Annual Report 2019 | Transport Stories

Transport was identified as an issue that required action within all of the focus areas which strengthens its place as a key CPP priority. Specifically, issues of accessibility, affordability, and connectivity were raised during the consultation process. Public transport is vital to delivering inclusive growth for Glasgow, connecting citizens to services, jobs, education, leisure, and learning opportunities, however, it is clear that the issues identified by citizens need to be addressed collectively by city partners to enhance the experience and benefits of public transport.

The Connectivity Commission, which can be read about in more detail below, issued a call for evidence which the GCPP responded to, emphasising the importance of public transport and its role in driving inclusive growth. The evidence submitted by the GCPP further reinforced the perception of citizens, with many of the key themes and views identified mirroring the issues raised during consultation for the GCP.

• 143,000 properties are located in areas with medium to low access to public transport[1]
• 51% of properties in deprived areas have low to medium access to public transport[2]
• 33% of unemployed people thought finding a job would be easier if bus services were improved[3]
• 56% of people are dissatisfied with the punctuality of their local bus[4]

In the course of 2018/19 the partnership has undertaken a wide range of initiatives which respond to the feedback received during the consultation phase for the Glasgow Community Plan. The ambition remains to make Transport an enabler for inclusive growth. Just a few of these can be read below.

 

Story One - Connecting with Communities around Accessibility and Connectivity

Transport has emerged as a key priority of the Glasgow Community Plan and as a committed Community Planning Partner SPT is working with Glasgow City Council and other partner bodies to promote improvements to the transport network.  In March 2019, Councillor Campbell, who represents the Springburn / Robroyston ward, invited SPT to attend a community engagement meeting to discuss the local transport concerns with a focus on bus services.   SPT attended the drop in event in March 2019 at the Springburn Community Hub located in Springburn Shopping Centre.  The event was well attended by local residents, MSPs, local councillors and members of the Area Partnership, officers from the Council representatives from First Bus. 

As part of the process, SPT prepared accessibility maps to demonstrate the availability of transport in Springburn and the connections to local and city wide destinations.  There was excellent feedback on the day which we are continuing to follow up.  The key issues to emerge included issues around: timetable information at bus stops; frequency and connectivity of bus services including with rail; the need for more real time information at stops; an end to short notice changes to services - there is a legal requirement for a certain period of time to be notified for changes; vandalism of bus shelters; concern over transport fares; and limited night time transport including for shift workers.

Given the value of the event, SPT was subsequently invited to attend all 23 Area Partnerships across the city.  The feedback from these sessions will inform our input to the Community Plan Action Plan and to the new Regional Transport Strategy which is currently in preparation."     

Quote from SPT

"The Springburn event was really positive and we got to hear the views of local people directly on the transport challenges they face.  But we also got the chance to take part in a conversation.  The event has sparked something and we have been invited by the CPP to attend all 23 Area Partnerships to get their views."  

Please find the SPT Area Partnership schedule here.

 

Story Two - Affordability

The cost of transport can act as a barrier to citizens on low incomes who depend on the transport network to access services, employment, education, and learning opportunities. The cost of an annual bus pass in Glasgow is £499, but for those who cannot afford to purchase an annual or monthly pass can end up paying as much as £1000 a year buying daily tickets. This is an expense which for many is unaffordable, and isolates those who cannot afford it from having the same level of access to important services and opportunities, hindering inclusive growth.

The College and Lifelong Learning Policy Commission Report revealed that transport was a barrier to people who wanted to increase their skills and employability due to the high costs associated with travelling. Similarly, a Joseph Rowntree Foundation study found that the cost of transport was an obstacle to employment, in addition to lengthy journey times and unreliable buses.

As buses in Great Britain outside of London are largely commercially operated by private organisations, the GCPP cannot directly influence the prices, however, efforts are being made through the Glasgow Bus Partnership (further details below) to create the conditions which would enable bus operators to reduce their fares. The GCPP are exploring options to provide cheaper travel options for newly employed people to support them into and sustaining employment. Please read below for discounted travel options available to jobseekers.

4 Week Free Bus Pass:

The GCPP has facilitated the formation of a multi-partner working group with the purpose of exploring the feasibility of introducing a pilot programme which would provide long term unemployed citizens, who have accepted a full time job, with a free 4-week bus pass. The group has representation from SPT, Glasgow City Council, the Department for Work and Pensions, Transport Scotland and FirstBus.

