Operational Delivery Group

DRAFT Minutes– 26th July 2023 11:00-13:00 (West Offices and online)

Present:

Keith McNally – CPT/chair (KM)

Andy Clarke – North Yorkshire Council (AC)

Richard Frankland – City of York Council (RF)

Stuart Fillingham – East Yorkshire (SFi)

Andy Fozzard – First (AF)

Sam Fryers – City of York Council (SFr)

Michael Howard – City of York Council (MH)

Kayleigh Ingham – First (KI)

Adam Jones – York Pullman (AJ)

Patrick Looker – City of York Council (PL)

Andrew McGuinness – CPT/Forum chair (AM)

Duncan McIntyre – City of York Council (DMc)

Dean Morrish – City of York Council (DMo)

Chris Mottershaw – East Riding of Yorkshire Council (CM)

Chris Thompson – Reliance (CTh)

Julian Ridge – City of York Council (JR)

Richard Startup – York Pullman (RS)

Lara Thornton – City of York Council (LT)

 

1)     Introductions and Apologies

·        Paul Turner (Transdev), Craig Temple (Connexions).

·        AF, KI, CTh and LT joined the meeting part-way though.

 

2)     Minutes and actions from previous meeting

·        DMc reported that a meeting with First York’s marketing team and Betterpoints was arranged. First are now supportive of the Betterpoints app. SFi advised that EY are happy to meet with Betterpoints but are currently too short-staffed to resource this.

·        The discounted All York family ticket offer is now live. Too early to assess sales levels.

 

3)     BSIP programme delivery update (RF)

·        A tender has been issued for the planning and delivery of P&R site upgrade works, including building improvements and overnight parking provision. Closing date for bids is 4th August.

·        City centre intervention planning is taking place, based on recommendations in Steer’s City Centre Bus Study. Proposals include:

                                                              i.      a cross-city bus/cycle route controlled by bus gates.

                                                            ii.      new bus gate to allow right turn from Tower St towards Skeldergate Bridge.

                                                          iii.      option for buses to make a right turn into Piccadilly.

                                                          iv.      enforcement of Stonebow bus/taxi/cycle restrictions.

                                                            v.      potential closure of Gillygate to private motor vehicles.

·        Intervention planning on the Wigginton Rd corridor, including improvements at the Haxby Rd/Wigginton Rd/Clarence St junction.

·        Intervention planning on the Fulford Rd corridor, including:

                                                              i.      Removal of some on-street parking on Fulford Main St which currently causes a pinch-point.

                                                            ii.      Inbound bus lane on northbound A19 approach to A64 junction.

                                                          iii.      Inbound bus lane on Fulford Rd approach to Broadway.

                                                          iv.      Formal bus lane at Naburn Lane junction.

·        AECOM and WSP are looking at improvements on A59 and Hull Rd corridors, which would be funded by S106 developer contributions rather than BSIP.

 

4)     ZEBRA delivery update

·        A meeting was held recently between DfT and LTAs in receipt of ZEBRA funding.

·        Key discussion point was the challenge of equipping smaller operators with zero-emission vehicles.

·        Initial delivery of Wright Streetdecks to First York is due imminently, with the remainder to follow this year.

·        Following final delivery, diesel fuelling facilities will be removed from James St depot.

 

5)     Operator updates

·        SFi advised that EY have network changes due in September.

·        Tadcaster Road drainage works have had a negative impact on service reliability.

·        Too early yet to tell if BSOG+ has had a material difference.

·        £2 fare scheme is mostly beneficial to operators of long-distance services.

·        AJ advised that York Pullman have no changes planned. York Maze summer season expected to have a positive impact on patronage.

·        CTh stated that £2 fare has helped Reliance, particularly at weekends.

 

6)     Group updates and actions

·        EP Forum (AM)

                                                              i.      KI attended last EP Forum meeting and answered queries from the group.

                                                            ii.      Price disparity between First paper & digital tickets

·        Action: KI to respond to Forum via AM/DMo.

                                                          iii.      Tap-on/tap-off update

·        Action: SFr to respond to Forum via AM/DMo.

                                                          iv.      Sustainability of supporting additional withdrawn services

·        Action: MH to respond to Forum via AM/DMo.

                                                            v.      AM suggested a First representative attend all EP Forum meetings, with other operators on a rotating basis. KM was also asked to attend a future Forum meeting.

