03/11/2005

• New study identifies “key weaknesses” in GMPTE’s bus plans
• Existing proposals will “inhibit bus growth” and “fail” residents

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive’s bus strategy contains “key weaknesses” and will fail to meet the needs of local people, according to a new independent report.

The study warns that GMPTE’s plans for public transport for the next five years will hold back the growth of bus travel in the region, which is already suffering from increasing congestion.

The report, commissioned by bus operator Stagecoach, has been produced by respected transport consultants The TAS Partnership, which carries out specialist work on behalf of PTEs, local authorities, the Department for Transport and private sector companies.

It comes only weeks after Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Brian Souter sent a letter to GMPTA Chairman Roger Jones, warning that the existing plans were “fundamentally flawed”.

Commenting on GMPTE’s draft bus strategy, the TAS report states: “There are a number of key weaknesses in the document which we believe will inhibit bus growth and fail to deliver the PTE’s objectives and the needs of the residents of Greater Manchester.”

The key findings are that GMPTE’s plan:

• Fails to identify a strategy for bus park and ride
• Fails to link the success of existing Quality Bus Corridors – where passenger satisfaction is higher, reliability is greater and growth has occurred – with its key aspiration of growing bus use.
• Fails to identify any significant infrastructure measures to deal with known hot-spots, such as the many junctions with the M60 around east Manchester.
• Fails to recognise the role of the bus as a speedy solution to present problems.
• Ignores the success of bus operators in attracting more passengers and providing choice to customers.

The TAS report found that GMPTE’s decision to reduce spending on concessionary fares to fund secured services had resulted in increased fares or reduced services as bus operators tried to maintain investment in services and profitability. Cash was also being diverted by GMPTE from socially-necessary conventional buses to demonstration projects that had a higher subsidy-per-passenger cost to taxpayers but lower social inclusion benefits.

Brian Souter said: “Manchester is recognised as England’s second city, but its people should not be forced to accept a second-rate transport plan. Public transport is crucial to the future prosperity of the Manchester area.

“We are supportive of the plans to extend Metrolink, but the people of Manchester deserve far more. Without a proper vision for the development of bus services, there is a real danger that congestion will choke the area and strangle the vital economic development of the city region.”

Stagecoach expects to publish its own radical and innovative strategy for the development of bus services in Greater Manchester later this month.

A full copy of the TAS report is available on the Stagecoach Group website at http://www.stagecoachgroup.com/scg/media/publications/policydocs/.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Steve Stewart, Head of Media and Public Affairs, Stagecoach Group
Tel: 01738 442111 or 07764 774680