Improving bus services

Part 1 - EP Plan

The North Northamptonshire Council Enhanced Partnership Plan for buses was prepared in accordance with Section 138H of the Transport Act 2000 and is Made in accordance with Section 138G by North Northamptonshire Council.

The 2025 update has been prepared in accordance with Section 138E of the Transport Act 2000 under the Bespoke Variation Arrangements set out in Section 5 of the Enhanced Partnership Scheme and agreed by the Management Forum on 10 March 2025.

Executive summary

North Northamptonshire Council is a new Unitary Authority. Alongside other modes, the council sees bus as an important travel option for local people, the relative importance of bus will be considered further when the council develops its own Local Transport Plan. Bus, alongside rail, walking and cycling has a role to play in providing people with an option to the car, and bus a more inclusive mode of transport, accessible to most people regardless of whether they can drive, have mobility limitations or age.

This Enhanced Partnership Plan was originally developed by North Northamptonshire Council to drive bus improvements for passengers over the three years until 31 March 2025 and is now extended for a further year to 31 March 2026. It fulfils the statutory requirements set out by the Bus Services Act 2017 of an Enhanced Partnership Plan (EPP) for North Northamptonshire. In doing so, it covers the following legally required aspects:

• specifies the area and the period to which the plan relates
• sets out an analysis of the local services provided in that area
• sets out policies relating to local services in that area
• sets out objectives as regards the quality and effectiveness of local services provided in that area by reference to that period
• describes how the related enhanced partnership scheme or schemes is or are intended to assist in implementing those policies and achieving those objectives
• describes the intended effect of the related enhanced partnership scheme or schemes on areas neighbouring the area to which the plan relates
• how the plan is to be reviewed and, including how it is reviewed and the specific dates by which reviews are to be completed

This EPP builds on the Bus Service Improvement Plan agreed in October 2021 and updated in June 2024, and puts in place binding commitments on the Council and partner organisations to provide the necessary enhancements to make bus attractive and easier to use and contribute to delivery of our vision for buses, which is:

Our vision for buses

The bus network will meet community need, it will be delivered reliably and efficiently, and the bus offer is understood by the wider community not simply bus users, finally bus use is affordable and easy to use by all.

Alongside this EPP is a single Enhanced Partnership Scheme which sets out in greater detail the actions to be taken to deliver this EPP.

In summary this EPP proposes the interventions set out in the Table of actions, over.

Table of actions

1.0 Overview and governance

1.1 The Government has set out its plan to support Local Transport Authorities improve bus services through the National Bus Strategy: Bus Back Better.

1.2 North Northamptonshire Council have welcomed and considered the options available to respond to Government’s challenge’s and have resolved to follow the Enhanced Partnership route as the best means to locally improve bus services for passengers.

1.3 The Enhanced Partnership builds on the longer-term strategy set out in the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) which set out the council’s plans over the next 3 to 5 years and longer. The first BSIP was formally approved by the council on 29 October 2021 and an updated BSIP was approved in June 2024.

1.4 As required and set out in section 138F of the Transport Act 2000, notification of intent to introduce an Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme was published by the council on the 30 June 2021 following approval at the council’s executive meeting on 22 June 2021.

1.5 This Enhanced Partnership Plan has been prepared in accordance with S138 of the Transport Act 2000 as amended by Section 9 of the Bus Services Act 2017, as well as Guidance published by the Department for Transport.

Supporting this Enhanced Partnership Plan is an Enhanced Partnership Scheme which sets out the steps to be taken to deliver the vision set out below and the supporting actions.

Duration

1.6 This Enhanced Partnership Plan sets out the high-level vision and objectives for bus services in the area over the period until 31 March 2026, it is based on the BSIP, which itself was the subject of public consultation and was produced in accordance with guidance published by the Department for Transport on BSIP’s. The timescale also aligns to the funding support requested from Government.

1.7 The Enhanced Partnership Plan should be read alongside the accompanying Enhanced Partnership Scheme which sets out in precise detail how the BSIP will be delivered and commitments made by North Northamptonshire Council, as well as standards to be met by bus operators operating services in the area.

Governance and reviews

1.8 Governance of the Enhanced Partnership Plan and scheme is led by a Management Forum comprising the council and local bus operators. It reviews the effectiveness of the Enhanced Partnership Plan and accompanying Scheme through delivery of the underlying actions to improve bus reliability in driving up passenger satisfaction and increasing bus patronage.

1.9 When the BSIP was updated in 2024 it was intended to conduct a thorough review of the Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme that could be introduced from April 2025. In light of the new Government providing initial funding allocations for bus service improvements for 2025/26, with further allocations to follow the Comprehensive Spending Review expected in late spring 2025, the Management Forum has agreed that it makes more sense to undertake a thorough review of the BISP and then the EP Plan and Scheme in the knowledge of the funding which will be available.

The intention is that the new BSIP will be agreed in late 2025 and the new EP Plan and Scheme in place by 1 April 2026.

1.10 This should also allow the new BSIP and EP Plan and Scheme to be aligned with the new Local Transport Plan being developed for North Northamptonshire, as it moves away from the LTP inherited from the former Northamptonshire County Council.

1.11 The Management Forum, comprising the following, have helped develop this Plan, and will be consulted as part of any review:

Management Forum

• North Northamptonshire Council (50% voting rights)
• Bus operators or their nominated representative(s) with services registered in this EPP area. One representative for each operator. (50% total voting rights, split in proportion to mileage of services falling within the EPP/EPS)

1.12 Bus performance data will be published every 6 months.

1.13 The results of the reviews and the performance data will be made available to the public on enhanced partnerships for buses.

2.0 Area covered by this plan

2.1 This Enhanced Partnership Plan covers the whole of the North Northamptonshire Council area. Figure 1 below, shows the area covered. The area chosen has been determined by the bus network which largely connects the local towns and villages, with cross-boundary travel to Bedford and Market Harborough provided by bus or rail and to Northampton and Peterborough by bus.

2.2 The nature of the bus network does not lend itself to joining with an adjacent area, especially as the neighbouring area’s bus networks are characterised by being focused on single town hub (for example Northampton Town, or Bedford) with a very limited number of services crossing the border.

Figure 1 - The North Northamptonshire Council Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme area (within grey council boundary line).

3.0 Analysis of local bus services

Network and use

3.1 The bus services across North Northamptonshire carried approximately 6.5m passengers per annum prior to Covid-19, in October 2021 patronage was running at 64% of this level. Around 30% of bus users travel under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme.

