Cornwall LTP1 Delivery Report - July 2006

Overall, the implementation of modal integration strategy has been delivered as planned. A significant ongoing programme has been delivered and the way prepared for  continued development in the LTP2 period .

Through  Cornwall's Riviera project, we have focused on upgrading interchange facilities at railway stations and have introduced  important upgrading schemes at principal locations, including; St Erth, Falmouth, Penryn, Perranwell, Gunnislake and Calstock.

It has not been possible to upgrade car parking at Roche as intended because of  access ownership disputes and the scheme was abandoned as a result.

A number of major bus/rail enhancements have been introduced during the LTP1, including national award winning schemes at Redruth, Bodmin Parkway and Liskeard.  The T34 bus/rail integration initiative was the catalyst in Cornwall's 'Centre of Excellence status for Integrated Rural Transport'. An important multi integration project was also delivered at Penzance contributing to improved access to key services .

We had intended to implement a major bus/rail improvement at St Austell during the LTP1 but have experienced particular delays because of partner and Network Rail processes and approvals, and achieving funding.  This project will now be delivered during the LTP2.

A number of major heritage and leisure schemes have been introduced, including the Cornish Way, Penwith Heritage, Mineral Tramways and East Cornwall Heritage Trails.  In all of these, links to public transport and information about sustainable travel have been included to assist in the promotion of healthy and sustainable tourism and travel opportunities.

Additionally, cycle racks have been added to the rear of buses operating on some strategic routes and lockers have been introduced at five of Cornwall's main rail stations.

Some regeneration schemes that relied on a variety of external contributions, particularly EU Objective One, Heritage Lottery Fund, and others have had to be abandoned or delayed through lack of funding. These included St Agnes and the North Coast, and the Lizard Village.

We have assisted in the integration of public transport through our water-borne transport strategy.  Schemes include the development of the Fal River Links Partnership, which actively encourages 'car-free' leisure through integration between bus, train and ferry modes. 

We have also introduced a new park-and-ride/float scheme for Falmouth leading to a reduction of visitor car borne access into the town centre.

Air services to and from Newquay Cornwall airport has been expanding during the LTP1 period and we have put in place bus and taxi solutions to address access needs.

Despite being an award winning project, the park-and-ride/float initiative has not been as effective as desired. It is intended to work with partners to resolve this through the LTP2.

Through the period of the LTP1, ownership of the air terminal has passed to the County Council and the MOD have also taken the decision to close their operations at St Mawgan.  The strategy to develop the airport to serve Cornwall's needs will inevitably roll out over a number of years and possibly beyond the LTP2.

Considerable progress has been made through the LTP1 period and the programme achieved and exceeded in many areas.

The Riviera Project is Cornwall's initiative for the upgrading and enhancement of rail facilities, with principal aims of improving accessibility, safety, reducing pollution and car travel, and helping the local economy.  We have made considerable progress through the LTP1 and have included amongst our projects: major upgrades at Penzance, Redruth, Bodmin Parkway, Liskeard, and other improvements at most branch line stations.  Rail patronage has increased by over 12% during the period of LTP1.

Much of the Riviera work depends upon partnership working and relies upon the co-operation of Network Rail as asset owners. Further work could have been completed if we were assisted more positively.  It was particularly disappointing that a proposed improvement at Saltash station was 'lost' during LTP1, which is now unlikely to be improved to an adequate standard.

DCRP is one of the premier rail partnerships in the UK, specifically tasked to promote local travel through a wide range of ongoing initiatives. It has done this with significant success.

In tandem with the delivery of the LTP1 capital programme, Cornwall supports and contributes towards the DCRP whose aims include: Promotion of branch line services and facilities, promotion of the communities and places the branch lines serve, help to boost local economies, promotion of sustainable travel, facilitate communication between rail organisations and local communities.

DCRP has delivered a wide range of positive outcomes that supported specific and general growth in rail patronage on branch lines. Principal frustrations have resulted from untimely Network Rail blockades and reluctance of the train operator to fully engage on branch line critical timetabling.

Outcomes in this area of promotion of local and sustainable travel have been hampered somewhat by the inability of some rail organisations to fully engage in the process in a true partnership spirit.  However, we have strengthened our rail partnerships and look forward to further progress during LTP2.

