get more people on board the bus."
"We are making a huge investment to attract more people to bus travel: better value fares, greener vehicles, smart ticketing and tools like our new Stagecoach bus app which offers features such as journey planning and live bus information.
"Merseyside already has one of the highest levels of bus satisfaction in the country. By working together through the new alliance, and tackling the growing challenge of road congestion, we can deliver an even better customer experience and get more people on board the bus."
Howard Farrall, Area Managing Director Arriva Merseyside, said:
“The signing of the Alliance is an exciting milestone for passengers across the region.
“It commits all operators and our partners to a package of measures designed to make the bus network here on Merseyside even more attractive, affordable and accessible for passengers.
“The Alliance promises to be a first-class partnership for our region. It brings together operators and the local authority, working together under an agreed framework to deliver even better bus services, networks and customer service for passengers.”
“The signing of the Alliance is an exciting milestone for passengers across the region.
“It commits all operators and our partners to a package of measures designed to make the bus network here on Merseyside even more attractive, affordable and accessible for passengers.
“The Alliance promises to be a first-class partnership for our region. It brings together operators and the local authority, working together under an agreed framework to deliver even better bus services, networks and customer service for passengers.”
Said Cllr Liam Robinson, Chair of the Merseytravel Committee:
“This is a real step forward in improving bus services and facilities for everyone in the city region– not just for existing users but for encouraging potential new users to give it a try.
“This investment will mean we can do some transformational work together, but that’s not forgetting what we’ve already achieved as an informal partnership, with one of the best young people’s ticketing offers outside London, with all young people’s tickets now available up to and including 18.”
Said Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool and Chair of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority:
“By signing this landmark Alliance, our City Region has once again developed an innovative way to get people a better deal, meaning higher quality buses, more reliable and better services for users.
“There will be 72 brand new buses on our network – one of the very real, visible benefits of this Alliance. We’re all working hard to give our city region one of the best transport networks in the world.”
Stephen Joseph, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said:
"I'm delighted and honoured to be asked to chair this Alliance. We've worked closely with Merseytravel over many years to help get improved public transport across the city region and have particularly hailed the youth fare offer as an example for others to follow - I hope that through me chairing this Alliance we can help make buses even better".
“This is a real step forward in improving bus services and facilities for everyone in the city region– not just for existing users but for encouraging potential new users to give it a try.
“This investment will mean we can do some transformational work together, but that’s not forgetting what we’ve already achieved as an informal partnership, with one of the best young people’s ticketing offers outside London, with all young people’s tickets now available up to and including 18.”
Said Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool and Chair of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority:
“By signing this landmark Alliance, our City Region has once again developed an innovative way to get people a better deal, meaning higher quality buses, more reliable and better services for users.
“There will be 72 brand new buses on our network – one of the very real, visible benefits of this Alliance. We’re all working hard to give our city region one of the best transport networks in the world.”
Stephen Joseph, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said:
"I'm delighted and honoured to be asked to chair this Alliance. We've worked closely with Merseytravel over many years to help get improved public transport across the city region and have particularly hailed the youth fare offer as an example for others to follow - I hope that through me chairing this Alliance we can help make buses even better".