3.2 In North Northamptonshire 82.4% of households have access to at least a car or van. Of households that own a car, 40.9% have 1 car available, and a further 31.5% have 2 cars available. 17.5% of households have no vehicle according to the 2011 Census.

3.3 Travel to work is dominated by private car use. Only 2.01% of all usual residents aged 16 to 74 travel to work by bus according to the 2011 Census.

3.4 This suggests that if the right bus offer can be put in place there is considerable opportunity to achieve modal shift. In doing so we support existing bus users, the bus companies as well as reduce congestion, harmful emissions and road safety risk.

Bus travel to work mode share

Figure 2 - Travel to work by bus in North Northamptonshire (2011 census data).

3.5 The dominant operator across North Northamptonshire is Stagecoach, delivering most services in Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby, with:

• a number of other operators providing other services

3.6 As well as local bus services there is a vast community transport network operating under Section 22 permits. This community transport network serves the rural communities, and those with mobility challenges, for whom a traditional bus network is neither accessible nor viable.

3.7 The 2017 Northamptonshire Bus Passenger Survey undertaken by Transport Focus, reported that overall satisfaction with bus travel across Northamptonshire stood at 85%. However, only 68% were satisfied with the punctuality of the bus services.

Northamptonshire Transport Focus 2017 Passenger user satisfaction survey

Figure 3 - Transport Focus passenger satisfaction data.

Bus priority

3.8 Analysis of bus corridors using Realtime data (see Figure 4), shows that prior to Covid-19 services largely operated reliably to timetable into Wellingborough and Corby, but there were delays into Kettering from the north-west, east and south-east directions, especially the Kettering to Desborough and Kettering to Burton Latimer corridors. The journey time variability is not fully understood but is considered to be linked to commuter congestion and other local impacts.

Figure 4 - Bus reliability by corridor.

Modern buses, decarbonisation and user safety

3.9 North Northamptonshire Council has a stated commitment towards lessening the impact of climate change. The council declared a climate and environment emergency at its Full Council meeting held on Wednesday 28 July 2021.

3.10 51% of the bus fleet operating in North Northamptonshire in autumn 2021 were Euro III and IV buses, see Figure 5 below. The first step is to replace these by Euro V or VI (or equivalent) and then move to an electric or hydrogen fleet. This first EPP takes steps to make sure that bus standards are progressively improved, whilst we work on a longer term plan with operators to move towards a carbon neutral solution.

3.11 We also want passengers to feel safe at bus stops and on buses, this requires good lighting levels at bus stops, attractive stops and shelters with natural surveillance, and on bus CCTV.

North Northamptonshire - Bus fleet engine profile

Figure 5 - Bus Fleet Engine Profile, Autumn 2021.

Fares and integrated ticketing

3.12 Passengers and non-bus users raise concerns about the cost of travel and perceived value for money. When surveyed by the council, operators broadly agreed that tickets should be available across all services without a premium and that fare-capping is desirable.

3.13 The council and its predecessor have received a number of complaints about the operators fare structure; most commonly that once outside of the urban fare zones, fares can increase markedly and that neighbouring communities can be priced differently.

3.14 The nature of the bus network is that passengers are restricted to single operator ticket products, by way of example this is a disadvantage to those living in Rushden who need to make a two-legged bus journey to work or college, and also an inconvenience to people who wish to travel along corridors with more than one operator.

3.15 However, these issues have been mitigated to a large extent by the introduction of a national single-journey fare cap, initially at £2 per single journey from 1 January 2022, rising to £3 from 1 January 2025 and currently available until 31 December 2025. While participation in this scheme by operators is voluntary, it is available on the majority of services in North Northamptonshire. Because of this the introduction of multi-journey fare-capping is not a priority for the expected period of this EP Plan.

3.16 The high level of affordable and free parking availability in town centre off-street car parks also contributes to peak period traffic congestion and associated travel unreliability, together with problems of poor air quality.

Service network improvement

3.17 The analysis of the bus services set out in the 2021 BSIP concluded that the bus network as it then stood was largely fit for current needs but would need to evolve as new developments brought forward housing and job opportunities, in particular. The area of weakness is the lack of connections to Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough railway stations, both key commuter stations into London, as well as for local trips between the towns.

3.18 Since then, changes to the network in response to the reduction in patronage and increase in costs since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced the frequency on many services. This EPP therefore needs to seek to increase services alongside the introduction of new services as a primary means of increasing bus patronage in North Northamptonshire.

3.19 Other than on shared sections of main roads the local bus network does not see any on-street operator competition. Therefore, at the time of drafting, there are no issues of over-bussing which need to be addressed by this EPP.

3.20 Table 3.1 sets out the core service frequency considered appropriate for North Northamptonshire communities in the 2021 BSIP. Increasing service levels towards these standards is an aim of this EP. During peak times minor changes to the frequencies quoted to ensure accurate timetabling are acceptable.

Table 1 - Desired commercial service level tiers.

3.21 The network offer for the passenger is not predictable and Urban Tier 1 and 2 services should also operate core hours and frequencies which fully cover the extended peak hours (arriving or departing the town centre between 7:30am through to 7pm Monday to Friday except bank holidays).

Integrated services and Information

3.22 Based on local feedback, the council considers that the bus network is poorly communicated, with operators promoting only the services they operate, rather than the wider bus network available, this hinders users and especially not-yet-users understanding of the bus network as a whole. Additionally printed timetables are not produced by every operator. This EPP therefore needs to address gaps in essential passenger information.

3.23 There is already a good Real-time passenger information system in place and is working well, but passengers do not know how to access it, away from the 41 stops with Real-time displays. This EPP therefore needs to improve passenger understanding of how to access this information by increasing the number of displays and upgrading older displays.

3.24 We will also work with passenger advocacy groups and operators to agree a Passenger Charter, which once agreed Operators will be obliged to operate in accordance with its commitments.

3.25 Better information at bus stops is a top 10 bus passenger priority (Transport Focus, Sept 2020) nationwide and a 2017 Transport Focus survey commissioned jointly by Northamptonshire County Council and Stagecoach Midlands gave a below-average rating of 63%. This indicates that, whilst net satisfaction is convincingly positive, there is room for improvement against our statistical neighbours and this EPP seeks to improve passenger understanding on hard to access the real time information.

Giving passengers a say

3.26 Through this EPP, the Management Forum and Wider Stakeholder Group, we want passengers and local employers to have the opportunity to influence the delivery of bus services across North Northamptonshire.

