Our volunteer Transport and Liveable Leeds Group have developed a document outlining Leeds Civic Trust’s views on how a franchised bus service should develop across West Yorkshire. The West Yorkshire Combined Authority announced that the regions bus network would be franchised in March 2024. Since then, many stakeholders, including Leeds Civic Trust, have been seeking to influence the development of franchising.
Below you will find our report ‘An Excellent Franchised Bus Service For Leeds’, which outlines our core principles and detail how we think a franchised bus serivce would work best.
Click here to download the report as a Word Document.
AN EXCELLENT FRANCHISED BUS SERVICE FOR LEEDS
Introduction
Leeds Civic Trust has, for some time, strongly supported the need for improved public transport in Leeds. In particular, we have championed the need for improvement in the bus services available to people in the city. Comprehensive and affordable bus services (as part of an integrated public transport system) are essential to provide access for all to employment opportunities, a range of good shopping, schools, health & social facilities and parks & open countryside.
We recognise the need to address what might be referred to as transport poverty which may be defined by the lack of transport options that are available, reliable, affordable, accessible or safe. For this reason, we undertook an engagement project in 2021 called “Imagine an Excellent Bus Service for Leeds” (see Imagine an Excellent Bus Service for Leeds).
The project included an online survey, interactive map and discussion groups. Through these, respondents detailed their experience of the current bus network but also underlined what would improve it. The project found a number of themes considered to be essential for an improved bus service. These were:
| reliability | frequency | speed |
| affordability | safety | accessibility |
| comfort | eco-friendliness | integration with other modes. |
Accountability also emerged as an important theme.
We have supported the move to a franchised bus service which we see as a means of bringing about a step change in the quality of services available. In this document, we set out our suggestions for the principles which should guide the design of the new franchises, based on the findings from the “Imagine” project and also subsequent discussions.
Principles for Route Design and Frequency
Route design should be based on current and future use, not on historical user patterns which may no longer apply. A data-driven approach (which could include surveying potential users) will ensure that a service evolves that meets existing demand, provides options for people who do not currently use the bus service, and reflects where passengers live, work and study together with currently un-met demands for leisure and shopping.
- There should be a half hourly service frequency as a minimum within the urban area.
Lower frequencies than this are not attractive enough to encourage usage.
- Key routes should have a 10 minute (or at least 15 minute) frequency.
10 minutes corresponds to a “turn up & go” service where people do not feel the need to refer to a timetable.
- The idea of colour-coded route branding on these key routes should be retained (although the current scheme may need some revision).
Such an approach gives clarity to infrequent users of bus services,
- Services should have a clock face timetable.
There has been some movement away from this in Leeds recently but it is accepted (internationally) that clock face timetables are easier for people to relate to. Infrastructure interventions to reduce delays at peak periods will be key to making this work.
- Timetables should be integrated to enable interchange with other buses and also with rail at suburban stations (and in the future with MRT), with convenient bus stops and integrated ticketing.
It is obvious that no network can cover all journey aspirations so changing to another bus (or sustainable mode) will be required for many passengers – interchange should be at key hubs provided with information screens and high quality shelters.
- Most services will inevitably operate into the city centre – however, there is a need to serve different parts of the city centre and not just the retail heart.
The city centre is growing, with developments in the South Bank, West End & Innovation Arc and there is a need to facilitate interchange at the rail & bus stations.
- A balance is needed between taking direct routes to minimise journey time and serving local estates.
Ideally there will be a mix of services with some taking direct routes and others serving local estates. In order to maximise accessibility, running services on more contorted alignments at the end of a route is sensible – however, providing additional services to residential areas closer into the city centre enables services to the outer suburbs to run faster along the main routes.
- Buses should serve key destinations within suburbs e.g. residential areas, places of employment, education establishments, retail areas, hospitals, health centres and leisure facilities/parks. They should serve interchange points between bus services and local rail stations, and also Park & Ride sites.
Such key locations should be mapped out within each area of the city when developing an ‘ideal network’. Key hubs should provide opportunities for travellers to change mode for ‘last mile’ journeys e.g. wheeling, cycling or walking to/from their destinations.
- Orbital routes should operate round the city.
Currently, it is very difficult to make journeys between suburbs without travelling into the city centre and out again. Services could also operate through the city centre to destinations on the other side. Where two services operate on a route into the city centre it would be sensible for them to serve different areas on the other side of the city to provide a wider range of direct journey opportunities.
- Peak time and other express services should be considered where appropriate.
In some instances, and notwithstanding changing work patterns, there may be a need for peak time express services to provide additional capacity into the city and faster journey times. There may other situations where limited stop services would be desirable e.g. longer distance buses from places outside the city, or those from key suburban hubs and Park & Ride sites.
- Suburban local bus services.
There may be places where a different type of public transport operation may be appropriate e.g. operating lower capacity buses on the lines of the former Otley Dash services to connect places in the suburbs where demand is lower. These services would operate to a timetable and are distinct from the Dial-a-Ride East Leeds experiment.
- Daytime services should operate to 19.00 as a first step to a longer core period.
People no longer work 9-5 days, with the working day more variable and people staying in the city to shop and socialise after work. Bus services need to cater for this.
- Evening services (which could be less frequent) should focus on the main routes and operate until midnight.
This is a pragmatic approach which avoids buses taking longer routes through estates, accepting that some people will have to walk a little further from their homes at such times – serving more outlying estates will not be a problem. Operating until midnight would enable people working in or enjoying hospitality to get home – many rail services arrive in Leeds between 23.00 and midnight.