·        Action: DMo to liaise with First, other operators and KM regarding future EP Forum attendance.

                                                          vi.      EP Forum is organising a bus accessibility event to encourage passenger confidence. AM invited operators to send a bus and staff member to the event at Vangarde shopping park on Sat 23rd September. Ideally 3 buses would be present from different operators.

                                                        vii.      SFi would be keen to see the results of the accessibility event in order to inform specification for future vehicle orders.

                                                      viii.      CPT would be keen to engage with potential North Yorkshire & York mayoral candidates, when names are announced.

·        Performance Group (SFr)

                                                              i.      Discussion has focused on current and upcoming major schemes, particularly the upcoming Station Frontage works and ongoing Tadcaster Rd works. Improved communication from project team leaders has been requested.

·        Ticketing Group (SFr/JR)

                                                              i.      Requested child patronage data has been provided by operators. JR’s analysis suggested proposed youth fares scheme will be affordable within BSIP budgets.

                                                            ii.      Ticketing Group recommends that ODG members approve funding for a 4-month trial, starting in September.

·        Marketing Group (LT)

                                                              i.      Chair has requested that more operators participate in the Marketing group.

                                                            ii.      Draft marketing strategy has been shared, comments are welcome.

                                                          iii.      All York promotion- initial materials from agency were not well received. Updated versions are being created. These will be shared when available.

                                                          iv.      Promotion around the region for leisure visitors to York.

                                                            v.      Comms will be developed for youth fares initiatives if funding is agreed at this meeting.

                                                          vi.      Tender for agency to cover all BSIP marketing will require a full open process due to its value. This makes the timescales longer.

                                                        vii.      SFi advised that EY will be recruiting a new marketing manager.

·        Infrastructure group (RF)

                                                              i.      Only one operator attended the last meeting. Chair requested that more operators participate in the group.

                                                            ii.      Tap on/tap off- grant agreements have been sent out for immediate action.

                                                          iii.      Premium shelters- a specification and preferred supplier has been agreed for all major development sites.

                                                          iv.      A comprehensive stop condition survey is being carried out.

                                                            v.      55 new battery-powered RTI screens have been ordered.

                                                          vi.      A new E-ink display has been ordered to trial at Piccadilly PD. If successful, more could be ordered.

·        Passenger Liaison Group (DMc)

                                                              i.      Group has not yet met. First meeting due in September.

                                                            ii.      The group will be responsible for organising research, surgeries, surveys and focus groups etc.

 

 

7)     Major Schemes update (MH)

·        Outer Ring Road dualling- project is at the planning stage.

·        Haxby Station is awaiting a DfT funding decision.

·        York station scheme- major works due from November.

 

8)     Open discussion- how can BSIP funding best be targeted to deliver long term sustainable patronage growth?

·        MH- we need to understand best ways to grow patronage.

·        Some flexibility in how funding is allocated, but March 2025 timescale is fixed.

·        BSIP totals £17.3m, split approximately evenly between capital and revenue pots.

·        JR- BSIP is very different to previous bids. Funding is only provided from year-to-year, with a high risk of unspent funding being lost.

·        RS voiced concern that BSIP network support revenue is only being used to prop up former commercial services, not to grow the network.

·        KM noted the importance of striking a balance between headline projects and long-term sustainability, and noted the danger of a March 2025 funding cliff-edge.

·        LT said that Transport Focus research would be shared.

 

9)     BSIP funding requests (key decisions with impact above £50k shown in bold):

·        Approve £750k from BSIP ticketing revenue to support a £1 youth flat fare scheme and free travel for accompanied children, commencing on 3rd September 2023. The amount requested is to cover an initial 4-month trial period until 31st December 2023. [UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED].

·        Approve £70k from BSIP network support revenue to support early morning and evening journeys on services 1, 2A, 4, 6 and 10 for up to 6 months from 2nd July 2023. [UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED].

·        Approve £35k from BSIP network support revenue to support West Nooks and Flaxman Croft sections of service 13 for up to 4 months from September 2023. [UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED].

·        Approve £45k travel behaviour change revenue for work including subscription to the ‘Better Points’ app-based sustainable travel incentive service. [UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED].

 

10)Agree future meeting dates, times and locations

·        It was decided that the ODG would meet in person once per year in March or April, with the remaining meetings taking place wholly online.

·        Next meeting date: Fri 20th October, 11:00 – 13:00, via Teams.

 

11) Any other business

·        None.