HAVE YOUR SAY. 1 September to 8 October Consultation Booklet

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1 HAVE YOUR 1 September to 8 October 2014 SAY Consultation Booklet

2 About our consultation This consultation is your chance to Have Your Say! about public transport information and travel Interchanges in South Yorkshire. Putting customers first and providing the best offer we can within the funds available is what this consultation is all about. Your views matter to us and will influence the decisions we make in the future. We want to understand if and how you access public transport information, what level of help and support you expect, and how you prefer to get tickets or passes for the journeys you make. Whilst we are looking at making savings in the areas covered by this consultation, we are not currently working on any plans to change the current concessionary travel offer or to cut bus services funded by SYPTE. The easiest way to take part is online at sypte.co.uk/haveyoursay You can also give us your views using a paper form from a Travel Information Centre, or at one of our consultation roadshows. Information about our roadshows can be found at the back of this booklet. This booklet aims to give you a short overview of who we are and our budget, before talking you through the different sections of this consultation. We are undertaking this consultation on behalf of the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee. Thank you for your time, consideration and response. Our consultation runs from 1 September to 8 October 2014.

3 About us South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive s (SYPTE) role is to encourage the maximum use of our county s public transport services, and to lead on the development of our public transport network. Our primary goals are to provide: A realistic alternative to the car that will encourage a shift in people s mode of travel Quality transport for those without the use of a car, to enable them to access jobs, education, shops, healthcare and other facilities Good public transport services, linking businesses to employees and customers. It provides a budget for public transport provided by the Local Authorities and allows us to fund: concessions to support affordable travel additional bus services where they cannot run commercially public transport information, Travel Information Centres and Interchanges Through our consultation, we want to get your views on how money is spent on the public transport information, Travel Information Centres and Travel Interchanges that SYPTE provides. We work closely with the bus, tram and train operators, Local Authorities and other key stakeholders as the Travel South Yorkshire Partnership to achieve this. SYPTE delivers public transport policies for South Yorkshire on behalf of you the customer and the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority. The Sheffield City Region Combined Authority Transport Committee has members from the four South Yorkshire Local Authorities of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.

4 our BuDGet Our budget for 2014/15 was million. This money is broken down into different areas of funding. The funding that we receive to support concessionary travel, Capital Financing and pensions is fixed. We are legally required to cover these costs. The rest of our budget is allocated to the areas shown in the table and graph below. SYPTE funding 2013/14 k 2014/15 k Statutory concessionary travel 30,488 29,859 Pensions 2,362 2,405 Discretionary concessions 2,655 2,655 Bus supported services 8,802 7,262 Community transport 1,890 1,657 Interchanges and sites 3,909 3,348 Infrastructure (on street) Planning and support departments 6,459 5,828 Customer group - inclusive of: 3,045 2,572 Information Centres Traveline Business & education outreach Information 1,526 1,107 Promotions Total expenditure (exc. capital finance costs) 60,602 56,550 Capital Financing costs 23,862 22,129 Total expenditure (inc. capital finance costs) 84,464 78,679

5 Difficult Decisions The budget SYPTE receives to fund the areas of public transport that we support has been reduced year on year since 2010/11. Up until last year (2013/14), we were able to prevent this from affecting most of our customer facing services, other than increasing child concession fares. But in 2014, we announced a number of budget cuts which directly impacted our customers. We reduced the senior concessionary travel scheme for bus and tram in line with national terms and conditions. This means senior concessionary pass holders can travel for free on buses and trams between 9:30am and 11:00pm Monday to Friday, and anytime at weekends or Bank Holidays, although in June 2014 we introduced a half fare scheme on rail services within South Yorkshire. Disabled concessionary pass holders travel free at all times on bus, tram and train within South Yorkshire and on trains into West Yorkshire. When their pass permits they can travel similarly with their carer. We increased community transport fares by 50p. We withdrew all funding from the FreeBee bus services in Rotherham and Sheffield, and to the A638 Park & Ride express bus service in Doncaster. Local Government has borne a high proportion of Government funding reductions. The money that South Yorkshire s Local Authorities receives has reduced dramatically. This means that the budget they provide us with for public transport has also had to be reduced. We continue to face difficult decisions over how and where we can make future savings, and we are unable to reverse the previous changes that we have made. We realise that this will disappoint our customers. At this time we have no plans to make changes in the areas of concessions, community transport and supported bus services. By giving us your views through our consultation, you can help us to make sure that when we need to make future savings we are spending our money in the places where it is needed most, and that the changes we make are the right changes for our customers.

