Centro, Birmingham City Council, National
Express West Midlands, Arriva Midlands,
Central Buses, Johnsons of Henley,
Central Connect, Claribel Coaches
East Birmingham North Solihull
Voluntary Multilateral Bus Partnership
Agreement
This document sets out the key elements of a Partnership Agreement between
Arriva Midlands Ltd,
West Midlands Travel Ltd (National Express West Midlands),
Central Buses, Johnsons of Henley, Central Connect, Claribel Coaches and
Birmingham City Council
Signed on 22
DN# 451678
t
March 2011
Page 1 of 24
Signed
.
4 41"
COUNCILLOR ANGUS
ADAMS
Chairman
For and on behalf of Centro
Centro House
16 Summer Lane
Birmingham
B193SD
Date .... . .
.
...
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gne-d..
DAVID BULL
Assistant Director,
(Development Strategy)
For and on behalf of
Birmingham City Council
Council House, Victoria
Square, Birmingham B1 1 B 13
Signe/..
.
SIMON DUNN
Chief Executive
For and on behalf of Central
Connect
L
Ir
Date.....
...........
DAVID HARRIS
Projects Leader,
Transportation Strategy
On behalf of Birmingham City
Council
Date. 22//4 ......
Signed
Signed
Signed
DAVE KAYE
/
Chief Executive/
For and on behalf of National
Express West Midlands
BOB HIND
Managing Director
For and on behalf of Arriva
Midlands
MATTHEW WATKISS
Director
For and on behalf of Claribels
Date ....... ....... ......
.
Date. .
Signed...
.
.Date...4.’ . ....
...........
GEOFF CROSS
Managing Director
For and on behalf of Central
Buses
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r
Centro, Birmingham City Council and Various Bus Operators, Voluntary
Multilateral Partnership Agreement for the provision of enhanced Bus and
26th March 2014
27th
March 2011 to
Passenger Services between
This document sets out the key elements of the new Voluntary Multilateral
Partnership Agreement between Centro, the Bus Operators listed in Appendix 1 to
this Agreement ("the Operators"), and Birmingham City Council for the bus network
operating within the East Birmingham and North Solihull areas. It is based on the
Position Statements developed by CPT (Confederation of Passenger Transport UK)
and PTEG (Passenger Transport Executive Group) to encourage collaborative
working at partnership level. This approach is supported by the Department for
Transport as an example of good practice for delivering improved bus services in
Metropolitan areas.
The vision is to deliver Centro’s Transforming Bus Travel initiative by maximising the
potential for bus as an attractive journey option for local travel, driving patronage
growth and sustaining bus mode share and delivering an efficient high quality,
accessible network.
Scope and Nature of the Agreement
The Agreement relates only to the bus services operating within the East
Birmingham and North Solihull Network Review area (as outlined on the map in
Appendix 1).
All bus services (as listed in the List of Current and Proposed Services in Appendix
2) are operated by the operators and registered by them as local services as defined
in Section 6 of the Transport Act 1985 or relevant legislation as may from time to
time be in force in relation to the registration of a local service.
This Agreement has been entered into by the operators on a voluntary basis and
aims to demonstrate the extent to which network modernisation, performance
improvement and improved customer satisfaction can be achieved through a
Voluntary Partnership Agreement.
All bus companies operating services in the review areas have been given the
opportunity to participate in this Agreement throughout the East Birmingham and
North Solihull Bus Network Review.
Competition
This Partnership Agreement will not preclude other bus operators who already
operate services on the routes outlined in the Agreement but who are not cosignatories to this Agreement, or operators who may wish to register commercial
services, or who may be contracted to operate services on the routes defined in this
Agreement from participating in, or using facilities provided by Centro in this
Agreement.
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Centro is keen to see other operators participating in this East Birmingham and
North Solihull Agreement in the future, in particular those who share the aspirations
of Centro and the existing bus operators to increase customer satisfaction with bus
services.
Overview
All parties will work together in order to achieve an increase in overall customer
satisfaction with bus services in the East Birmingham and North Solihull areas of at
least 6% by 2014. The Customer Satisfaction study carried out in November 2010
will be the baseline against which performance will be monitored every twelve
months until March 2014.