Travelling to work is an expensive cost for many people, and can be a barrier to accepting and maintaining employment for those who are entering the jobs market for the first time or are re-entering the job market after a period of unemployment. The multi-partner working group hopes to remove this barrier by exploring options to introduce a 4-week free bus pass which would alleviate the burden of paying for travel costs before a person receives their first pay packet.

ScotRail Free travel for Jobseekers:

Did you know that if you are starting a new job and have been claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or Universal Credit for 3-9 months (18-24 year olds) or 3-12 months (over 25s) you could be eligible for your first month's train ticket free. Read the article to find out more.

 

Reduced Bus Passes:

Bus operators are working in partnership with the Jobcentre to provide jobseekers with discounted travel options to assist people to attend job interviews and training opportunities, supporting their journey into employment.

FirstBus 55% of travel for jobseekers

Stagecoach 50% of travel for jobseekers

 

Story Three - Cycling developments in the city

The consultation for the GCP revealed that 11% of respondents called for improvements to the city's cycling infrastructure. Glasgow's vision is "To create a vibrant Cycling City where cycling is accessible, safe and attractive for all". The Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Cycling Village is another step in this vision. It is an area-wide project that proposes the creation of a cycling village and improvements to public spaces for residents and visitors to the area. Through partnership working with Glasgow City Council and Sustrans, the Community Council has already seen enhancements to the area including improved road environments, better signage, installation of cycle parking racks and on-street cycle pumps, and new Nextbike stations.

The project has successfully received £6.5m of funding from Sustrans. The success reflects the wide interest shown by local businesses and residents to improve access to and travel around the area by active travel and a desire to create an attractive 'gateway' to those arriving in the area from, or travelling to the SEC/Hydro.

At the heart of the project is an aim to work with the community to create greater priority for cyclists and pedestrians, improve streetscapes and to rebalance how people move around the area, thereby allowing the residents to live in a greener and safer environment.

The Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Community Council, in partnership with Glasgow City Council and Sustrans, have already held several consultation events and more are planned in the near future. In addition, there are a number of other stakeholder interventions, including Public Life surveys, which are tools to help gather information about how people use the space they live within and will help inform the design work for enhanced spaces.

The changes the community hopes to see include: better links to the national cycle network; route alignment and reallocation of road space for active and sustainable travel; 'place making' and permeability interventions; improved public realm; and, improved footfall to encourage the local economy.

 

Story Four - Connectivity Commission

The Glasgow Community Planning Partnership has contributed evidence to the Connectivity Commission, which published the first of its two reports in November 2018. The Connectivity Commission has made a number of ambitious recommendations for the city of Glasgow and the Scottish Government to consider which would radically transform the city centre to strengthen connectivity between thriving areas of the city and those facing significant challenges. The recommendations aim to make Glasgow a more liveable and breathable place which is even more attractive to citizens, businesses and visitors.

Here or some of the recommendations made by the Connectivity Commission. Please click here for the full report.

• The repurposing of Glasgow's roads grid to prioritise pedestrians, active travel and public transport should be aligned with and support the council's policy to repopulate the city centre
• The completion of a network of safe, high quality segregated cycling arterial routes connecting the city centre to suburbs and peripheral neighbourhoods
• The new partnership between Glasgow City Council and Bus operators should:
• Accelerate journey times and provide journey certainty through the rapid roll-out of bus priority measures and reducing dwell times at bus stops
• Improve ticketing and customer information for all bus services.

Link to GCC Connectivity Commission Website - https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/connectivitycommission

 

Story Five - Glasgow Bus Partnership

The consultation process for the Glasgow Community Plan revealed citizens were most concerned about the affordability and connectivity of public transport. The Glasgow Bus Partnership, which was established in November 2018, has brought together Glasgow City Council, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, Transport Scotland, and the city's bus operators in one forum to address the challenges currently facing the bus industry.

Working in partnership, the main issues the GBP will be aiming to overcome, which in turn would go a long way in addressing the primary concerns of citizens, are:

• Improving bus priority mechanisms and addressing congestion hotspots with the aim of reducing journey times
• Ensuring buses are given higher priority in any future city planning
• Improving the accuracy of real time passenger information and exploring options to introduce an integrated ticketing system
• Assisting bus operators to meet Low Emission Zone standards, leading to better air quality and reduced pollution

Tackling the issues above will have positive impacts on the affordability and accessibility of the bus network, and will assist with creating the conditions that will increase bus patronage which is a key objective of the GBP. A faster, cheaper, and better connected bus network will benefit all of Glasgow's citizens.