This is Cornwall's strategy for improving transport links in support of our economic development. The programme is based on eight specific actions plans, one of which is the aim to improve strategic and local rail connections, thereby  improving the connectivity of the County. A major success so far has been the re-dualling of the mainline track between Probus and Burngullow.

 We have not delivered the important upgrading of the Truro-Falmouth branch line to provide half hourly services because of difficulties of funding and the introduction of the new Greater Western Franchise.  It remains a key priority and we will seek to deliver the scheme by 2008 during LTP2.

The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) first consulted on the Community Rail concept during 2004 and this led to the designation of the St Ives, Looe Valley and Tamar Valley Lines as national pilots for the scheme.  A management group is now in place, led by DfT Rail, and with membership from Network Rail, the Train Operating Company, DCRP and local authorities.  A plan was successfully introduced in the first year for St Ives and considerable increase in passenger usage resulted.

The Looe and Tamar Valley action plan is not yet completed as the new Greater Western Franchise has been introduced with timetabling being dictated. There is some  doubt on the validity of the future of Community Rail, and  whilst the local partners remain fully committed, problems continue to arise from partners' diverse interests and poor overall commitment.

Train services during the LTP1 have been provided by Wessex Trains (formerly Wales and West), First Great Western and Virgin Cross Country. We have enjoyed excellent working relationships at a local level and been able to jointly assist in improving passenger numbers and facilities.

The introduction of the new Greater Western Franchise will set us new challenges, especially with regard to continued development of the local rail network and sustained passenger growth during the LTP2 and the new franchise period.

An early element of the Riviera Project in the LTP1 was to target publicity information and leaflet distribution initiative, which promoted rail in Cornwall both locally and on mainline stations elsewhere in the UK.

During this time, the train operating company rolled out 'Project Inform', a real time telephone system for most of the rural stations

Rail patronage has increased by around 12% over the LTP1 period.

The publicity campaign was successful in informing passengers of rail opportunities, but reliance was placed on rail staff to maintain posters and leaflets against the multi-competing needs to advertise other public information at stations.

Project inform is an extremely useful aid to the rail travelling public, but it proved difficult to extend its use to new locations because of the high costs involved when weighed against other competing needs.  We understand that this system will be upgraded through the Greater Western Franchise.

Our bus strategy objectives have been mainly achieved. The programme has been broadly delivered as expected, leading to improved accessibility, better integration,  safety and security on the bus network.  

The importance of accurate and accessible public transport information to promote access to key services has been highlighted through numerous transport and travel surveys that have been carried out since 2000.  We delivered a wide range of bus information initiatives during the LTP1 period, and delivered substantially more than originally envisaged in the bus information strategy. 

These initiatives ranged from individual route leaflets, tourism service leaflets, website information, Real Time Information and support for South West Traveline. Further detail on some of the key projects is set out below:

• Countywide Public Transport Timetable - we developed a single Countywide timetable booklet after carrying out on-street surveys (in co-operation with First Devon and Cornwall) to establish a preferred format.

• South West Traveline - we make an annual contribution to the South West Traveline service which is one of the highest performing Travelines in the country. During the LTP1 period the journey planner website was launched.

• 'Buses in Cornwall' campaign - as part of our commitment to an LPSA target to increase bus patronage, we launched a 'Buses in Cornwall' marketing and information campaign that joined up all of the individual bus information under a single banner and brand. Marketing initiatives included a radio campaign, newspaper adverts, a 'Buses in Cornwall' roadshow and re-branding of the Countywide timetable.  We distributed house to house leaflets that informed people that the timetable was available and how they could obtain a copy, which resulted in a 900% increase in requests. We followed up the requests for a timetable with a simple questionnaire that demonstrated that 82% of respondents used the bus as a direct result of receiving the timetable booklet.

• 'Best Bits by Bus' leaflet - as an extension of the 'Buses in Cornwall' campaign, we developed a leaflet highlighting scenic bus journeys in Cornwall that was distributed during the peak season to encourage sustainable tourism trips. As a direct result of the leaflet, one operator had to operate a route with an extra vehicle to meet demand.