All parties will work together in order to achieve a bus patronage increase of at least
4% across the whole of the East Birmingham and North Solihull Bus network by
2012. This is in line with Transforming Bus Travel, the core purpose of which is:"To get more people to travel by bus by providing passengers with a total
quality journey experience that makes buses the mode of choice and a
realistic alternative to the private car."
The baseline data for patronage is recorded by Centro and anomalised to respect
operators’ commercial confidentiality.
Centro the Operators and Birmingham City Council will work together to implement
the improvements set out in this document in a coordinated manner. It is anticipated
that the proposed bus and passenger service improvements will be phased in over a
three year period between March 2011 and March 2014. All the improvements and
standards are minima and may be exceeded.
For the purposes of this Agreement, the East Birmingham and North Solihull
Network Review routes are all of the bus services operated by operators within the
area shown on the Map in Appendix 1.
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Aims and Objectives
The Strategic aim is to realise the benefits arising from close partnership working
between the public and private sectors within the East Birmingham and North
Solihull areas in line with;
Increasing customer satisfaction, bus patronage and modal shift.
To facilitate partnership between the highway authorities, Centro and bus
operators to improve the bus offer
OPT / PTEG Position Statements and mutual objectives
Targets in the West Midlands Local Transport Plan, Oentro’s Public Transport
Prospectus, Transforming Bus Travel (TBT), and Environmental Strategy
documents.
Customer Satisfaction
During year one (March 2011 until March 2012) following the launch of the new bus
network, the operators will aim to achieve at least a 2% increase in satisfaction with
the service overall across the whole East Birmingham and North Solihull partnership
network.
During year two (March 2012 until March 2013) the operators will aim to achieve at
least a 2% additional growth in satisfaction with the service overall across the whole
partnership network.
During year three (March 2013 until March 2014) the operators will aim to achieve at
least a 2% additional growth in satisfaction overall across the whole partnership
network.
Bus Patronaae
Specifically by the improvements of the current bus network the partnership aims to
create sustainable growth in bus patronage over three years
During year one (March 2011 until March 2012) following the launch of the new bus
network, the operators will aim to generate at least a I % growth in usage across the
whole East Birmingham and North Solihull partnership network.
During year two (March 2012 until March 2013) the operators will aim to generate at
least a I % additional growth in usage across the whole partnership network.
During year three (March 2013 until March 2014) the operators will aim to generate
at least a 2% additional growth in usage across the whole partnership network.
Network Support from Centro
Centro will continue to provide subsidy for journeys or routes where the general
commercial bus market does not provide them where appropriate to meet standards
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for bus services set by the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority and the
overall aim of Transforming Bus Travel.
The Operators will work with Centro on measures such as enhanced marketing for
poor performing routes or journeys prior to withdrawal.
Centro will procure any resulting subsidised facility using the powers contained in the
relevant legislation so that value for money can be demonstrated.
Responsibilities
The parties to this Agreement agree to undertake responsibilities based around the
key themes of;
1). Ticketing and fares
2). Vehicle specification and driver training standards
3). Branding and marketing
4). Data sharing, punctuality and monitoring
5). Commitment to principles of TBT
6). Infrastructure, journey times and highway enforcement
To deliver the commitments within the Voluntary Bus Partnership the partners will
work together at all times during the period of the Agreement towards their
objectives.
I - TICKETING AND FARES
Centro will:Continue to offer and promote a range of Network West Midlands ticketing
products
Work with operators to develop new smart and innovative ticketing products
aimed at achieving modal shift to sustainable transport modes (including Green
Travel Plans, Workplace Travel Plans and University Travel Plans) following the
rollout of the new smart ticket machines installed on all buses by Centro.
The Operators will:Continue to accept and promote existing Network West Midlands ticketing
products subject to appropriate reimbursement and audit processes being in
place and subject to such schemes being compliant with relevant competition
law.
Work with Centro to develop new smart and innovative ticketing products aimed
at achieving modal shift to sustainable transport modes following the rollout of
the new smart ticket machines installed on all buses by Centro.
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Ticket Machines
The Operators will continue to work with Centro on both the installation and ongoing
maintenance of the Electronic ITSO compliant smartcard ticket machines.
2 - VEHICLE SPECIFICATION! DRIVER TRAINING STANDARDS
Emissions
[The Operators will:Ensure all newly registered vehicles to be used in the East Birmingham and
North Solihull areas meet Euro 5 emission standards by the end of 2012 in line
with Centro’s Environmental Strategy Action Plan.