6 About our consultation Questions Your travel and tickets Section 1: Your travel The first section of our consultation asks you about how you currently travel. This information will help us to understand the type of transport that people are using to get around South Yorkshire, and will help us to understand why you answer later questions in the way that you do. For example, if you only use the train, a bus Interchange may be less important to you. Section 2: Tickets This section asks you about the tickets that you currently use. The drop down menu provides a list of tickets to choose from. This information will help us to understand the type of tickets that people are using to make their journeys, and where they currently purchase them from. Timetable and travel information Section 3: Timetable information SYPTE is committed to providing up to date, clear travel information and advice for all users of all modes of public transport, so that they can make informed travel choices. Our consultation questions ask about how you access timetable information and, if savings had to be made in this area, whether you would be able to access a timetable in a format other than paper and how you might do this. At one time, paper timetables were the only option. This is no longer the case. In today s digital and mobile age we have made improvements to information at bus and tram stops, and at train stations. The following information is designed to tell you more about the travel information that SYPTE provides. Journey planning tools SYPTE provides journey planning and public transport information tools via Travel South Yorkshire. We call these self-serve tools because they enable our customers to independently find the information they need. Our self-serve tools include YourNextBus, YourStop, and the Travel South Yorkshire (TSY) website. TSY Website: The TSY website is mobile enabled and communicates timely information on delays, diversions and service disruption. It provides a journey planner, interactive public transport map and ticket finder function, as well as information about public transport facilities and options. Live information (real-time and planned disruptions): Live public transport delays, diversions and service disruption information is communicated in through screens at bus stops and interchanges, and via the TSY website. Service information and promotion: Information about public transport services and products is provided at bus stops and in Interchanges to support onward travel. Mobile applications: There are third party mobile applications (apps) on the market that use the data we make available to help people plan their journeys. You can find these by searching bus + South Yorkshire in the app store on your smartphone or tablet device. Assisted service We provide an assisted service in our Travel Information Centres and Interchanges, and through Traveline and social media to support our customers that are unable to use our selfserve channels. Traveline: Traveline is Travel South Yorkshire s telephone transport helpline. It is open from 7am to 10pm on seven days a week, for 362 days a year, only closing on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day. Customers can call Traveline on or traveline@sypte.co.uk

7 About our consultation Questions Social Media: The TSY Twitter TravelSYorks provides over 15,000 followers with timely information on delays, diversions and service disruption. The TSY Facebook page has over 5,000 followers and promotes key public transport information, opportunities and stakeholder activities. The TSY YouTube channel hosts videos about using the information and journey planning tools available from TSY. Paper timetables Paper timetables for public transport services can be picked up from most Interchanges and Travel Information Centres. The timetables are updated three or four times per year, in line with bus, tram and train service changes in South Yorkshire. The production and printing of this service currently costs SYPTE approximately 150k. Our timetables are available electronically via the Travel South Yorkshire website. Changes to any timetable can be sent to our customers automatically by when they choose to sign up to our timetable updates service. Bus stops and shelters Section 4: Bus stops and shelters SYPTE manages and maintains around 7,765 bus stops and 3,500 shelters across South Yorkshire. Our consultation questions ask about the level of maintenance that you expect to see at our shelters and stops, the kind of travel information that you require when you are waiting for your bus, and how you prefer to access this information. The following information is designed to tell you more about the bus stop/shelter services that SYPTE provides. Cleaning and maintenance The cleaning and maintenance of bus stops and shelters is carried out by contract staff. Staff currently clean Sheffield centre shelters/stops weekly, and key route stops twice weekly. All other stops are cleaned monthly. 99.9% of our shelters are free from vandalism at any one time. All vandalism and offensive graffiti carries a 4 hour response time for repair. Travel disruption information Our contract staff are also responsible for posting timetable information and information relating to disruptions at your stop. This is usually carried out at the same time as the stop/ shelter cleaning and maintenance takes place. Our customers can access timetable information at bus stops by reading the physical timetable placed at the stop, by using a smartphone or mobile device to scan a QR code on the bus stop that links to an online version of the timetable on the Travel South Yorkshire website, by using the YourNextBus service to receive a text message detailing when the next bus is due, or via third party travel apps. Around 5% of our bus stops and shelters also have real-time screens that provide up to date information about when buses that use the stop are due. Interchanges Section 5: Interchanges There are five main Interchanges and five Mini- Interchange sites across South Yorkshire. Main Interchanges Barnsley Interchange Doncaster Interchange Rotherham Interchange Sheffield Interchange Meadowhall Interchange Mini Interchanges Adwick Interchange Dinnington Interchange Hillsborough Interchange Mexborough Interchange Swinton Interchange