3.27 We will also work with passenger advocacy groups and operators to agree a Passenger Charter, which once agreed Operators will be obliged to operate in accordance with its commitments.

Summary

3.28 The above gaps and result in the Table of Actions, set out at the end of the Executive Summary on page 5 of this document. The Enhanced Partnership Scheme sets out in more detail how these interventions are going to be delivered.

4.0 Policies and influences on local bus services

4.1 This EPP and the supporting scheme will support local policy, informed by an assessment of local opportunities and risks, through acting on the passenger and community areas of concern discussed above. Equally Policies are themselves supportive of bus use and will generate Section 106 funding and put in place measures like Travel Plans to promote and encourage bus use, alongside other more sustainable travel options.

Local policies supporting bus use

4.2 Local Policy is supportive of the Bus, this will help to maximise sustainable delivery of development plans in the area and minimise the detrimental impact of vehicular trips in terms of safety, congestion and pollution.

4.3 The North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy 2011-2031, the Part 1 Local Plan for the area, was adopted in July 2016. In order to alleviate the effects of the significant new development proposed on the transport network, it includes challenging but realistic targets to increase levels of modal shift away from the private car towards other forms of travel including public transport, cycling and walking. The following modal shift targets, based on 2001 census data, are set for 2031:

• A reduction of 5% in single occupancy car journeys to work from the existing built up areas of the Growth and Market towns
• A reduction of 20% in single occupancy car journeys to work from new developments compared to adjoining wards

4.4 These targets are embedded in the Northamptonshire Transportation Plan (March 2012), which forms the current and inherited Local Transport Plan for North Northamptonshire. The Northamptonshire Bus Strategy (April 2018), which forms part of the Local Transport Plan suite of documents, identifies that to meet these targets it would be necessary for bus patronage to rise by 50% from the 2012 baseline figure. As bus use actually declined overall between 2012/13 and 2019/20, to achieve these targets will require a 70% increase between the pre-COVID baseline of 2018/19 and 2031/32.

4.5 As North Northamptonshire brings forward its own Local Transport Plan and Bus Strategy, the actions set out in this EPP will need to be reviewed and potentially updated. This will form part of the Review programme outlined in Section 1 above.

Local influences on bus use

4.6 As well as considering the local Policy position it is also important to consider the other local factors which influence whether or not people choose to use the bus.

4.7 Supporting more local bus trips is:

• New development in the area, increasing demand for trip making
• Development of Travel Plans linked to planning permissions granted
• Parking enforcement
• Population growth
• A low base for travel to work, suggests scope to build trip making
• Road congestion making car use less attractive
• Increases in funding to maintain current and increased services and times of operation
• Improved information and whole network marketing, to raise awareness of bus travel opportunities

4.8 Against the opportunities supporting increased bus use, are the following local risks:

• The availability of free car parking in town centres
• Online retail and other services
• Cost of bus use if making a journey using more than one bus, or as a group
• Taxi or car sharing, especially is traveling as a group
• Car ownership levels, whilst being high could increase further
• The winter emergence of further Covid-19 restrictions in response to rising levels of hospitalisation, or new variants of the virus emerging, all of which limit or deter people from travelling communally by bus or train
• To restore patronage to pre-Covid levels, depends on maintaining the bus network, to do this we estimated in 2022 that it would take 3 years to restore patronage to pre-pandemic levels - this will require funding support across this period to offset lost fare-box revenue
• We consider that the service frequency offered across the network does not meet current largely rural community needs, especially in the evening and on a Sunday
• Growth in car use creates added congestion causing delay and bus timetable unreliability
• Roadworks are a known cause of bus network delay
• Perception of safety at and ease of use of bus stops - bus stop upgrades
• Understanding of the bus network - Information one may, expend real-time offers
• Bus driver shortages

Car ownership

Figure 6 - Car ownership levels in North Northamptonshire (2011 census data).

5.0 Glossary of terms

Part 2 - EP Scheme

The North Northamptonshire Council Enhanced Partnership Plan for buses was prepared in accordance with Section 138H of the Transport Act 2000 and is Made in accordance with Section 138G by North Northamptonshire Council.

The 2025 update has been prepared in accordance with Section 138E of the Transport Act 2000 under the Bespoke Variation Arrangements set out in Section 5 of the Enhanced Partnership Scheme and agreed by the Management Forum on 10 March 2025.

1.0 Enhanced partnership scheme content

1.1 This document fulfils the statutory requirements for an Enhanced Partnership Scheme. In accordance with statutory requirements laid down in Section 138 of the Transport Act 2000, this Enhanced Partnership Scheme document sets out:

• Section 2 - Scope of the Enhanced Partnership Scheme and commencement date
• Section 3 - obligations on North Northamptonshire Council
• Section 4 - obligations on Bus Operators
• Section 5 - Governance arrangements

1.2 The Enhanced Partnership Scheme can only be put in place if there is an associated Enhanced Partnership Plan. Therefore, this document should be considered alongside the associated Enhanced Partnership Plan for North Northamptonshire.

1.3 This Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme originally came into effect from the 30 April 2022 to run for 3 years until 31 March 2025. It is being extended for a further year, with amendments, at the discretion of the North Northamptonshire Council after consultation with Operators and agreed by the Variation process in Section 5.0. This will allow a new Bus Service Improvement Plan and new Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme to be developed in the light of funding allocations which are expected following the publication of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review expected in late spring 2025.

1.4 The Enhanced Partnership Scheme has been jointly developed by North Northamptonshire Council, and those bus operators that provide local bus services in the Enhanced Partnership Scheme area. It sets out obligations and requirements on the council as both Local Transport Authority and Local Highway Authority and operators of local services in order to achieve the intended improvements, with the aim of delivering the objectives of the associated Enhanced Partnership Plan.

1.5 The Enhanced Partnership Scheme aims to contribute towards meeting the six objectives set out in the Bus Service Improvement Plan and the Enhanced Partnership Plan, which in summary are:

• To deliver faster and more reliable journey times on the two corridors broadly to the east and west of Kettering
• Lock in the current bus fleet standards and progressively deliver improved quality of buses linked to infrastructure improvements, to reduce harmful emissions and improve passenger comfort and safety
• Introduce fairer fares, with more predictable and easier to use ticketing
• Provide common hours of operation and better serve larger visitor attractions in the area
• Improve the way the bus network is promoted to users and non-users, in particular communicate the whole bus offer and improve user and potential user access to information
• Put in place a passenger charter which gives passengers more influence over bus services and delivery

2.0 Scope of the scheme and commencement date

Map of the Enhanced Partnership Scheme area

2.1 This Enhanced Partnership Scheme will support the improvement of all local bus services operating throughout the North Northamptonshire Council area other than those exempt as set out in paragraph 2.5 below. The area of this Enhanced Partnership Scheme is illustrated in Figure 1 below:

Figure 1 - The North Northamptonshire Enhanced Partnership area (within grey council boundary line).