Aim to achieve 95% of each operator’s fleet on the network (excepting services
8A/8C that are not a part of this agreement) as being compliant with Euro 3 and
above by April 2014.
Accessibility - Low Floor
The Operators will:The Operators will maintain a low floor network across the East Birmingham and
North Solihull network by the agreed date of 2012 and beyond ahead of the
legally required date of 2015.
Agree to the vehicle investment as specified within the individual operator
Appendix.
Route Number and Destination Displays
The Operators will:Ensure drivers of all services in the East Birmingham and North Solihull areas
shall display correct and relevant service numbers on the front of the vehicles
and also on the nearside and rear or all vehicles where applied.
Ensure that 95% of each operator’s fleet on the network (excepting services
8A/8C that are not a part of this agreement) are fitted with electronic blinds by
April 2013.
CCTV
A CCTV system will be used on 95% of each operators fleet on the network
(excepting services 8A/8C that are not part of this agreement) by April 2014; with the
following main objectives:Deterring crime and anti-social behaviour.
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Assisting in the creation of a safe environment for passengers and providing
reassurance to staff and the public.
Monitoring incidents involving public and staff that may result in claims being
made against Operators as well as assisting to identify those who would make
fraudulent claims.
Identifying suspects involved in activities in the defined areas.
Gathering evidence and intelligence.
The Operators will aim to:Ensure all vehicles installed with CCTV and operating within the East
Birmingham and North Solihull areas have internal digital CCTV cameras
sufficient to provide coverage of the entire seated areas on each deck plus one
camera covering the driver/passenger interface areas; mandatory facility to
record for a minimum of seven days in order to meet the standards required for
civil and criminal evidence. Evidence must be kept in a secure and tamper-proof
environment to maintain its integrity.
Where possible throughout the areas of coverage the system should provide
pictures of evidential quality suitable to enable recognition of parties and objects
involved in an incident. In order to maintain the performance requirements
outlined above the system will be required to meet the general specifications
listed as follows:-
High quality, high resolution colour pictures from the cameras
Lens speed sufficient to enable good quality pictures in all normal conditions
Digital video recordings in high resolution with image retention for seven
days
Real time recording facilities during an incident
Safety and Security
The Operators will submit a weekly report to the Safer Travel Police Team
(STPT) outlining all relevant incidents they are aware of involving either their bus
services in the East Birmingham and North Solihull areas and / or at bus stops in
the East Birmingham and North Solihull areas.
The STPT will engage with all bus operators within the partnership through the
East Birmingham and North Solihull partnership group to meet bi-monthly.
Partners will work jointly with the Safer Travel Police Team to bring about a
reduction in the level of graffiti and etching to vehicles.
Real Time Information (RTI) I Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)
Centro, Birmingham Council and the Operators are committed to the expansion
of AVL / RTI through the expansion of the system and enabling more buses to be
tracked whilst in service through the East Birmingham / North Solihull area.
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The Operators will:Enable buses to be tracked on services along the key corridors set out on page
16 by the April 2013.
Work with Centro to make Real Time Information available for all services in the
network review areas by April 2014.
Work with Centro to identify opportunities and options to trial on-bus ’next stop’
announcements.
Ensure that all vehicles deployed on the nominated RTI services are AVL
equipped at all times.
Provide weekly reports to Centro on non-reporting buses on current RTI
services.
In conjunction with Centro and the system suppliers the operators will maintain a
target of 95% of RTI vehicles reporting to the system for vehicles in operation at
all times.
The Operators and Centro will:Monitor and share with each other RTI performance results and review these
through attendance at the RTI Operational Review Group. If performance falls
below target then the partners and suppliers will produce a proposal for
achieving partnership performance levels to be implemented on those services.
Share data, where appropriate, with Birmingham City Council in their capacity as
Highway Authorities so long as data relating to an individual operator is not
shared on a disaggregated basis by Birmingham City Council with any other
operator.
Centro will:Enhance the availability of RTI by installing displays at a further 30 locations
along the line of the services outlined above in the East Birmingham and North
Solihull Network Review areas.
Ensure that all new stop displays are equipped with the latest RNIB REACT 3
standard to allow easy use of keyfobs to trigger audio announcements.