• Individualised Marketing Campaign - we piloted an 'Individualised Marketing' project along the high frequency bus corridor between Threemilestone and Truro in 2003/04. The concept involved 'personalising' travel information to participants in the project and targeting marketing to the sort of journeys they would usually make. The 12 month monitoring showed a consistent and sustained reduction in car driver trips from 79% to 66%. Bus mode share increased from 8.8% to 12.6% after 12 months.

• Real Time Bus Stop Information - Real Time information was first piloted in Cornwall in 2002 on the back of a successful Rural Bus Challenge bid. The information was displayed at bus stops along the (then) Service 55 route between Bodmin and Wadebridge.

• On-Street Information Points - Through successful rural and kickstart bids, we have been able to install five on-street information points which provide a link to the South West Traveline website as well as rail information and news. The usage of the information points is monitored on a monthly basis and showed usage figures of over 8,500 in August 2005. Of these, almost 4,000 users were looking for local information (including travel).

• 'Transport for Health' leaflets - the West Cornwall Rural Transport Partnership officer has supported the development of the 'Transport for Health' leaflets which are made available in hospitals and GP surgeries across Cornwall. The leaflet explains patients' transport options for attending medical appointments and outlines the help that is available to meet their travel costs. We make an annual contribution towards the cost of the leaflets with the Primary Care Trusts. We have received positive feedback from healthcare practitioners about the take up of the leaflets and are currently planning a second re-print. The leaflets are provided to surgeries and hospitals in conjunction with public transport timetables and other relevant transport information.

In terms of bus marketing, information and publicity, we have achieved far in excess of what was originally planned at the time of the LTP1 submission. This is due to a number of factors:

i) advances in technology have enabled new and innovative solutions to come on line during the LTP1 period;

ii) additional grant funding has enabled larger scale information projects to be realised e.g. real time information through Rural Bus Challenge funds;

iii) the recognition that 'soft' factor measures such as improved information play an increasingly important role in encouraging public transport use and provide a better value for money solution in many circumstances; and

iv) the recruitment of a Marketing Officer in our Passenger Transport Unit who develops and co-ordinates all aspects of public transport marketing for the County Council.

Despite the overall successful delivery within this area, there were a number of elements that either require further development; were more difficult to implement than first thought or simply were not as effective as anticipated. Specific examples include:

• Fare information available through South West Traveline - we will continue to work with our colleagues in neighbouring authorities and Traveline to achieve this.

• Under-performance of the Real Time Information system in North Cornwall - we have experienced several technical and 'human error' issues with regards to the real time system which has jeopardised people's confidence in the accuracy of the information. This pilot has been useful in informing the development of real time initiatives planned for the LTP2.

• The roll out of real time SMS - this information has been delayed due to problems with the on-bus equipment.  We are working with the bus operators, South West Traveline and Almex to resolve these issues during the LTP2 period.

• We are still working with the bus operators to finalise an appropriate roadside bus stop flag that allows the operators to market their services whilst ensuring that it is simple and easy to understand for the passengers.

• We have made significant progress in terms of ensuring that the information we produce is easy to understand. However, we will work with the Learning Disability Forum to make further amendments to the Countywide Public Transport booklet.

• Despite the success of the Countywide booklet, we have recognised the need to continue with individual route leaflets both as a means to target information and ensure efficiency savings. To this end, we are developing a 'family' of leaflets that will be available throughout the County.

Approximately £20m of revenue funding has been spent to support the County's bus network since 2001 (approximately 50% of this has been made up of Rural Bus Subsidy Grant) to improve accessibility in the County. To ensure that we were achieving value for money with this funding, we carried out a review of the supported network in 2003/04. The review results recommended acceptable subsidy per passenger levels and this has been adopted as County Council policy and will be maintained during the period of the LTP2 and reviewed on an annual basis.

Whilst meeting our local target, we did not meet the national core LTP1 target for increasing the percentage of households within a 13 minute walk of an hourly bus service.  This is largely due to the major network reviews that were carried out by First Devon and Cornwall that subsequently resulted in many service cuts, as well as our own review of the subsidised bus network.  The review showed where conventional services were not resulting in minimum patronage levels to ensure longer term sustainability and therefore had to be reduced in frequency or removed altogether.

