Ticketing and Concessionary Travel on Public Transport - United ...

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Ev 190 Transport Committee: Evidence Memor<strong>and</strong>um from UNISON (TPT 39) UNISON members work for a wide range of transport organisations, particularly Passenger Transport Executives, bus companies, British Waterways <strong>and</strong> regional airports. Their jobs include professional, managerial, administrative, clerical, manual <strong>and</strong> engineering roles. In addition to negotiating pay, terms <strong>and</strong> conditions, UNISON works on diVerent priority issues for each group of members, <strong>and</strong> contributes to relevant policy debates <strong>and</strong> consultations. We welcome the opportunity to submit this short response to the Transport Select Committee enquiry into ticketing. In terms of our overall position, we should state at the outset that we do strongly support smart card technology. However, we do believe that the benefits of such schemes can be diminished as a consequence of: — insuYcient funding of such schemes. Our members report that equipment can be prohibitively expensive <strong>and</strong> that planned projects appear to suVer from what seem like “permanent” delays; <strong>and</strong> — inadequate ticketing information, which we believe to be almost inevitable in the context of our fragmented public transport system. We also wish to state at the outset that we do welcome the government’s commitment to concessionary travel, <strong>and</strong> believe that this should be exp<strong>and</strong>ed across modes of transport, adequately funded from central government <strong>and</strong> administered at a local level. Responses to Specific Questions 1. Is ticketing suYciently integrated across diVerent models of transport <strong>and</strong> between diVerent geographical areas? We do not believe that ticketing is suYciently integrated between modes of transport <strong>and</strong> or geographical areas. There are some good schemes provided for travel within certain local authorities <strong>and</strong> PTEs, eg Derbyshire, Nottingham, West Midl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> Greater Manchester. However, even where there is a degree of integration, as with the above, we find that some schemes are only available as day tickets <strong>and</strong> some are only available after the morning peak. Many local authorities do not oVer any multi-operator/modal tickets, eg StaVordshire, Leicestershire <strong>and</strong> Nottinghamshire. Bus operators tend to oVer day tickets for unlimited travel, but they are only valid on their networks <strong>and</strong> not accepted by other operators. Rail operators oVer network tickets, but these tend not to be well promoted. In certain areas PlusBus tickets are available, but only as add-ons to rail tickets. Integrated bus/train ticketing will not succeed until there are more services in the early morning <strong>and</strong> during the evening to enable passengers to get to <strong>and</strong> from the rail station. We believe that if we are to meet the challenges set out in the Eddington Report, or address the Stern agenda, the Government needs to do more to support integrated ticketing. We note that Putting Passengers First concluded that one of the key reasons leading to the decline in bus services has been lack of seamless journeys caused by network deficiencies <strong>and</strong> lack of through ticketing. The planning process, particularly where this relates to new housing growth areas, should ensure that integrated transport is a fundamental part of planning gain supplement funded infrastructure in order to support sustainable communities. 2. Does the Government have an adequate strategy for developing the integration of ticketing systems? A lot depends on the definition of integration. Is it expecting fares to be available from anywhere to everywhere? This would be diYcult to implement because of the amount of memory required by the ticket machines. Also, who would set the fares? While rail fares are controlled centrally (with some controlled by the operators), bus fares are controlled by the bus operators, with local authorities responsible for tendered routes (which can lead to diVerent fares for the same journey). How would operators be reimbursed, bearing in mind the complex variety of fares available? If it means the extension of the Oyster card, which would be easier for passengers to use, the passenger could have no idea how much the journey costs. Again, can it cope with complex fare structures? Overall we do not get a sense that the government has a strategy for developing integrated ticket systems <strong>and</strong> addressing the questions set out above. We note that this issue was not covered at all in Putting Passengers First.