Continue to expand the availability of RTI through SMS, mobile internet, web,
interchange displays, I - phone, at stop displays and information screens within
major centres, hospitals and education establishments.
Provide a programme of RTI installations on services within the review area.
Work with partners and stakeholders to ensure the provision of multi-modal
information is provided wherever possible and practical.
Ensure that the percentage of working at stop
I line of route displays is
maintained above 95% of all displays. If performance falls below target then
Centro will produce a proposal for achieving partnership performance levels to
be implemented on those displays.
Provide a trial of 25 new innovative at stop Real time information points with
smartcard capability on service 966.
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Cleanliness
All vehicles to be cleaned prior to entry into daily service both internally and
externally (externally subject to health and safety risks associated with low
temperatures).
Any vehicles that have offensive graffiti damage will have the graffiti removed
within 48 hours both internally and externally, including window etching.
The Operators agree to consider establishing, in co-operation with Centro, a litter
removal service for the routes at agreed locations such as terminal points.
Internal Cleaning
Bus Operators will work with Centro to introduce a level of internal cleaning for all
vehicles to be agreed through the Partnership Delivery Group in line with the general
guidelines set out below:
Guidelines for Internal Cleaning:On a daily basis
- Sweep floors and stairs to leave clean and free from litter.
- Clean up any spillages.
- Remove any graffiti
- Clean driver’s cab and windscreen and assault screen
- Empty used ticket boxes
- Clear luggage pens of litter etc.
- Replace or repair damaged seat cushions
Floors should be mopped at least twice a week
Every two to four weeks
- Wash and clean internal side panels, grab rails, heating grills and luggage
spaces.
- Clean internal windows
- Remove chewing gum deposits
- Check/clean wheel ramps
- Special attention paid to cleaning entrance and exit door areas
- Check that all notices are presentable and valid.
- Cleaning/vacuuming of seats and backs as necessary.
External Cleaning
The Operators will:Carry out a daily external wash (except where health and safety risks prevent
this).
It is important that ingrained dirt or marks are not allowed to build up and a more
thorough clean, addressing marks is required on a regular basis, i.e. 4 weekly or
more regularly.
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Monitoring
Frequent checks will be made by operators and records kept to ensure that
standards are being maintained.
Cleanliness to be measured on the basis of the results of locally agreed surveys
to be undertaken by both partners. An appropriate standard result to be set at
the outset and compliance measured against this standard, which is to be raised
in successive years of the partnership where it is locally agreed that there is
room for improvement.
Where operators conduct their own surveys they will share the information with
Centro in line with the agreed measures.
Drivers and Driving Standards
The Operators will ensure:All drivers will comply with the CPC training standards as required by law.
All drivers to be in uniform in line with the same standard requirements for
Centro subsidised services whilst undertaking driving duties.
A minimum of 60% of drivers to be trained to NVQ Level II standards in customer
care and disability awareness in line with the same standard requirements for
Centro subsidised services unless superseded by CPC training
Trainee Drivers to receive training on both routes and knowledge of ticket
products.
Mystery shopper monitoring will be undertaken on services within the East
Birmingham and North Solihull Network either by individual operator
programmes or through a joint programme with Centro, as with Centro tendered
services. Operators will share the outputs of these surveys with Centro. The
details of this mystery shopping study will be agreed between partners within the
first partnership monitoring meeting.
Customer Service
The Operators and Centro will:Offer a Customer Charter on routes in East Birmingham and North Solihull
covering reliability and punctuality with Operators offering a customer refunds in
case of failure to operate service at the fault of the operator in line with each
operator’s conditions.
Work together with Centro and Birmingham City Council to develop a single joint
customer charter.
Centro currently monitors customer satisfaction in East Birmingham and North
Solihull as part of the Centro monitoring of the 20 Year Public Transport
Strategy. During 2011/12 Centro will also undertake neighbourhood customer
satisfaction in East Birmingham and North Solihull. These surveys will be used
to benchmark the performance of the network that was introduced on March 27th
2011.
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Centro will lead the development and ongoing management of Customer
Satisfaction and Mystery Shopping Surveys in conjunction with Operators. This
will also include research into passenger perceptions of crime and anti-social
behaviour, reactions to new services, new maps and other initiatives.
Vehicles shall have equipment to regulate the temperature in the passenger
saloons.