As reported in our previous APRs, it was considered that this particular national target did not reflect the most appropriate action to be taken to improve access in rural areas. We have worked closely with service providers and Rural Transport Partnership officers to find more sustainable and cost efficient community-based solutions instead.

We worked with the bus operators to develop nine informal Quality Bus Partnerships (QBPs) during the course of the LTP1. In addition we enhanced the infrastructure along the major bus corridor in the County (between Penzance and Truro) and the major operator on that route upgraded all of the vehicles in 2005. Key corridor upgrades and/or QBPs usually include the following elements:

• High quality bus stop upgrades - 409 new and improved bus stops and shelters have been delivered during the course of the LTP1, the majority of which are associated with key quality corridor upgrades. Detailed infrastructure audits are undertaken at the beginning of the project and the level of enhancement defined e.g. new flag, lighting or CCTV etc., depending on the numbers of people using the stop.

• New vehicles - by working in partnership with the operators and through additional Bus Challenge funding 19 new 'conventional' service vehicles operate on key quality routes. Usually the vehicles are 'branded' to give the service a particular identity e.g.the Trevithick Link. New vehicles have been used to improve frequencies as well as enhancing the attractiveness of the service.

• Improved Information - As well as renewing the timetable case information along the routes, we have installed innovative information systems e.g. in the form of real time information bus stop displays along the Service 55 route and on-street information points at strategic points on the Trevithick Link. It is also normal practice to develop targeted information and publicity leaflets about the route, often with free ticket trials and these are distributed to households along the corridor.

• Integration - A key feature of the quality corridor bus services is their integration with other modes of transport to enable onward journeys. Particular examples of successful integration are: the T34 Branch line which integrates with rail services at Redruth and continues the service to Helston (6,000 through tickets have been purchased since 2002); and the Eden Branch line which integrates with rail services at St Austell station for onward journeys to the Eden Project (in the first year of operation over 20,000 trips were through rail passengers which made it the most successful rail/bus integrated service in the country). The semi-flexible Corlink services that operate in Carnon Vale integrate with the T7 bus service into Truro. In addition, inter-operator ticketing is available on the high frequency corridor between Truro and Threemilestone.

• Bus Priority - Bus priority is not possible on all of the key quality corridors due to the physical nature of the local road network. However, a bus priority scheme was implemented in 2002/03 at Playing Place. The scheme consists of 1km of bus lane, and 2km of cycleway links between the villages of Playing Place and Carnon Downs, and joining links into Truro. Local buses inbound during the morning peak reported significant time savings.

• Monitoring - In order to ensure that the investment in the quality corridors is delivering the required outcomes, specific monitoring is carried out to assess patronage, passenger satisfaction etc. Following improvements to vehicle quality, reliability and frequency, patronage on Service 529 increased by 300% in the first year and passenger satisfaction levels were as high as 90%. On Service 304 patronage increased by 70% (both services are key quality routes that operate into Truro). The Trevithick Link service grew in patronage by 64% in the first year of operation.

Overall, the delivery of informal QBPs during the LTP1 period has been successful, resulting in good patronage, satisfaction and reliability outcomes on the key routes. However, we would like to strengthen the QBP process during the period of the LTP2 to ensure that all of the partners deliver on their commitments. For example, on Service 55, we had delivered all of the infrastructure early on in the project and did not have a mechanism to enforce the reliability of the major operator on the route, thereby compromising the effectiveness of the QBP. On service T34, the operator was performing well and kept to their side of the 'agreement', but we could not deliver one of the key strategic bus stops on the route because of local heritage issues.

During the LTP1 period we have delivered 409 bus stop upgrades throughout the County. This exceeded expectations in the original LTP1 programme.

At the outset, we planned to provide six major transport interchange improvements and have exceeded this figure by delivering a total of eight  by taking full advantage of funding opportunities. New bus stations have been provided in Truro and Newquay, with additional upgrades at Penzance, together with more general improvements at 27 other locations.

Raised kerbs to enable easy access have been installed as standard (134% increase in 2002/03 from a baseline of 34 in 2000).

We have encountered occasional difficulties with the proposed upgrading of some key bus stops as a result of local objections raised during the consultation process. For example, we had anticipated upgrading the bus stop and waiting facilities in Victoria Square in Truro but were unable to progress the scheme at that time due to local objections. However, progress is being made through  further consultation and we are confident that this scheme will now be completed during the period of the LTP2.