Transport Committee: Evidence Ev 191 3. Is the industry taking up modern smartcard technologies adequately <strong>and</strong> appropriately? Our members get a sense that the industry is taking up smartcard systems in an ad-hoc way, largely as a consequence of the costs involved. Where operators are embracing the technology, they are developing systems tailored to their individual needs, rather than with a view to developing an integrated system. 4. Do operators of public transport take adequate measures to protect fares revenue? In the provinces, yes. Electronic ticket machines mean that passengers pay the correct fare for the journey undertaken. Problems arise with smartcards, which rely on the passenger’s honesty to swipe their cards. Problems also exist on articulated buses, where there is more than one entrance. There are problems on trains, where tickets are not checked. Train operators find installing ticket barriers at stations cheaper than employing guards, which is unfortunate, given the important role that guards play in ensuring safety <strong>and</strong> security on board the trains. 5. Is the government’s concessionary fares strategy, including the proposed scheme for concessionary bus travel, adequate? As stated in the introduction, we do welcome the government’s commitment to concessionary travel, but should be free to the over 60s at all times, integrated with other modes <strong>and</strong> available throughout the nations of the UK. This should be fully funded by the Government <strong>and</strong> administered at a local level. Our members report that some authorities are being forced to cut bus services to pay for concessionary fares, which is clearly self-defeating. 6. Are concessionary fares schemes suYciently integrated across diVerent modes of transport <strong>and</strong> diVerent geographical areas? <strong>Concessionary</strong> fares should be free across all modes of transport at all times. There is still a postcode lottery, where neighbouring local authorities oVer diVerent schemes. The majority of shire counties oVer one scheme, but in some, like Leicestershire, the district councils have diVerent schemes. Problems can arise in unitary authorities eg between Nottingham <strong>and</strong> Nottinghamshire. It would be more eYcient <strong>and</strong> reduce bureaucracy if the funding for concessionary fares was paid direct to county councils <strong>and</strong> PTEs. Free concessionary travel should also be available where taxi operators take over the provision of public transport in rural areas. March 2007 Introduction Memor<strong>and</strong>um from Cheshire County Council (TPT 40) The attached paper addresses the issues outlined in the 8 February Press Notice, from the point of view of Cheshire County Council. There is a strong emphasis in the paper on the County Council’s unique success in utilising relevant powers to develop <strong>and</strong> operate a commercially interoperable smartcard-based bus ticketing scheme, on the pioneering application of the ITSO st<strong>and</strong>ard to that scheme, <strong>and</strong> on the impact of Government strategy on the statutory concessionary fares scheme. The Cheshire concessionary scheme also covers Halton <strong>and</strong> Warrington Unitary Councils. Integrated <strong>Ticketing</strong> 1. Is ticketing suYciently integrated across diVerent modes of transport <strong>and</strong> between diVerent geographical areas? 1.1 No. There are only a few journeys where passengers can use diVerent modes by buying a single ticket. These include the national “PlusBus” rail add-on product (in Cheshire currently only available in Chester), <strong>and</strong> two “Ranger” services entering Cheshire from Derbyshire <strong>and</strong> the Peak District. 1.2 On bus services, outside the Chester area a small number of oVers are made which allow a single ticket to be used on a number of operators’ services, such as the “Sunday Adventurer”. Where the County Council has tendered services, there are a number of successfully negotiated arrangements for the contractor to accept the tickets of the main operator on the route.
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House of Commons Transport Committe
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Contents Report Page 1 Introduction
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4 5. Smartcards offer a range of ne
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6 Integrated bus ticketing 10. Thro
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8 Long distance coach services are
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10 strategy, including those in the
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12 long-distance rail passengers ma
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14 services have not been put in pl
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16 Oyster on rail services in Londo
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18 4 Revenue protection and
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20 Staff safety 61. Transport staff
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22 66. An integrated ticketing syst
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24 Transport should commission an e
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26 concession authorities that attr
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28 operators and a
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30 List of recommendations Integrat
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32 Concessionary t
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34 Formal Minutes Clive Efford Mrs
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36 List of written evidence 1 Dr Ro
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38 List of Reports from the Committ
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Oral evidence Taken before the Tran
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14 November 2007 Mr Chris Austin, M
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Transport Committee: Evidence Ev 11
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14 November 2007 Mr Keith Halstead
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definition of severe disability <st
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about how the data on the smartcard
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things around it. We have got over
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which comes out of the usage of the
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the impact of their behaviour on ot
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5 December 2007 Mr Manuel Cortes, M
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Mr Harris: I am sorry, I am not goi
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12 December 2007 Mr Tom Harris MP <
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Q464 Chairman: Is Transport Direct
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3.2 Conclusion—Smartcard St<stron
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Lostwithiel to Liskeard Transport C
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Is the legal framework within which
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The Use of Smartcard Technologies I
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Executive Summary Memorand<
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Integration Nationally Transport Co
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— Ensure the confidentiality of d
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7. What appeal mechanisms exist for
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