Commencement date

2.2 The Enhanced Partnership Plan and Enhanced Partnership Scheme were made on 14 April 2022 and will start on 30 April 2022, with subsequent milestone dates by which certain facilities and measures (Section 3) and bus service operator obligations will be introduced (Section 4). The Enhanced Partnership Scheme will have no specific end date but will be subject to a review by North Northamptonshire Council at least annually (see Section 5).

2.3 North Northamptonshire Council confirm that they have provided the required notices under S138F and G providing the full details of the scheme to the parties directly affected by this Plan and Scheme.

Exempted services

2.4 With the exceptions detailed in 2.5, below, this Enhanced Partnership Scheme covers all registered Local Bus Services with three or more stopping places (in each direction) operating within the Enhanced Partnership Scheme area, these are classed as “qualifying local services”.

2.5 This Enhanced Partnership Scheme will exclude from the “qualifying local services” obligations, the bus services falling within the following locally-agreed exemptions:

• Services run under sections 89 to 91 of the Transport Act 1985 where North Northamptonshire Council retains all the revenue
• Registered local services that are excursions or tours or operate for a limited period of up to 7 days to allow people to access a sporting, concert or similar event
• Services operated under section 22 of the Transport Act 1985 (community bus services)
• Registered local bus services that have 10% or less of their overall distance within the Enhanced Partnership Scheme area
• Services which operate on 2 or less days per week (excluding Sundays and Bank Holidays), that is unless these services operate in coordination with one or more other services such that they offer substantially similarly routed services on more than 2 days per week
• Services operated by vehicles that by law do not permit standing
• Services operating under contract to local transport authorities outside of the area of the North Northamptonshire, where the adjoining authority supports the majority of journeys
• Academic Services or Industrial Estate Services operating a limited number of services timed at shift start or end times and not timetabled to operate throughout the day - the primary purpose of these services is to provide either home to school journeys, or home to work at defined shift times and they are typically funded by the council or employers and developers - workers services will be agreed between the operator and council, if not recorded as such in Schedule E.

2.6 Bus services procured under Sections 89-91 will not need to comply with the vehicle requirements set out in this document for the duration of the current contract period. Any services procured after the making of the Enhanced Partnership Scheme must comply with these requirements through the contract terms and conditions.

3.0 Requirements of local authorities

3.1 This section lists the specific interventions that North Northamptonshire Council will deliver as its part of this Enhanced Partnership Scheme. It details when it will be provided, for how long, mindful that the Enhanced Partnership lasts for 4 years until 31 March 2026, and what it will involve.

3.2 North Northamptonshire Council as the Local Authority, Local Transport Authority and Local Highway Authority are responsible for the delivery of the facilities and measures set out below.

Facilities and measures

3.3 Through this Enhanced Partnership Scheme North Northamptonshire Council will continue to provide and maintain the facilities and undertake the measures as outlined in Table 1, for the duration of the Enhanced Partnership Scheme.

Table 1 - Existing facilities and measures

3.4 Through this enhanced Partnership North Northamptonshire Council will work to provide new and upgraded facilities and additionally undertake the measures outlined in Table 2. These the new facilities and additional measures will form part of this Enhanced Partnership Scheme only when the funding has been confirmed, when they will be introduced into the Enhanced Partnership via the Variation process outlined in Section 5.0 below, at which point delivery dates shall be agreed.

Table 2 - Additionally proposed facilities and measures

3.5 The measures in Table 2 will be provided subject to due process such as consultation, approvals, Traffic Regulation Orders being successfully Made, and funding being made available by the DfT.

3.6 Where the actions set out in Table 2 are first to agree what is to be provided, this will be followed up by using the bespoke variation process to embed the agreed actions into this Enhanced Partnership Scheme.

Monitoring of bus journey times

3.7 North Northamptonshire Council will monitor bus journey times in the EP Scheme area by collecting and analysing Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) data and reporting these on a quarterly basis. The following measures will be made and compared with a first quarter baseline (after the EP Scheme is made).

3.8 This data will be published on North Northamptonshire Council’s website and used to identify the need for further possible measures, facilities and influence on the management of roadworks in the EP Scheme area.

4.0 Requirements relating to bus operators

4.1 This section describes the standards of service that those operating registered local bus services in the EP Scheme area must meet. This section sets out what standards are to be met, by when and for how long. Where the actions are first to agree what is to be provided, this will be followed up by using the bespoke variation process to embed the agreed actions into this Enhanced Partnership Scheme.

Network and frequencies

4.2 The network offer for the passenger is currently not predictable. Urban Tier 1 and 2 “Qualifying Local Services” are required to operate core hours (arriving and departing the town centre between 7:30am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday except bank holidays) and retain normal daytime frequencies between these hours.

4.3 Operators will work constructively with North Northamptonshire Council to:

• Enhance the bus network to better serve visitor attractions and work with operators on opportunities for network improvement

Vehicle standards

4.4 Operators and the council will constructively work together to phase out Euro III and IV engine buses and bring forward plans to upgrade bus fleet linked to grant funding for new and improved buses, or defined corridor improvements, and agree deployment of the new buses and associated cascade. Such investment in corridors and buses will trigger a variation of this Enhanced Partnership:

• Not with standing the above, from 1 April 2025 95% of each operator’s bus fleet operating on “qualifying local services” shall have digital recording CCTV installed for safety and security - this will record images of all passenger areas inside the vehicle for safety and security and also facing forwards from the vehicle to help identify traffic issues
• Not with standing the above, each operator’s bus fleet operating on “qualifying local services” shall have Automatic Vehicle Location equipment installed that will feed into North Northamptonshire Council’s real time information system
• All operators with fleets over 20 buses operating in North Northamptonshire Council area will be required to work with North Northamptonshire Council to develop investment plans to move to a non-fossil fuel fleet and agree a future implementation plan linked to a funding plan

Ticketing schemes

4.5 Regardless of fleet size from 1 April 2023, all buses will provide passengers the option to pay for the full ticket range offered for sale on board the bus through contactless payment.

4.6 The Partnership will work to develop common zone boundaries for area-based ticketing by different operators.

Providing information to the public

4.7 Operators will display details of relevant planned route changes and timetable changes on vehicles at least 2 weeks prior and 1 week following the change.