High fare levels are often cited as a barrier to bus use in local consultation exercises. We removed the 08.45 concessionary fares restriction with effect from 1st June 2004, making the scheme one of the most generous concessionary fares scheme in England.

We have implemented several 'ticketing' schemes to enable integration and encourage bus use including:

• Inter-operator ticketing on the Truro-Threemilestone corridor (thereby including trips to Royal Cornwall Hospital).
• 'Plus-Bus' ticket initiative allowing integrated rail and bus tickets from all main rail stations in the County.
• Through-ticketing on all 'Corlink' services connecting with conventional bus services.
• Through tickets for the Eden Branch line and the T34 Redruth-Helston Branch line.
• Looe Valley integrated tickets with Service 573/593.
• Passport to Freedom - open travel ticket aimed at encouraging sustainable tourism (soon to be replaced by a new product led by First Devon and Cornwall).

The LTP1 did not specify a 'number' of ticketing schemes, only that integration between modes was a key objective. To this end, we have exceeded the aspirations of the LTP1 in this area and have sought to introduce broader through ticketing schemes than just on a 'route by route' basis. However, the introduction of multi-modal or inter-operator ticketing has not been without its difficulties, namely ensuring that the 'back office' systems can generate the tickets from all origins including on the train. There is also a reliance on the operators to ensure that all of their staff are fully aware of the initiatives and that they are informed properly to raise awareness. There have also been issues associated with obtaining agreement from all of the operators on the basis of reimbursements.

Community-based transport is an integral element of the overall transport network in Cornwall. It provides an important mode of public transport in very rural areas where it is not viable to operate conventional transport services and access to services is identified as a key challenge. The importance of community based transport as a sector has grown since the LTP1 submission, largely as a result of the review of the subsidised network carried out in 2003/04. The term 'community-based' has also broadened its meaning beyond that of services operated by the voluntary sector to non-conventional services that have been tailored to meet the access needs of the community e.g. 'Corlink' semi-flexible bus services (Section 2.2) and West Cornwall Wheels to Work (Section 3.2) are both examples of 'community-based transport.

Cornwall currently has 13 'community bus' schemes operating on 17 routes. The expansion and improvement of the community bus network in Cornwall has been encouraged during the LTP1 period and this will continue. We have put a mechanism in place whereby high-performing associations may apply for grant funding to assist in the purchase of new vehicles.  Using this, and Bus Challenge grant funding, we have purchased two new vehicles and assisted in the purchase of a number of others.

In terms of community based transport, we have exceeded what was set out in the LTP1, largely as a result of the growing importance and recognition of this form of transport as part of an effective rural transport network. There are, however, some general issues associated with the development of community based transport in the County which include:

• Costs of semi-flexible transport - as has already been mentioned under Section 2.2, the cost of providing semi-flexible services in rural areas is usually higher than that of conventional services given their high quality and the population of the area they serve. This has been prohibitive to rolling out the 'Corlink' concept to other areas of the County.

• Volunteer drivers - the operation of community buses (under Section 22 of the 1985 Transport Act) relies on the willingness and availability of volunteer drivers, an issue that is becoming more prevalent as the community bus network expands.

• Awareness and Publicity of community transport - in the round of consultation carried out in 2003 to feed into the development of LTP2, it was clear that whilst people supported the expansion of the community bus network, they were not aware of what already existed in their area. Often, community buses are perceived as a 'closed club' in terms of their availability to local residents. This issue has to be overcome as part of the vehicle grant conditions in order to make a real difference to the rural transport network.

The delivery of the bus strategy during the LTP1 period has been driven by successful partnership working, both with the private and public sector. The Bus Policy Group is the key partnership group in terms of covering a range of bus policy and operational issues in the County. There are also supporting partnerships which have been set up to deal with specific bus issues such as: the Concessionary Fares Working Group and the Smartcard Forum. In terms of working with partners to integrate bus transport with broader service delivery, the following partnerships have been set up. The supporting statement in Appendix E is a testament to the positive working partnership with bus operators.

