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A Quality Bus Partnership (QBP) is an agreement between
the main bus company, the County Council and the District or
Borough Council to develop all aspects of bus travel and increase
the number of passengers using bus services.
Kent County Council has signed three Quality Bus Partnerships
with local bus companies and District Councils in Kent: Maidstone,
Thanet and Canterbury. Three more Quality Bus Partnerships are
planned and being developed for Dover, Ashford and Tunbridge
Wells.
The partnerships aim to bring about significant improvements in
the quality of bus services in the County.
The local authorities are investing in improvements such as bus
lanes and bus priority at traffic lights as well as bus stop
improvements such as raised kerbing and traffic restrictions known
as bus stop "clearways". The bus companies are investing in easy
access low floor buses and are improving the frequency, punctuality
and reliability of their services.
Dover
As part of their commitment to a new Quality Bus Partnership,
Stagecoach, the main bus company in East Kent, replaced most of
their old minibuses in Dover during September 2006 with 11 brand
new "midibuses" at a cost of £850,000.
This followed the introduction of the new Diamond buses on
services between Canterbury, Dover, Deal and Sandwich earlier in
the year.
The new Heart buses feature:
- more seats
- ow floor access
- space for disabled passengers and buggies
- a smoother and quieter bus journey
A consultants report prepared for Kent Highway Services
recommended the introduction of a Quality Bus Partnership with
Stagecoach and Dover District Council and it is hoped that this
will be signed during 2007.
Another key recommendation of the report was that the quality of
bus stops in the Dover district area was poor and needed attention.
As part of the QBP, Kent County Council, Dover District Council and
Stagecoach will invest in new bus stops with better waiting
facilities and timetable information.
After years of under-investment in Dover's public transport
system, the Quality Bus Partnership, the renovation of Dover Priory
station and the promised rail link to London will gradually deliver
benefits to the town over the next few years.
Canterbury
One example of the difference a Quality Bus Partnership is
making is in Canterbury. In 2004, Kent County Council, Canterbury
City Council and Stagecoach in East Kent signed a Quality Bus
Partnership to improve bus services in Canterbury.
Stagecoach spent £3 million on 17 new, easy access double decker
buses for the Canterbury-Whitstable-Herne Bay route. Another bus
was later added and the 4 and 6 services, known as the "Triangle",
now runs up to every 10 minutes between Canterbury, Whitstable,
Tankerton, Herne Bay returning to Canterbury via Sturry.
Kent County Council is investing £1.5 million on a programme of
bus lanes which will allow buses to move more efficiently in the
urban area of Canterbury. It will also be easier for the bus
company to run their services on time. Waiting and access
facilities at bus stops are also being improved so that bus
passengers have the best possible travel experience. Higher kerbs
are being installed at most stops to allow easy access onto the
buses for wheelchairs.
Maidstone
Most bus services in Maidstone are run by Arriva. A Quality Bus
Partnership was agreed with the company and Maidstone Borough
Council in 2000.
Since then a range of improvements have been made to the buses,
the waiting environments and the services.
25 buses used on local bus services in Maidstone including the
82 to Parkwood and the 85 service to Shepway and Senacre were
refurbished in March 2005 at considerable cost to the bus company.
New LED destination blinds were fitted, the seating and panelling
was replaced and the overall image of the buses was improved.
The Maidstone Park & Ride service which is paid for by
Maidstone Borough Council and run by Arriva, received new buses in
Spring 2005.
The 101 service, which is an express service between Medway and
Maidstone has also received new low floor, easy access buses which
are distinctly branded as the "Expressline". The service, which
used to run every half an hour, now runs every 15 minutes during
the week and passenger numbers have increased significantly, in
part due to the reduced journey times between the two towns.
Major improvements are also being made on the London Road
corridor, with a programme of measures to increase the flow of
buses, to improve bus stops and provide better "real time"
information. With the arrival of 4 new buses, most services on this
corridor will operate with low floor, easy access buses, which will
help families with pushchairs, elderly people with shopping
trolleys and passengers using
wheelchairs. |