4.8 Operators must produce both on-line timetables and at-stop printed displays for all “qualifying local services” they operate or as otherwise agreed on a Partnership wide consistent basis. Where multiple services serve a stop or route, information may be provided for individual services and in summary format as considered appropriate. Operators producing maps and timetables must prominently include details of the Realtime system and how to use it, using text shall be provided by North Northamptonshire Council and agreed at the Management Forum.

4.9 Operator producing printed maps and timetables and summary timetables must provide the North Northamptonshire Council with copies of the current maps and timetables for their “qualifying local services” at sites agreed between council and operators, and adequate stock provided at all times.

4.10 Not with standing the above clause about promoting all operator services in an area, through this Enhanced Partnership Operators are encouraged to work with the council to pool information and financial resources to produce shared information at lower overall cost, with any and all savings jointly reinvested in improved passenger information and marketing to promote bus, as jointly agreed between those parties pooling funding.

Customer charter

4.14 In collaboration with North Northamptonshire Council and bus user representatives, operators will put in plans a Passenger Charter covering as a minimum “qualifying local services”, this shall set out what passengers might expect from a good bus operator, who to contact if the service falls short of these standards along with a contact email address, and fair compensation for failure to deliver to the standards set out, including reimbursement of a taxi ride home in the event that the last bus home failed to run, as a result of operator failures. Exception examples: compensation might be avoided due to very include weather, emergency utility works, industrial action, and other cases where the changes have been pre-notified to customers in advance (road works, planned utility works etc.).

Exceptions

4.16 It is understood that from time to time temporary and short-term exceptions may be needed to the above standards, where it is better to operate a sub-standard service than not run a service, examples include bus-factory recall, industrial action, ticket machine failure, passenger incident. In such circumstances the Operator shall agree with the council the variation needed, duration and reason. The Operator will agree reasonable and proportionate customer communications with the council, and these shall be funded by the Operator. The council will also notify the Enhanced Partnership Board.

5.0 EP Scheme management and governance

5.1 The future governance arrangements after the Enhanced Partnership is ‘made’ are set out below.

Governance

5.2 The Enhanced Partnership will be overseen and managed by a Management Forum who will also review the Plan and Scheme in the light of any new Local Transport Plan for North Northamptonshire, as it moves away from the LTP inherited from the former Northamptonshire County Council. If required this may necessitate triggering the legal processes to vary or revoke this EPP and Scheme, replacing these with newer versions reflecting the new policy.

5.3 The Management Forum, comprising the following group(s), who have helped develop this Plan, will be consulted as part of any review or future Enhanced Partnerships or variations to this one:

Management forum

• North Northamptonshire Council (50% voting rights)
• Bus operators or their nominated representative(s) with services registered in this EPP area - one representative for each operator. (50% total voting rights)
  Note: Operator voting rights are to be split in proportion to “qualifying local services” mileage of services falling within the EPP/EPS, measured on a typical weekday on or close to 1 April each year, and only varied mid-year where:
  - An operator of “qualifying local services” joins or leave the market
  - An operator of “qualifying local services” adjusts their network such that it would change their vote level by 2% or more, be it upwards or down

5.4 A Wider Stakeholder Group, comprising the following groups, will be established and consulted as part of any further reviews or future Enhanced Partnerships or variations to this one:

Wider stakeholder group

• Local Transport Groups (one representative per User Group)
• Business improvement districts (one representative per BID)
• Major employers (one representative per employer, employers to be agreed between the Essential members)
• Neighbouring local transport authorities
• Traffic Commissioner
• Local Enterprise Partnerships
• Town and Parish Councils
• FE Colleges
• Transport Focus
• Confederation of Passenger Transport
• Bus Users UK

5.5 Bus performance data will be published every 6 months and the Management Forum shall not meet less than every six months, allowing it opportunity to consult with and consider the Wider Stakeholder Group’s comments on published performance data. Meeting dates shall be set a minimum of month in advance, except for emergencies. The declaration of an emergency is determined by the majority vote of those eligible to do so by email. Chair of the Forum and Group shall be determined by the members.

5.6 Once considered by the Management Forum, the results of the reviews and the performance data will be made available to the public on the enhanced partnerships for buses page.

Future changes and enhanced partnerships

5.7 Under the powers at Section 138E of the Transport Act 2000, this Enhanced Partnership Scheme has chosen to include Bespoke Variation Arrangements. Variations discussed in this section are subject to the voting mechanism as set out below, and have been prepared in line with the statutory objection mechanism as set out in The Enhanced Partnership Plans and Schemes (Objections) Regulations 2018.

5.8 The powers to vary and future changes to the Enhanced Partnership are subject to operators own internal investment approvals processes, in the same way the council will need to secure its own internal approvals, be they funding, planning consent, highway and traffic Orders and approvals etc. These Bespoke Variation processes will follow and not be used to circumvent these approvals.

5.9 The Management Forum will be responsible for considering requests for variations and revocation to the Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme and oversee the timely preparation of the Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme to replace this one, mindful of its initial 3-year timeline.

5.10 Consideration will be given to potential Enhanced Partnership Scheme variations put forward in writing, at least 1 week prior to a notified Management Forum meeting. This can be done by any one of the organisations represented on the Management Forum or an operator of qualifying local bus services. The proposer of a variation should demonstrate how this might contribute to achieving the objectives set out in the Enhanced Partnership Plan and current local transport policies. Such requests should be set out in writing and submitted to:

• [email protected]

5.11 If there is not full agreement of all partners present, then the proposed variation will be put to the vote with a majority vote determining the outcome. Always provided that 2 or more operators having a combined voting right or at least 4% do not object. The Chairperson does not have a casting vote. In this case the Variation can be agreed under the bespoke arrangements allowed under Transport Act 2000 section 138E.

5.12 Whilst moving forward all partners are expected to use best endeavours to work together in a spirit of Partnership if an unresolvable difference is reached, it is noted that North Northamptonshire Council wish to trigger a variation and agreement cannot be reach under the above bespoke powers, it is always open to the council to bring forward a formal Variation under the process set out in Part 2 of the Transport Act 2000 section 138L (2) (c). The proposed variation will be advertised on the NNC website and emailed to operators of qualifying local services in the Enhanced Partnership Scheme area. If the proposed variation passes the operator objection mechanism, North Northamptonshire Council will make the Enhanced Partnership Scheme variation, subject to the approval of Elected Members.