Rural Transport Partnerships - There is an East and a West Rural Transport Partnership (RTP) in the County who work with the Parish Councils and the local community to identify and implement local transport solutions, as well as working to promote public transport schemes.

Transport for Health - The Transport for Health Group has representatives from the PCTs and other strategic health providers in Cornwall, as well as representatives from the County Council and the RTP officers. The group discusses and develops projects that improve access to healthcare.

The Cornwall Post-16 Partnership - The group consists of representatives from schools, colleges, the County Council, Connexions and bus operators. The group works together to improve the recruitment, retention, participation, progression and accessibility to education of 16-19 year old students by improving transport arrangements.

Whilst not a specific partnership, we have worked closely with colleagues in Jobcentre Plus to secure additional funding for a bus service (the T2, between Coverack and Truro) that improves people's access to employment. There are also partnerships set up to deliver specific projects such as 'Corlink' and TAP. (Section 3.2)

There have been numerous  partnerships involved in the delivery of all elements of the Bus Strategy which reflects the scope of travel and access to key services. Partnership working has not been without its occasional problems, but overall we have prided ourselves on being able to work well and proactively with all of our partners to achieve the best outcomes for Cornwall. This is demonstrated even in the most difficult of circumstances by the statement given in the 2004 Annual Progress Report by the then director of First Devon and Cornwall. (APR 2004 Appendix G)

The following targets were set out in the LTP1 to measure the progress of implementing the bus strategy:

• 30% increase in journeys made by public transport (local bus and rail services) by 2010.

• 50% of users satisfied with the local provision of public transport information by 2010.

• 98% of the rural population to have at least one public transport return journey per day by 2001.

• 95% of buses arriving at their destination within one minute before and five minutes after the published time.

• 97% of buses running against the published timetable.

• 50% of users satisfied with local bus service by 2006.

• 25% of the population with access to Quality Bus Partnerships by 2006.

• 36 easy access buses operating on the network by 2006.

• 300% increase in bus stops adapted for easy access buses by 2006.

• 25 community transport initiatives by 2006.

All of these targets were 'on-track' by year three of the annual reporting progress. During this year, two national targets were required to be reported separately to the local targets, these being:

• 10% increase in bus passenger journeys by 2010.

• 30% increase in the proportion of households within a 13 minute walk of an hourly or better bus service.

During the five year LTP1 period, amendments or changes to targets were required as a result of either:

• meeting the target earlier in the programme than expected;

• the target being too output focused;

• the LPSA initiative.

We have learned a great deal in terms of target setting and have set targets in the LTP2 that are more outcome focused i.e. improvements to accessibility by a range of transport or service improvement measures. We also failed to meet our LPSA bus target to increase bus patronage by 12% by 2010 due to the performance of the major bus operator in the County.

By March 2006, we were 'on-track' to meet the core bus target to increase bus patronage. We are not on track to meet the national target to improve accessibility. The explanation for this is given in Section 4.2.

The taxi strategy has been broadly achieved as planned.

Role of Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles

During the LTP1, a Taxi Liaison Group was formed comprising of representatives of both district councils and ourselves to improve joint working on taxis. The Group agreed a number of actions to improve taxi facilities including:

• Enhanced taxi facilities at most of our mainline stations, including Penzance, Redruth, Truro train and bus stations, St Austell, Bodmin Parkway and Liskeard.  This has provided an integrated transport system with the trains and buses, enabling flexible access into the town centres.

• As North Cornwall District Council and Restormel Borough Council are listed in the first phase of having to comply with the taxi accessibility regulations by 2010-2020, their vehicle specifications for taxis licensed for three years will need to be in place by 2007. The Group planned a driver/vehicle disability awareness day to formulate approved accessible taxi standards that can be used throughout the County.

• The investigation and development of a taxi share scheme at Newquay rail station, which will result in fewer individual taxi journeys whilst operating at no loss to the operator.

• A partnership approach for monitoring the performance of taxi operators and checking compliance with the necessary Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) vetting procedures.

Newquay railway station was identified as a suitable location to trial a taxi share scheme as the summer trains bring large numbers of tourists.  However, despite commitment from the local authorities and train operating company, it proved extremely difficult to get the taxi operators to participate in the trial due to fear of loss of earnings.

Further efforts will be made during LTP2.