Bus Users puts together BSIPs guide
Bus Users is warning that local transport authorities have five months to develop their Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) ahead of the 31 October 2021 deadline. BSIPs are a requirement under the new National Bus Strategy and will be vital in securing a share of the £3billion on offer from Government to improve services.
Bus Users has put together a simple, ten-point guide to help transport authorities develop plans that reflect ‘high level vision’ and ‘key interventions for delivery’. The guide outlines what transport authorities should include, and stresses the importance of rigorous engagement with stakeholders.
“Transport authorities will be driving these improvements but the funding they receive will depend on the strength of their BSIPs” – Claire Walters, Chief Executive of Bus Users
Claire Walters, Chief Executive of Bus Users, said: “The National Bus Strategy aims to make bus services more frequent, cheaper to use and greener, in order to encourage more people on board. Transport authorities will be driving these improvements but the funding they receive will depend on the strength of their BSIPs.
“Our Guide is designed to support the framework set out by Government. It lays out how transport authorities can meet their responsibilities and develop effective BSIPs through collaboration and partnership with communities, passengers and stakeholders.”
A full copy of the Guide is available here.
Oh here we go again. It won’t work. It can’t work. Why? Because bus operators cannot put commercially attractive fares out to passengers, unless they want to completely destroy what they get for ENCTS.
Until the reimbursement rate for ENCTS is de-coupled from the average fare, forget it. We’re locked into a spiral of increasing fares and reducing passenger numbers.
When anyone from these bus enthusiast groups to the DfT are prepared to face the obvious, please let me know. Until then…