5.13 Variations might include:

• Exercising the option to extend the Enhanced Partnership by the additional year
• Introducing measures set out in Table 3.2 and associated service enhancements in line with Table 4.1
• It can also include other variations as agreed, and be used to trigger the Revocation process as set out in S138 O

Review of the enhanced partnership scheme

5.14 Once the Enhanced Partnership Scheme is made, it will be reviewed by the Enhanced Partnership Scheme Management Forum at least annually, commencing no later than on the anniversary of the scheme commencement date. North Northamptonshire Council will initiate each review and it will take no longer than 6 months to complete.

5.15 The review may suggest variations for adoption including:

• Definition of operators
• Processes for variations
• The Management Forum structure

5.16 The Wider Stakeholder Group can also decide to review specific elements of the scheme on an ad-hoc basis. Wider Stakeholder Group members should contact North Northamptonshire Council using the following email address [email protected] explaining what the issue is and its urgency. North Northamptonshire Council will then decide whether to table at the next scheduled meeting or make arrangements for all or the necessary Management Forum members to gather more quickly, using the Emergency Arrangements set out above.

Revocation of the enhanced partnership scheme

5.17 An Enhanced Partnership Scheme can only exist if an Enhanced Partnership Plan is in place. If, for any reason, the Enhanced Partnership Plan is revoked, it would automatically mean that the Enhanced Partnership Scheme would cease. Equally, if all Enhanced Partnership Scheme(s) ceased, the Enhanced Partnership Plan would be revoked.

5.18 If, for some reason, it becomes necessary for the Enhanced Partnership Scheme to be revoked, the Enhanced Partnership Scheme Wider Stakeholder Group will be reconvened and follow the same process as outlined above.

5.19 If at any point in the future, any area covered by this Enhanced Partnership Scheme is included in a bus franchising scheme, the relevant requirements set out in this Enhanced Partnership Scheme document will cease to apply to areas covered by the franchising scheme, in line with the arrangements set out in the franchising scheme.

Dispute resolution

5.20 If there is a dispute about the interpretation of the specification and application of any of the obligations set out in this EPS (as amended), and agreement cannot be reached at the Management Forum, then the matter under dispute will not be voted upon, until the matter has been discussed by the line managers of the most senior person representing each partner organisation that is eligible to vote (unless that person is the Managing Director or equivalent).

5.21 This senior group will discuss the matter in dispute, work to reach an agreed position, then refer their recommendation back to the Management Forum to implement as advised.

5.22 If this senior group cannot themselves reach agreement, then the matter shall be referred to arbitration, to a body or person agreed between the parties.

6.0 Consideration of effect of the EPP

Neighbouring areas

6.1 As described the local bus network is largely self-contained, with some cross boundary serves providing links to adjacent towns. The impact of this EPP has been discussed with local operators and cross-boundary councils consulted on these plans. Where services operate with material support from a cross-boundary authority we feel that it is for that authority to specify the services operated, although we would work with that authority to ensure that services followed the fares and ticketing arrangements set out in this Enhanced Partnership, where they operate in North Northamptonshire.

6.2 The EPP does not seek to alter service routes or tackle over bussing as this is not an issue locally. Therefore, in terms of bus routes and service frequency there is no impact on adjoining areas.

Small and medium-sized operators

6.3 The needs of small and medium-sized operators (SMOs) have been considered in the development of the Enhanced Partnership, with opportunities for all bus operators to participate in its preparation. This has either been done through individual discussions or through consultation. The Plan seeks to support improvements in all aspects of bus provision, regardless of the size of operators providing services. With the Enhanced Partnership area, smaller operators have been given extended periods to comply with the improved bus quality standards.

Competition

6.4 The Enhanced Partnership has been subject to the Competition Test as set out in Part 1 of Schedule 10 of the Transport Act 2000. The assessment is included in Schedule F and, undertaken by Consultants SCP, supporting North Northamptonshire Council and shared with the Competition and Markets Authority, concluded that there will be no adverse impact on competition and that the EP Plan and Scheme is justified because:

(a) it is with a view to achieving one or more of the following purposes:

• securing improvements in the quality of vehicles or facilities used for or in connection with the provision of local services
• securing other improvements in local services of benefit to users of local services
• reducing or limiting traffic congestion, noise or air pollution

(b) its effect on competition is or is likely to be proportionate to the achievement of that purpose or any of those purposes. The Competition and Markets Authority has also been consulted on the proposals as required by section 138F of the Transport Act 2000

Consultation

6.5 The BSIP was itself the subject of public consultation, engagement with stakeholders, including operators, adjoining authorities. Use was also made of Transport Focus survey data for the whole of Northamptonshire to help develop our ambitious BSIP.

6.6 This Enhanced Partnership does not itself change routes, alter frequencies or fundamentally change buses, therefore the immediate impact on passengers is modest and positive. However, if BSIP funding is provided this will have a very material impact for example by improving bus corridors, hubs and rural service provision. However, public consultation on these changes would be more appropriate at the time the schemes are being planned when their impact can be more fully assessed and meaningful dialogue undertaken.

6.7 With this in mind the consultation undertaken on the Enhanced Partnership has been firstly focused around bus operators and statutory consultees.

6.8 Once in place this EPP, the Board and Wider Stakeholder Group, we want passengers and local employers to have the opportunity to influence the delivery of bus services across North Northamptonshire.

6.9 Also we will work with passenger advocacy groups and operators to agree a Passenger Charter, which once agreed means Operators will be obliged to operate in accordance with its commitments.

7.0 Glossary of terms

Schedule A: List of qualifying bus services (as of 30 January 2025)

Schedule A1: Kettering to Desborough Corridor

Schedule A2: Kettering to Burton Latimer Corridor

Schedule B: Reporting Mechanisms to North Northamptonshire Council

Highway issues

All highway defects reported to North Northamptonshire Council will be dealt with in accordance with the council’s current highway maintenance and management service contract requirements.

Issues are reported via Street Doctor. By using Street Doctor, reports are logged appropriately, go to the right team and updates are sent.

This includes:

• Potholes (or other road and pavement issues)
• Faulty or broken streetlighting
• Abandoned vehicles
• Flooding or drainage issues
• Fly tipping
• Litter and street cleaning (leaf litter, dead animals, graffiti or glass)

Issues reported will be looked at initially within 5 working days to determine what further action may be required.

Parking issues

Information on how to request a new parking restriction.

For abandoned vehicles call ELVIS on 08456 121 999 or email: [email protected]

Roadwork notifications

Information about roadworks being planned in the coming weeks and months is available.