3- BRANDING
The Operators will:Display Network West Midlands branding on all vehicles in a prominent position.
Ensure all vehicles are in their corporate livery.
Consider route branding for the core services in the East Birmingham and North
Solihull areas that have the greatest potential for modal shift and patronage
growth stressing aspects of the service: - for instance, usefulness, frequency and
quality.
Consideration will be given to the provision of internal branding referring to the
Voluntary Bus Partnership and campaign messages, and acknowledging Centro
and other relevant stakeholders and partners.
Centro will:Include Operator logos on all partnership scheme publicity material relating to
bus services in the East Birmingham and North Solihull areas.
Maintain Network West Midlands branding and at stop information at all bus
stops throughout the partnership areas.
Work with operators to develop campaign opportunities through the NWM brand
within East Birmingham and North Solihull to assist in the objective of overall
passenger growth and modal shift.
4- MARKETING
The Operators and Centro will:Jointly fund marketing of the East Birmingham and North Solihull routes with the
aim of targeting new users, retaining existing users and encouraging additional
journeys subject to agreement between all parties within the monitoring group
Produce a joint marketing and communications plan to be delivered and funded
within the partnership. An annual budget will be established prior to each
anniversary.
Produce new timetable leaflets in the Network West Midlands house style
including Route maps and route diagrams and keep them up to date.
Where appropriate, the environmental benefits of journeys by bus will be
incorporated into the communication messages.
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Centro will:Provide and maintain at stop information for all services on the network in line
with the agreed service change dates.
Co-ordinate passenger information, providing joint publicity for all operators bus
services making bus services easier to understand and use
Lead the consultation with stakeholders (ITA, DfT, council members and officers,
user groups, and customers) about changes to bus services.
Work with major employers to encourage bus use as part of green travel plans,
workplace travel plans, University Travel Plans and similar initiatives.
Produce award entries for the UK Bus Awards, National Travel Awards, CILT
Annual Awards for Excellence and similar awards for the East Birmingham and
North Solihull bus services highlighting patronage growth and the contribution of
each of the other partners.
5- DATA SHARING, PUNCTUALITY AND MONITORING
Data Sharing
The Operators and Centro will:Agree a Joint Data Sharing Agreement covering all types of data for the
partnership routes including bus patronage, punctuality, reliability, real time
information and any other data agreed, save that no data relating to any
individual operator will be shared in a disaggregated basis with any other
operator.
Where an Agreement does not exist with any party, the PTEG/ CPT Joint Data
Sharing Agreement as provided through the joint Position Statements will form
the basis of such an Agreement.
Centro will:Work with the Operators to provide information in an anonymised fashion e.g. by
showing percentage increases rather than actual numbers of passengers.
Punctuality Monitoring
There will be a punctuality target of 95% of all journeys departing from their
terminal points according to the Traffic Commissioner’s standard, currently of no
more than one minute early and five minutes late.
A punctuality target of 90% will be set at all other timing points of the routes
within the Traffic Commissioner’s six minute window.
On routes that operate at frequent intervals (i.e. a service frequency of every ten
minutes or more frequently) will be assessed using the Excess Waiting Time
measure (developed by Transport for London). The target measurement is 1.25
minutes of Excess Waiting Time. This means for a service of a 10 minute
frequency, the average wait time experienced by passengers should be 6.25
minutes.
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Monitoring Obligations
As part of the Agreement, monitoring shall be undertaken to ensure that the Scheme
is delivered to a high standard for the benefit of the users on the Bus Corridor.
The Operators and Centro will: Agree on a before position for bus patronage against which performance will be
assessed.
The Operators will share with Centro performance statistics on a monthly basis
relating to the number of cancellations save that no data relating to any
individual operator will be shared in a disaggregated basis with any other
operator.
Centro will commit to monitor service reliability and punctuality on a minimum of
2 weekdays, a Saturday and a Sunday (where applicable) on identified and
agreed key routes every six months.Share patronage information confidentially
with Centro for assessment of patronage growth or decline on the network over
each 12 month period.
Centro will:Organise regular Customer Satisfaction and Mystery Shopping Surveys
including before and after surveys
Centro will collate and circulate monitoring data on an ongoing basis on agreed
performance indicators.
