WECA’s Bus Service Improvement Plan

WECA has published its Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) (see Quick Links), a policy paper that Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) must develop to secure funding under the 2021 National Bus Strategy. WECA is Bath’s LTA. The BSIP is an extension of the earlier WECA Bus Strategy. Of the two basic bus models permitted in the National Bus Strategy WECA has chosen to adopt an Enhanced Partnership model rather than a London-style Franchising one. 

The Alliance has evaluated WECA’s BSIP by testing it for compliance with the seven components of the Public Transport section of the Alliance Manifesto, which are as follows:

Public Transport: Make buses a competitive alternative to cars 

• WECA Bus Strategy use of powers available under the Bus Service Act 2017
• Redesigned bus network and frequencies to compete with car journeys
• Bus priority on all corridors, reallocating some kerbside parking space
• Operating subsidy to allow dynamic, demand-responsive fares that fill the buses
• Real time passenger information and contactless payments
• All green buses
• MetroBus (or ‘MetroTram’) on Bath-Bristol corridor

Overall, the BSIP seems commendable. It addresses most of the essential components of an effective bus system- one that can potentially compete with car journeys and shift modal share towards public transport. However, without providing for operating funding to permit fares that fill buses with car drivers, it will struggle to meet its objectives.

Although WECA has no current powers or funding to provide operating subsidy for public transport, road user charging (RUC) is contemplated in the WECA JLTP4 (its long-term regional transport plan) and this should be accelerated to be introduced in parallel with the BSIP. A WECA RUC scheme could provide funding for bus subsidies while also raising the cost of car journeys, serving to level the playing field. While a mooted nationwide RUC scheme is probably inevitable, Treasury could perversely retain much of its revenue to compensate for fuel tax loss, thereby thwarting the public transport initiatives of the regional LTAs.