- A small number of core services should operate overnight (initially this could be Fridays and Saturdays only).
The night-time economy is important in Leeds and there is a need for both customers and employees to be able to get home.
- Sunday services should be as per the Saturday timetable from 10.00.
Travel, particularly for leisure has increased on Sundays with shops also open. Services need to be provided to cater for this. Connections at the railway station are also even more important on Sundays.
- Buses should serve the whole city area so that everyone has access to a bus service.
This ensures that everyone benefits and so can ‘buy in’ to the concept. Frequencies are likely to be higher in more densely populated and more deprived areas but everyone should have access to a basic half hourly service. All should live or work within an acceptable walking distance to a bus stop. This should be supported by an accessibility planning approach where it is measured how easy it is for residents in different locations across the city to access key services (employment, leisure, health, education, etc) using the planned bus network within reasonable travel times.
- When new housing is built, additional or extended bus services should be agreed when the development is planned. These should commence operation as soon as the first houses are occupied and, if necessary, be paid for by the developer for a minimum of 5 years after completion of the development. This approach should also be taken for all developments, including office, health, education and retail.
Such an approach avoids incoming residents, workers and other travellers acquiring a ‘car habit’ which would be the result if large estates were to be developed without bus services from the outset.
Other Factors to be Addressed
INFRASTRUCTURE
- Bus priority schemes and bus lanes have been shown to be successful in both reducing journey times and improving reliability (something passengers say is particularly important). The ‘corridor approach’ of looking at how road-space is used along an entire route and rebalancing how that space is allocated between buses, pedestrians, cyclists and general traffic has been shown to have been successful in Leeds (e.g. Armley Road where new bus lanes and more frequent service have increased patronage). This approach should be extended to other corridors.
- However, this should not detract from the benefit of targeted local measures at ‘pinch points’ on the network which are typically low cost and high benefit. When the franchised bus services have been determined, an audit should be made of the routes to identify any such ‘pinch points’ and these should be resolved as a priority.
- The “Imagine” project previously undertaken by the Trust identified the importance of high quality lighting at bus shelters and interchanges. Again, an audit should be taken of issues along the franchised routes and plans put in place to resolve these.
BUS DESIGN AND TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
- Consideration should be given to what type of bus is most appropriate on a particular route while bearing in mind the flexibility which results from a common fleet design. Key features could include the following:
- two-door entry and exit systems (as is generally found in London) can reduce dwell time at bus stops by improving boarding/alighting speed
- in some instances, single level buses may be more appropriate than double-deckers – this could include use of articulated buses in some circumstances, as well as the smaller ‘hopper’ buses as referred to in 2.11 above
- signage on buses should be clear and visible, including names of destinations and up-coming bus stops given visually and aurally
- buses should have CCTV, good lighting and adequate ventilation
- The imagine project included significant input from disabled people many of whom expressed a preference for using buses which they felt were safer than alternatives (e.g. taxis). The needs of people with all types of disabilities should therefore be factored into the overall specification for bus design
TICKETING/FARES
- A new fares policy and structure is required to deliver aspirations around accessibility and equity. Principles should include the following:
- A ticketing platform that minimises delays (app-based ticketing arrangements where tickets are based on duration are the most efficient since they do not require a tap on/off. Debit/credit cards are a good alternative)
- fares need to be set at a level which makes bus travel competitive with car travel/taxis/private hires
- group tickets for families/friends providing discounts to incentivise bus travel as an alternative to filling a car or taxi
- there should be integrated ticketing with rail (and MRT when this is delivered)
- ticketing should also facilitate change between buses/operators e.g. London-style price-capped ticketing offering a change to any bus/operator within a specified timeframe
- tickets should cater for travel just within Leeds and not necessarily the whole of West Yorkshire
- consideration needs to be given to whether fare zones would be helpful
- franchising provides an opportunity to review the current discretionary fares regime given changes in working patterns and issues of equity across all age groups
INFORMATION
- Good quality and accurate information is essential to enable people to choose to use buses. Timetable changes should be restricted to twice a year (as is the case for the trains) as frequent timetable changes can be confusing, making production of printed timetables difficult and leading to information at bus stops being out of date. A particular issue that needs to be addressed is solving the problem of how to provide accurate real time information online and at bus stops as to when the next bus is expected.
ACCOUNTABILITY TO CITIZENS
- There need to be mechanisms for bus service users to hold those responsible for the bus service to account for the service provided. This should include service design, feedback to providers and user groups. Accountability should also include provision of data about bus usage. There should be meaningful penalties on service providers for poor service e.g. cancellations.
The Way Forward
We note that the West Yorkshire Combined Authority is developing the Customer Proposition it wants to offer bus users under franchising.
The Leeds Civic Trust would welcome any opportunities to engage with appropriate representatives of the Combined Authority and/or Leeds City Council to contribute to the Customer Proposition and discuss the future of bus services in the city.
These could be discussed/consulted upon using Leeds City Council’s existing Community Committee and Citizen Panel structures.
Once agreed, we suggest that the principles be used to review the services that should be provided within each of five ‘wedge’ shaped sectors of the city: East, Northeast, Northwest, Southwest and Southeast.
The Leeds Civic Trust is currently looking at how these principles could be applied to services in Northeast Leeds which have been significantly reduced since pre-COVID days – further reductions in May 2025 have made it more difficult to choose bus over the private car for many journeys. When complete, these suggestions will be shared with interested parties.