Live updates about roadworks in Northamptonshire via the national one network website.

Schedule C: Corridor Boundaries and potential upgrade works

Figure 2 - Map of Kettering to Desborough corridor showing potential upgrade works.

Figure 3 - Map of Kettering to Burton Latimer corridor showing potential upgrade works.

Schedule D: Reducing the impact of roadworks

Red Tier

These works will be extremely disruptive to buses. This could be because of the duration of the works, regularity of the buses or the unavailability of diversion routes, for example.

As a rule of thumb, they would meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Have 10-or-more buses per hour operating on them
• Be of a duration of over one week
• Have a diversion route deemed unworkable or with the consequence of omitting a significant community or destination by the Bus and Rail team unilaterally or in discussion with bus companies
• Lane or bus stop closures or turning movement bans may also be considered “Red Tier” if they result in similar consequences
• No alternative stop

When Red Works are identified they should:

• Have early proactive engagement with the Bus and Rail team to enable early proactive engagement with bus operators
• Be planned not to clash with other significant road closures or bus disruptions
• Be planned in conjunction with the weather forecast to make best endeavours not to have it disrupted by inclement weather
• Not to be scheduled or re-scheduled at less than 48-hours’ notice
• Signage advising of the closure and disruption should be prepared and displayed by the contractor, giving clear advice on what disruption is taking place and what the intending passengers should do

Yellow Tier

Whilst still very disruptive, there is a workable diversion for buses and it can be managed. Works in this category will still result in buses being diverted and passengers needing to be informed about what is being planned, but they are generally not as disruptive as the Red Works.

Generally, these would meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Be of duration up to 10 days
• Not have more than 9 buses per hour running on them
• Have a diversion route which is workable albeit with some planning
• Residents affected have an option to get to an alternative service or stop as long as they have the relevant information

Yellow Works would require the following:

• Have early proactive engagement with the Bus and Rail team to enable early proactive engagement with bus operators
• Be planned not to clash with other significant road closures or bus disruptions
• Signage advising of the closure and disruption should be prepared and displayed by the contractor, giving clear advice on what disruption is taking place and what the intending passengers should do

Green Tier

This road closure will generally not impact buses at all, or where the disruption is so minor it does not require significant advanced publicity.

Generally, these would meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Be of duration up to 10 days
• Not have more than 9 buses per hour running on them
• Have a diversion route which is workable and not in need of significant rescheduling
• Residents affected have an option to get to an alternative stop simply on the day

Green Works should require the following:

• Have early proactive engagement with the Bus and Rail team to enable early proactive engagement with bus operators
• Be planned not to clash with other significant road closures or bus disruptions
• Signage advising of the closure and disruption should be prepared and displayed by the contractor, giving clear advice on what disruption is taking place and what the intending passengers should do

Schedule E: Classification of commercial services by service level tier

Note: the services allocated to the tiers below are those operating at the required frequency and falling with the definitions, as at January 2025. New services or service changes may result in services moving between Tiers during the life of the Enhanced Partnership. The definitions of tiers define the service Tier.

Urban Tier 1 - defined as a higher frequency service substantially serving one town and for the majority of the route travels within the one urban area the typical frequency for buses along the main corridor is 15 minutes or better in the weekday daytime.

• No services currently within this category

Urban Tier 2 - defined as a medium frequency service substantially serving one town and for the majority of the route travels within the one urban area the typical frequency for buses along the main corridor is 30 minutes or better in the weekday daytime.

• 1 Welland Vale - Corby Town Centre - Taunton Avenue (Stagecoach Midlands)
• 3 Shire Lodge - Corby Town Centre - Danesholme (Stagecoach Midlands)
• 17/18/19 Kettering Town Centre - Ise Lodge (Stagecoach Midlands)
• W1 Wellingborough Town Centre - Queensway (Stagecoach Midlands)
• W2 Wellingborough Town Centre - Nest Farm Road (Stagecoach Midlands)

Urban Tier 3 - defined as hourly or less frequent throughout the weekday daytime

• 48 Stamford Road - Kettering Town Centre - Burton Latimer (Stagecoach Midlands)
• 50 Kettering Town Centre - Burton Latimer (Stagecoach Midlands)

Inter-Urban Tier 1 - defined as travelling between towns and serves the rural community between - higher frequency (around 30 minutes on most parts of the route (daytime weekday)

• 17/18/19 Kettering - Rothwell - Desborough combined frequency (Stagecoach Midlands)
• X4 Corby - Kettering - Wellingborough - Northampton (Stagecoach Midlands)
• X46/X47 Rushden - Wellingborough - Northampton combined frequency (Stagecoach Midlands)

Inter-Urban Tier 2 - lower frequency (around hourly on most parts of the route (daytime weekday)

• 17 Kettering - Rothwell - Desborough (Stagecoach Midlands)
• 18 Kettering - Rothwell - Desborough - Market Harborough (Stagecoach Midlands)
• 19 Kettering - Rothwell - Desborough - Corby (Stagecoach Midlands)
• 48 Wellingborough - Irthlingborough - Finedon - Kettering (Stagecoach Midlands)
• 50 Kettering - Rushden - Bedford (Stagecoach Midlands)
• X4 Peterborough - Oundle - Corby (Stagecoach Midlands)
• X10 Kettering - Northampton (Stagecoach Midlands)
• X46 Rushden Lakes - Rushden - Wellingborough - Northampton (Stagecoach Midlands)
• X47 Raunds - Rushden - Wellingborough - Northampton (Stagecoach Midlands)

Rural Tier 3 - predominately serves rural villages at least 2-hourly

• R1 Corby - Uppingham - Oakham - Melton Mowbray (Blands)
• 25 Rushden - Sharnbrook - Bedford (Stagecoach East)

Industrial Estate Service

• 2C Corby Estates - Town Centre - Weldon Industry (Stagecoach Midlands)
• 4 Corby Estates - Earlstree Industry (Stagecoach Midlands)
• 5 Corby - Magna Park

Academic Service

• 276 Burton Latimer - Latimer School (Stagecoach Midlands)
• Stanion - Kettering Buccleuch Academy (Hamiltons)

Schedule F: Competition Test

Note - this is not part of the EPS, it is included for information. It is owned by the council who will review and amend, as necessary, without recourse to the Bespoke Variation arrangements. However, every time the bespoke arrangements are proposed to be used this Competition Test will need to be reviewed to see if the changes proposed have any implications.

