East Gateshead partnership

The East Gateshead Quality Bus Partnership was launched on 27 January 2008. Reviewing its first full year of activity, the partnership board, comprising the Council, Go North East and Nexus, concluded that, while it was too early to make a definitive judgement as to the level of its success, the first year of the partnership has been positive, and the partners remain keen to build on this success to deliver ever improving services for bus passengers in East Gateshead.

East Gateshead Quality Bus Partnership for the period 2nd January to 29th January

• We carried just under 1.3 million passengers
• We operated over 99% of our scheduled mileage
• Over 92% of sampled journeys ran on time
• There were no serious accidents and 2 acts of vandalism
• 78 complaints, comments & suggestions were received of which 57% were replied to within 5 working days
• 36 passengers were caught by drivers trying to evade payment of the correct fare for their journey
   

• It is the most comprehensive voluntary partnership in the country and other areas are looking to it as an example of best practice. It is too early to say if legislation will present more viable and effective solutions.
• The impacts and benefits in the community are measured by “mystery shopping” surveys. The results so far have been very positive. Any complaints or petitions are reported regularly to the board for consideration and the board provides a forum for concerns to be addressed at a senior level.
• The increased level of engagement across a wide range of issues has led to a position of greater trust between the partners.
• Gateshead Council, in its role within the partnership, had been successful actioning audits on the area’s Superoutes and introducing clearways on Sunderland Road and parking restrictions at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to aid the movement of buses and safety for passengers.
• The Council has invested £1.34m to further improve the highway on Sunderland Road and Felling Bypass to help buses run more reliably. In August, the council opened the Wardley bus gate to facilitate improved bus services in the eastern end of the borough.
• Go North East invested in excess of £3m in the fleet serving East Gateshead in the first year including 14 new air conditioned Mercedes buses on Citylink 58, fully refurbished and rebranded buses for The Loop 93/94 and for Orbit 51/52.
• Go North East operates almost all the services in East Gateshead and was successful in operating an average of 99.5% of its scheduled mileage during the year compared to an exacting target of 99.8%. Punctuality was rated at an average of 92.8% compared to the national benchmark of 95%.
• Although reliability and punctuality were slightly below the demanding targets agreed, the partnership’s unique performance agreements led to contributions to its “service improvement fund” of £6,378. These funds were first used to provide discounted family travel vouchers via many schools in East Gateshead. Further plans to use the funds for the benefit of bus users in East Gateshead are being developed.
• Go North East and Nexus jointly audit the performance of services and new methods to improve this work have been introduced through the partnership.
• Simplified low cost fares were introduced, initially on Orbit 51/52 together with a new “Switcha” ticket for easy interchange at Gateshead.
• The fares were increased earlier than expected by Go North East due to the harsh economic climate and soaring fuel costs at that time. Fares continue to be openly discussed with the board members.
• Nexus is responsible for bus shelters, bus stops and bus stop information, as well as interchanges, within the partnership. Almost 100% of stops in the area were visited to ensure they comply with the partnership’s agreed standards for maintenance and information. Information is provided at 345 stops in the partnership area.
• In consultation with councillors and residents, five new stops were provided with shelters in the fi rst year. A bus station manager was appointed to oversee the major interchanges at Heworth and in Gateshead.
• At less formal interchanges: Felling Square, Windy Nook, Wrekenton, High Street, Fewster Square and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, enhanced levels of information have been provided to make transfer from one bus service to another easier.
• Nexus also maintained support for socially necessary journeys that could not be funded commercially by Go North East. Agreement was reached with Go North East to provide certainty of funding for the established level of socially necessary services in East Gateshead for two years.
• Communications and consultation has been a shared responsibility of the partners and lessons have been learned by all during the year. The partnership agreement provides for consultation on service changes and the methods used and approach to this important issue have been developed through experience and joint discussion throughout the year. The means by which elected members not directly involved in the partnership board are consulted and informed have similarly been improved as the partnership has progressed. Beyond the initial launch of the partnership a number of projects to further improve information to passengers and residents were planned and delivered or prepared for delivery during the second year of the partnership.
• Residents of East Gateshead will be updated with further news on the partnership’s second year and plans for the future. A copy of the full first annual report is available here or from the Council.