West Yorkshire Bus Alliance
The West Yorkshire Bus Alliance aims is to put customers at the heart of improving services, keeping buses moving and developing a sustainable bus network.
The West Yorkshire Bus Alliance aims is to put customers at the heart of improving services, keeping buses moving and developing a sustainable bus network.
The Alliance brings together the Combined Authority, bus operators Arriva, First and Transdev. It also includes smaller bus companies brought together through the through Association of Bus Operators in West Yorkshire.
Quicker and more reliable
Quicker and more reliable journeys, further progress towards carbon-free services, easy-to-understand and affordable fares for people of all ages and better travel advice and journey planning information are all Alliance commitments. Improved customer service and facilities, such as more, free Wi-Fi and USB charging points, are also promised.
With almost three million people using them to travel to and from work in West Yorkshire every week, buses are vital to the local economy.
Key themes being worked on through the West Yorkshire Bus Alliance are Ticketing and Affordability, Customer Service, Clean Bus Technology and Travel Information, The Network, Highway Infrastructure as well as Travel Information, Communication and Engagement.
Positives
Positive identified by the Alliance are that through MCard, West Yorkshire has the largest travel smartcard scheme of its kind outside London’s Oyster card. The success of park and ride at Elland Road and Temple Green in Leeds, which are removing 9,000 car journeys from city centre’s streets is another.
Other key points were the Combined Authority’s extension of half-fare travel to all under 19s living in West Yorkshire, the online availability of real-time information at all the county’s 14,000 bus stops and shelters. Importantly there is the investment by the bus of £ millions in new, ultra-low emission buses that are more comfortable and include Wi-Fi and USB chargers.
More about the West Yorkshire Bus Alliance.
Punctuality and reliability
As part of its commitment to transparency and making improvements, the Bus Alliance releases quarterly statistics that pull together the performance of West Yorkshire’s largest bus operators. Shown in the figures are the number of miles operated, against the scheduled mileage and punctuality of departures from buses’ first stops and along the route.
Bus18
The West Yorkshire Bus Alliance will build on the Bus18 initiative. Established in 2017, Bus18 saw the Combined Authority working with Arriva, First and Transdev to West Yorkshire bus travel better.
Its achievements include last year’s introduction of the popular, £2.75 countywide MyDay bus ticket for under 19sand guarantees by the three bus companies to provide a free travel voucher to any passengers not happy with their bus journey. Customers whose last bus fails to arrive within 20 minutes of the scheduled time can now get the cost of a taxi fare home reimbursed.
Lasting through to 2022, the new West Yorkshire Bus Alliance will be based on legal provisions recently introduced by the government for Voluntary Partnership Agreements. These are defined by the Department for Transport as agreements entered into by transport authorities and bus operators, to deliver benefits to local bus users.
Bus18 achievements include pledges for people:
- who are not happy with their bus journey and can claim a free travel voucher from Arriva, First or Transdev.
- whose last bus doesn’t arrive within 20 minutes of the scheduled time and can reclaim their taxi fare.
Enhanced Partnership
On Thursday 17 March 2022, the Bus Enhanced Partnership went to members of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority for approval. This is a statutory partnership between the Combined Authority, West Yorkshire local authorities and bus operators in the region.
The Enhanced Partnership sets clear targets and standards so all parties can work together to achieve more local control of services and increase bus patronage.
Download the Bus Enhanced Partnership Plan
Download the Programme of Schemes
Download the West Yorkshire Enhanced Partnership Scheme