SCP on behalf of North Northamptonshire Council has undertaken an assessment of the impacts of the EP Plan and Scheme to be Made to come into effect on 30 April 2022 on competition and believes it will not or is unlikely to have a significantly adverse effect on competition, for the purposes of Part 1 of Schedule 10 of the Transport Act 2000.

The Competition and Markets Authority has also been consulted on the proposals as required.

The legislative test, as it applies to Enhanced Partnerships and Ticketing Schemes says (in
Part 1 of Schedule 10 Clause 2):

(1) For the purposes of this Part of this Schedule the exercise or proposed exercise of a function to which this Part of this Schedule applies meets the competition test unless it:

• (a) has or is likely to have a significantly adverse effect on competition, and
• (b) is not justified by sub-paragraph (2)

(2) The exercise or proposed exercise of a function is justified if:

• (a) it is with a view to achieving one or more of the purposes specified in sub-paragraph (3), and
• (b) its effect on competition is or is likely to be proportionate to the achievement of that purpose or any of those purposes

(3) The purposes referred to in sub-paragraph (2) are:

• (a) securing improvements in the quality of vehicles or facilities used for or in connection with the provision of local services
• (b) securing other improvements in local services of benefit to users of local services, and
• (c) reducing or limiting traffic congestion, noise or air pollution.”

The following sections break down the test into the above 3 component parts. Firstly exploring what is the impact on competition. Secondly is it justified by Step 2.

Stage 1 - Does the EPS have a potential impact on competition?

The council considers that EPS has a potential influence on Competition in the following ways, in reaching these conclusions it has considered the effect on existing operators and potential new operators joining the market. The rationale for each intervention flow from the Bus Service Improvement Plan, and are being brought forward through the Enhanced Partnership Scheme (EPS):

• The EPS seeks to require Urban Tier 1 and 2 “Qualifying Local Services” to operate core hours (arriving or departing the town centre between 7:30am through to 6:30pm Monday to Friday except bank holidays) and retain normal daytime frequencies between these hours.
  The council are seeking make the bus offer more predictable to users.
  Does this have a potential impact on competition - no.
  Why? These are the high frequency services and services in these tiers already operate across these times. Less frequent and longer distance services in other Tiers are not covered by this requirement so it is not a barrier to entry.
  Without the EP, there would be no obligation on operators to run buses throughout the hours specified, however as already stated services in these tiers already comply with the specification and as such it is likely the higher frequency urban routes would continue to voluntarily comply.
• Vehicle standards this covers the provision of CCTV and the fitting of automatic vehicle location technology.
  The council considers that CCTV is required to reassure passengers about the safety of using the bus and reduce crime and incidents that might cause buses to be taken out of operation. AIL is discounted from this test as it is already a legal requirement for operators.
  Does this have a potential impact on competition - no
  Why might it impact on competition? - the specification of the bus to a high standard may be a barrier to entry to the market for new operators. Retrofitting CCTV on buses is not costly to the point of being a barrier to entry.
  Without the EP automatic vehicle location technology is still required by law but emissions may not be reduced and North Northamptonshire might be vulnerable to larger operators swapping out newer buses for other areas. CCTV is already fitted on many buses in North Northamptonshire, and can be affordably making retrofitted, so is not seen as a barrier to entry.
• Common fare stage boundaries will enable journey cost information to be provided to bus users. Does this have a potential impact on competition - no
  Why might it impact on competition? - the setting of common fares stages does not mean operators have to change fares at every fare stage, it also does not influence the fares charged.
  In the absence of an EP it would continue to be up to operators to choose the locations at which fares change, this would make it hard to communicate fares information to customers in a simplified form.
• Fare capping and multi-operator ticketing could have an impact on competition. However at this stage the obligation is to work and deliver a scheme for fare capping and multi-operator ticketing. The details and the arrangements for reimbursement need to be developed and agreed. Multi-operator ticketing is permitted under the block-exemption, but needs to be set up in such a way that it does not favour one operator above another and that new operators can enter the market fairly. Fare capping is designed to make sure passengers travel on the most cost effective ticket for their trip making, this does not set fares, as such it does not impact on competition.
  Fare capping and multi-operator ticketing will need to be subjected to their own competition test at the time they are being considered for introduction. Therefore there is no action for now, but this is one to note for the future.

Does this have a potential impact on competition - potentially but the details of each will need to be developed and a further competition test undertaken on the details in line with legislation.

Why might it impact on competition? - Fare capping and multi-operator ticketing can both undercut commercial fares making an operator unviable. If the allocation on multi-operator revenue is not apportioned fairly or excludes a new operator, then this can have a direct impact on competition and act as a barrier to entry.

Stage 2 - Does each intervention proposed contribute towards the specified purposes?

The interventions are justified if they support delivery of one or more of the objectives set out in paragraph 3 Part 1 of Schedule 10 Clause 2(3), above, but repeated below for clarity:

a) securing improvements in the quality of vehicles or facilities used for or in connection with the provision of local services.
b) securing other improvements in local services of benefit to users of local services.
c) reducing or limiting traffic congestion, noise or air pollution.

• The EPS seeks to set minimum hours of operation for high frequency Tier 1 and 2 services.
  This will allow users to enjoy a more consistent bus offer and plan journeys with greater predictability, it achieves purpose #b
• Vehicle standards including the provision of CCTV and the fitting of automatic vehicle location technology. CCTV on board buses reassures bus users that buses are safe to use and will reduce incidents and issues which might delay or cause buses to be cancelled, it achieves purposes #a and b
• Common fare stages will allow improved fares information to be made available to users, it achieves purpose #b
• Fare capping and multi operator ticketing will both ensure that bus users are not over charged on parts of the network where there is limited or no competition. Multi operator tickets will allow bus users to travel on more than one operator’s service at a fair cost, which may be less that purchasing multiple single tickets, it achieves purpose #b

The council believes that in all areas the Stage 2 test is met, as each intervention addresses one or more of the specified purposes.

Stage 3 - Is the adverse effect on competition proportionate?

This stage considers whether the effect of each intervention (singularly and collectively) on competition is proportionate.

Only the fare capping and multi-operator ticketing proposals have a competition issue. However the EP first requires the schemes to be developed and then introduced. The effect on competition can only be assessed once the scheme has been developed. At that stage a further Competition Test will be required based on the scheme specifics. However in principle both are permitted in law.

Furthermore, the Competition Commission’s report into local bus services in the UK found that carefully designed and implemented multi-operator ticketing products can help increase competition between bus operators - delivering further benefits for passenger.

Fare capping is permitted through the Bus Services Act 2017.