The Operators will:Provide regular and timely patronage and other data to Centro to help identify
areas for improvement and strengths / weaknesses save that such data relating
to one operator shall not be passed by Centro to any other operator.
Provide patronage and other data that is reasonably required for Local Transport
Plan, Local Area Agreement and other monitoring.
Operators will assist Centro with the collection of GPS data highlighting delay
pinch points and running time variations that can be used to pursue
infrastructure and traffic management improvements with Birmingham City
Council.
Centro, Birmingham City Council and bus operators will participate in regular
partnership monitoring meetings.
Customer Satisfaction Survey
Perceptions shalt be recorded by on-vehicle face-to-face interviews with a
statistically significant sample of passengers 6 months after implementation of the
Partnership Agreement. A follow-up survey shall take place every six months
thereafter. Details are shown in Appendix 4.
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Mystery Traveller Surveys
Objective measures shall be recorded by the use of "Mystery Traveller" surveys,
where trained assessors shall make planned journeys on routes covered by the
Partnership Agreement. Assessors shall record observations on the bus service
using a scoring method designed to maximise their objectivity, thereby ensuring
consistency and comparability of assessments. The assessor will travel as a
passenger paying cash or using a bus pass according to the ticket profile of
passengers.
Issues to be covered in the mystery traveller survey are detailed in Appendix 4.
Reliability and Punctuality
From time to time, the performance of each local service operating along the Bus
Corridor will be measured against the standards set for reliability and punctuality by
the Traffic Commissioner. The results of these surveys will be published in
Agreement with the Bus Operators.
Partnership Meeting Protocol
Initially there will be East Birmingham and North Solihull Partnership meeting every 2
months at which the delivery plan, patronage data and results of customer
satisfaction and mystery shopping surveys will be discussed based on the template
developed by Centro for the Dudley Partnership. Representatives will be invited from
all signatory partners.
6 - NETWORK APPROACH - COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCIPLES OF
TRANSFORMING BUS TRAVEL
This Agreement follows a Network Review undertaken jointly by Centro, the
operators and Birmingham City Council, which included extensive consultation with
stakeholders and users. The East Birmingham and North Solihull Network Review is
one of a programme of Network Reviews covering all areas of the West Midlands as
part of the Transforming Bus Travel initiative.
The Operators will:Agree not to alter, re-route, retime or withdraw any of the services included in
this Agreement within the first twelve months of the new network of services
being introduced without prior notification and discussion with Centro ahead of
registration changes.
After twelve months, Operators will provide advance warning of forthcoming bus
service changes, improvements and withdrawals to Centro to allow prompt
production of roadside and other publicity material, and to allow Centro time to
discuss options with stakeholder and local authorities and secure replacement
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services for any services that are to be withdrawn (where appropriate under
access standards).
The Operators will investigate the benefits of working towards a maximum
number of six network stability date changes per year from the current 10 by
2012.
Where services are performing less well than expected work with Centro on joint
marketing initiatives to encourage greater use of the services where appropriate.
Operators will provide Centro with draft bus service registrations at least 70 days
before they are due to take effect to allow any outstanding issues to be resolved
prior to the finalised timetable being registered at 56 days notice to the Traffic
Commissioner. If a service is cancelled or altered the operator must give at least
14 days public notice of the change by displaying a notice inside each bus
concerned. Any subsequent variation or withdrawal of the service also requires
these periods of notice. A total of 70 days notice is thus needed to start or
change a bus service. Other than in exceptional circumstances, new bus routes
must be run for at least 90 days before they can be cancelled or changed.
Services will only be changed on agreed change dates.
7 - INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND MAINTENANCE, IMPROVING BUS
JOURNEY TIMES AND ENFORCEMENT
Highway Improvements
Centro will commission a detailed study to assist in the identification of reliability hot
spots through route assessments. This will enable partners to identify opportunities
to reduce bus journey times and unreliability based around the 6 key bus corridors
within the East Birmingham and North Solihull areas. The key bus corridors are;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
City - Washwood Heath Road and beyond (services 55, 72, 90, 94)
City - Alum Rock Road - Tile Cross (service 14)
City - Bordesley Green - Chelmsley Wood (service 97, 97A)
City - Coventry Road Sheldon (Services 58, 59, 60, 900, 957)
Solihull - BIA I NEC - Erdington (Service 966)
Solihull - Chelmsley wood - Castle Vale - Sutton Coldfield (service 71, 72)
Operators agree to the introduction of new or refurbished vehicles as detailed within
the operator appendix following the undertaking of highway junction improvements
as identified in paragraph I & 2 below.