8 About our consultation Questions Travel South Yorkshire Interchanges provide a safe environment in which you can catch your bus to work, home or for leisure. Each of our main Interchanges offer accessible toilets, baby changing facilities, CCTV, a hearing aid loop system, customer services staff, help points and seated waiting areas. Many of our larger Interchanges also offer many more facilities such as Information Centres, vending machines and retail outlets. Our consultation questions ask about how often you use our Interchanges, what you use them for, and what you consider to be the most important service that they provide. The following information is designed to tell you more about the Interchange services that SYPTE provides. Customer service We employ Customer Service staff in Interchanges to help our customers that are unable to use our self-serve channels to find the travel information they need. Having Customer Service staff in Interchanges to provide this service currently costs SYPTE 1.4 million per year. Through our consultation, we want to find out the impact it would have on our customers if the number of Interchange staff were to be reduced. Cleaning and maintenance The cleaning and maintenance of our Interchanges is carried out by contract staff. This helps us to get a value for money service whilst maintaining a good level of cleanliness. Our Interchanges are cleaned and maintained on a daily basis. This currently costs SYPTE 1.3 million per year. Our consultation aims to find out how it would affect you if the frequency of cleaning and maintenance were to be reduced. Travel information Customers using our Interchanges have access to travel information via timetables posted at bus departure stands and on Interchange walls, display screens showing real-time information about when a bus is due, and public transport timetables and leaflets available from our Travel Information Centres in larger Interchanges. Providing overall travel information across South Yorkshire currently costs SYPTE 1.1 million per year. Our consultation aims to find out what impact it would have on our customers if the availability of information at Interchanges was reduced. Travel Information Centres Section 6: Travel Information Centres Travel Information Centres are places where customers can purchase tickets and find out information for travel. SYPTE provides Travel Information Centres at the following locations: Sheffield Interchange Arundel Gate (Sheffield) Barnsley Interchange Rotherham Interchange Doncaster Interchange Meadowhall Interchange Our consultation questions talk you through the services Travel Information Centres currently provide. They aim to help us to understand how often you use our Centres, what you use them for, and if you could access their services using other methods if savings had to be made that meant Travel Information Centres needed to close. The information below is designed to tell you more about the services that SYPTE Travel Information Centres provide.

