Proof of Evidence of Mr James Willcock

Document Reference Number OA/13
Proof of Evidence of Mr James Willcock
amended by the provisions of the Quality Partnership Schemes (England)
Regulations 2009 (CD/D56). The area wide QPS will include all three BRT scheme
corridors, including; Ashton Vale to Temple Meads (AVTM), South Bristol Link (SBL)
and North Fringe to Hengrove Package (NFHP).
6.21 The QPS will set out the details of the minimum quality and levels of service
standards for all BRT services and feeder bus services. These standards are yet to
be finalised but are likely to focus on minimum vehicle requirements, minimum
frequency, maximum fares, emissions standards, bus punctuality/reliability
requirements, customer care and overall presentation of the operational offer to
customers. For BRT services to be procured via competitive tender, specific quality
standards for each service will be set out in the tender service specification,
including matters such as vehicle specification, the fare levels etc. and timetable
schedule. The tender specification will complement the minimum standards set
out in the Quality Partnership Scheme. For BRT and feeder bus services operated
on a commercial basis, the bus operators will determine the vehicle type, the fare
levels and timetable, while meeting the requirements of the QPS. This will allow
for a degree of commercial freedom to be exercised by the bus operators (in
accordance with bus deregulation legislation) while also providing safeguards to
achieve broad consistency and integration across the BRT network. For example,
while the bus operators will be able to determine bus fares in respect of
commercial BRT and feeder bus services, the councils intend to use the provisions
of QPS legislation to set a maximum fare.
6.22 The QPS will be compiled incorporating dialogue with commercial bus operators,
and will include the facilities to be provided by the councils (the infrastructure) and
the standards of service to be provided by the bus operators. The councils envisage
that in relation to the AVTM scheme the Quality Partnership Scheme should include
the following provisions.
6.23 The facilities to be included:
The AVTM bus-way;
Specific bus lanes in Bristol city centre; and
Provision of passenger facilities such as stops and interchanges, smartcard
ticketing equipment and real-time information hardware and software.
6.24 The Standard of Services to be included:
Minimum vehicle specifications e.g. emission standards;
Minimum service frequency and co-ordination of service headways;
Punctuality and reliability targets and monitoring;
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