Birmingham City Council will seek to make the following improvements with the aim
of making journey time improvements and improving reliability in East Birmingham
and North Solihull;
1). Improvements to the East I west traffic flow at the Victoria Street I Bordesley
Green junction that will improve journey delays from queuing prior to crossing the
junction.
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2). Improvements to the East I west traffic flow at the Aston Church Road I
Washwood Heath Road junction that will assist in improving journey times for
queuing prior to, and following, crossing the junction.
3). Consider improvements to the junction of Cockshut Hill with Garretts Green Lane
Improvements at this location are necessary to enable buses to make right-turning
movements from Cockshut Hill onto Garretts Green Lane. Birmingham City Council
is currently undertaking some further design work on possible options for this
junction.
Consider improvements at the junction of Great Lister Street and Dartmouth
4).
Middleway to re-align right-turn movements through the junction so that they did not
block through movements which has impacts on bus services. Birmingham City
Council is currently undertaking some further design work on possible options for this
junction.
5). Operators and Centro will continue to work with Solihull MBC to Improve the
pedestrian facilities for passengers around the Chelmsley Interchange and Bosworth
Drive in order to provide good public facilities for passengers using services around
the interchange area.
Additionally Birmingham City Council will work with Centro and the Operators to
develop and implement other bus and patronage improvement measures where
identified.
Bus Stops and Bus Shelters
Centro will:Undertake to install new NWM branded stop poles in approximately 30 locations
where currently services have changed or been amended as part of the network
review.
Will install approximately 120 new shelters and to improve and upgrade the
current facilities along the main corridors.
Introduce an enhanced cleaning and maintenance regime specifically to look
after roadside infrastructure on the three key corridors from the start of the
2011/12 financial year. These will be inspected and cleaned every Monday and
Friday. All other shelters will be cleaned on a weekly basis. Bus stop poles are
cleaned every 7 days on the key corridors and every 14 days at other stops.
Consider with stakeholders the potential to install new bus shelters at strategic
points across the East Birmingham and North Solihull Network Bus Routes
where there is no provision at present depending on the availability of funding
and the patronage at that stop.
Improve infrastructure and information at key interchanges in East Birmingham
and North Solihull as agreed with partners
CCTV will be installed by Centro at locations identified as having high instances
of crime.
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APPENDIX 2 LIST OF SERVICES IN EAST BIRMINGHAM AND
NORTH SOLIHULL FROM FEBRUARY 2011
Route
Operator
Route
Changes from 25th March 2010
8A/8C
NXWM
Birmingham
Inner Circle
No change.
11A/11C
NXWM
Birmingham
Outer Circle
No change.
SlO
Silverline
No change.
14
N)(WM
Solihull
Cranes Park
Birmingham
Chelmsley
Wood
17
Central
Connect
Birmingham
Tile cross
17
NXWM
Birmingham
Tile cross
25
Central
Connect
Central
Connect
Erdington
Ward End
Solihull
Castle
Bromwich
28
NXWM
Erdington
Small Heath
Changes to daytime timetable. Evening
and Sunday journeys are renumbered
28 from 28B
28E
NXWM
Erdington
Small Heath
Route of current 28A journeys changed
in Bordesley Green and Old Oscott
areas and renumbered 28E.
Improved access to Heartlands Hospital.
36
Silverline
72
DN# 451678
-
-
-
-
-
Current route ex Chelmsley Wood via
Tile Cross and Alum Rock to Saltley
Viaduct then continues to City Centre
(Dale End) via Duddeston and Vauxhall
(current 26 route). The evening service
extends from Marston Green to
Chelmsley Wood. Increased frequency
during the day.
Will terminate at Tile Cross Shops
terminus as current National Express
West Midlands service.
Frequent service with more peak and
daytime departures. Change to Sunday
daytime every 15 mins, evenings every
30 mins.
No change.
Current 26A journeys are renumbered
72 and extended to Castle Bromwich via
the daytime routing (Will be operated by
VIP Travel from 24th April 2011)
-
-
-
Route 36 extended to Heartlands
Hospital. Route 36C withdrawn.