9 About our consultation Questions Travel Information Centre services Planning a journey Buying a ticket to travel Renewing a senior or disabled concessionary pass To get a MegaTravel pass Buying a National Express ticket Buying a season ticket photocard Buying an off peak travel pass To purchase pass protection for a concessionary pass To buy a wallet for your bus pass To access travel information To offer this level of service in Travel Information Centres currently costs SYPTE 228K per year. Many of the services we offer through our Centres are also available in other ways, including via self-serve kiosks and on the Travel South Yorkshire website. Our consultation asks you about using these alternative services in order to plan your travel or to renew your photocard MegaTravel, Off-Peak TravelMaster, New Deal TravelMaster or concessionary pass. Photocards are travel passes that show your photo and personal details. It asks if you currently buy a ticket from our Travel Information Centres, and which ticket(s) you purchase if this is the case. It also asks you whether you have the ability to pay for tickets using a credit or debit card. Smartcards that hold multi-operator tickets are now available to buy from self-serve kiosks at travel Interchanges in South Yorkshire. Our smartcard kiosks currently only accept credit or debit cards. Cash kiosks are more expensive for SYPTE than card kiosks. Your views will help us to decide whether cash kiosks are something that our customers want and need. Section 7: Accessing Travel Information Centre services We understand that visiting a Travel Information Centre is not convenient for all customers. Our consultation asks you about the other ways that you would be able to access the services currently provided by our Centres. This includes how our customers are able to buy a travel ticket or photocard, or apply for/renew a senior or disabled concessionary pass. It also asks customers that have a senior or disabled concessionary pass whether they use our pass protection service, and when and how they apply for this if they do. SYPTE s pass protection service can be taken out against concessionary passes for 5 for five years. It enables you to replace your old pass free of charge should you lose it during the five years which it is valid. To replace a concessionary pass that is lost and not covered by pass protection costs 7 each time a new pass is needed. Your priorities and about you Section 8: Your priorities This part of our consultation asks you to indicate your top three priorities for public transport spending in the areas of travel information, Interchanges, Travel Information Centres and bus shelters or stops. This question aims to help us understand what areas of service are most important to you, and to get an overview of what people want and need if savings have to be made. Section 9: About You The final section of our consultation asks you to answer some questions about you. It asks about your gender, age, ethnicity, employment, where you live, if you are registered as disabled and whether you own a vehicle.

10 About our consultation Questions We ask you these questions because, as SYPTE is a public body, we have to monitor and make sure that we are talking to a wide range of people to get an accurate representation of the people that use the services that we provide. It also allows us to understand if different groups of people have different needs. This helps us to know if we need to rethink our plans, or put measures in place, to help some of our customers. Your answers to our About You questions will help us to make sure that we are doing this. Thank you for taking the time to read our consultation booklet. Please now get involved and tell us what you think is important by completing our consultation. This is your opportunity to help us make sure public transport is meeting your needs and the needs of everyone in South Yorkshire. Our staff will be at the consultation roadshows to help you with any questions about the consultation that you may have. They will not be able to answer any questions about specific public transport services. If you have questions or comments that are not covered through the consultation, please do not raise this in the consultation form. Instead, please submit your points online at travelsouthyorkshire.com/tellus or by contacting Traveline on or at traveline@sypte.co.uk Alternative formats Copies of this booklet can be provided in an alternative format. You can request this by calling Traveline on or by ing them at traveline@sypte.co.uk. More information about how to contact us is available on the Travel South Yorkshire contact us page. Our consultation is open from 1 September to 8 October You can Have Your Say! by: completing our consultation online at sypte.co.uk/haveyoursay. By giving us your views online you will help us to keep our consultation costs to a minimum. completing a paper copy of the consultation from any Travel Information Centre. visiting one of our consultation roadshows that are listed below Venue Date Time Dinnington Mini Interchange 5 September am 12pm Meadowhall Interchange 8 September am 12pm Hillsborough Mini Interchange 8 September pm 6pm Barnsley Interchange 17 September am 12pm Rotherham Interchange 18 September am 12pm Arundel Gate Travel Information Centre 18 September pm 5pm Sheffield Interchange 19 September am 12pm Doncaster Interchange 22 September pm 6pm

11 Next Steps When our consultation has finished we will consider the feedback that we have received. We will not be able to respond directly to your feedback. But we will use it to help us make decisions about what the areas covered in our consultation might be like in future. A report summarising the views you have shared with us through our consultation will be made available online at sypte.co.uk/haveyoursay, or by request in hard copy form, from November To request a hard copy of the report, please haveyoursay@sypte.co.uk Contact To ask a question about part of our consultation, if you need assistance in completing the consultation form, or if there is something you do not understand, please contact Traveline: call traveline@sypte.co.uk For more information about SYPTE s consultation process or this booklet: visit sypte.co.uk/haveyoursay haveyoursay@sypte.co.uk

12 South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive 11 Broad Street West Sheffield S1 2BQ