Page 21 of 24
53
Central
Connect
Sparkbrook
Heartlands
Hospital
55
NXWM
Birmingham
Chelmsley
Wood
55
Claribels
56
NXWM
Birmingham
Chelmsley
Wood
Birmingham
Kingshurst
58
NXWM
Birmingham
Solihull
58A
NXWM
Birmingham
Airport
59
NXWM
Birmingham
Kingshurst
60
NXWM
71
Claribels
71
Diamond
71
AM/PM
Birmingham
Cranes Park
Solihull
Chelmsley
Wood
Solihull
Chelmsley
Wood
Solihull
Chelmsley
Wood
71/71A
NXWM
DN# 451678
-
-
-
Sutton
Coldfield
Solihull
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current service 663 is renumbered 53,
and diverted via Glebe Farm Estate (to
cover part of the 689 service).
Increased frequency. Runs via Heath
Way, Shard End Crescent, Packington
Avenue, Longmeadow Crescent, and
current route to Chelmsley Wood.
Diverted via Washwood Heath Road
instead of Alum Rock Road.
This evening and Sunday service is
I unchanged.
Current 58 route to Gilbertstone Avenue
then replaces 42 route through Lyndon
(Acocks Green side).Restores link for
Small Heath and Solihull.
Majority of route replaced by 900
service. Extra early morning journeys on
900 route are numbered 900A as the
run via Small Heath.
New service operating between
Birmingham City Centre and Kingshurst.
Provides Link from Small Heath and
Yardley to Whittington Oval, Lea Hall,
Shard End and Kingshurst. Covers part
of 54 route.
Revised Timetable, no change to route.
No change.
Evenings only
-
No change.
Timetable Changes. Majority of Monday
to Saturday journeys renumbered 72.
Alternate Sunday journeys operate
between Solihull and Chelmsley Wood
only.
More Buses between Castle vale and
Sutton. 71 serves Farnborough Road
and Park Lane. 71A serves Kingsbury
Road, Bagington Road, Reed Square,
Tangmere Drive and Chester Road.
Faster link to Solihull via Bosworth
Drive.
Page 22 of 24
72
N)(WM
Birmingham
Solihull
73
NXWM
Birmingham
Solihull
-
-
No change from Solihull to Marston
Green, then Coleshill Rd to Chelmsley
Wood. It will also Provide extra links
North of Chelmsley Wood via Chester
Road, Windward Way, and Hurst Lane,
continuing via Castle Bromwich,
Chipperfield Road, Bromford and
Washwood Heath to the City.
Replaces 42 route from Solihull to Brays
Road giving a new link to Heartlands
Hospital, Yardley Green Road from
Solihull town centre, Hobs Moat and the
Sheldon area. Covers 42 Route
Horrell Road/Brays Road gain a service
to City Centre and Solihull.
-
90
NXWM
91
Central
Buses
94
NXWM
94
Claribels
97
N)(WM
97
Central
Connect
97A
N)(WM
97A
Central
Connect
98
Central
Buses
99
Central
Connect
DN# 451678
Birmingham
Chelmsley
Wood
Chelmsley
Wood
II
Station
Birmingham
Chelmsley
Wood
-
The current service 676 is renumbered
without change to route or timetable.
-
Birmingham
Chelmsley
Wood
Birmingham
Chelmsley
Wood
Birmingham
Chelmsley
Wood
Birmingham
Chelmsley
Wood
Birmingham
Chelmsley
Wood
Small Heath
Ward End
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Park Hall
School
Acocks Green
-
Minor timetable changes.
Route simplified. Now via Auckland
Drive in both directions. No longer
serves Windward Way (now served by
72).
No change.
No change to route, increased
frequency
No change to route, increased
frequency
No change to route, increased
frequency
No change to route, increased
frequency
No change. (Will be operated by
Diamond Bus from 24th April 2011).
New service partly replacing the current
42 and 689 services
Page 23 of 24
717
Stagecoach
757
Johnsons
767
Arriva
777
Stagecoach
DN# 451678
Airport
Nuneaton
Airport
Sutton
Airport
Tamworth
Airport
Atherstone
-
-
-
-
Under review by Warwickshire Council.
Under review by Warwickshire Council.
Under review by Warwickshire Council.
Under review by Warwickshire Council.
Page 24 of 24