Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 28
28
Accepted
Technological improvements like bus prioritisation and integrated ticketing enhance the bus passenger experience.
Recommendation
Other technological improvements which local areas have made include bus prioritisation and ticketing. Nottingham and Derbyshire are using interactive signalling to prioritise buses at busy junctions.69 Speeding up bus journeys can also be achieved by simplifying ticketing. The Department told us that it is working with Greater Manchester and West Midlands to deliver more integrated and contactless ticketing in those areas, and it praised efforts by Cornwall and Leicester to introduce multi-operator tickets.70 Evidence from the Confederation of Passenger Transport highlighted how integrated ticketing schemes can improve bus passengers’ experience.71
Government Response Summary
The government agreed to write to the committee within six months explaining how it is helping all local transport authorities implement improvements for bus passengers through better use of technology, with a target implementation date of April 2026, including supporting a national smart ticketing solution.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
7. PAC conclusion: Bus passenger experience is variable across the country in part due to patchy implementation of technology. 7. PAC recommendation: The department should, within six months, write to the committee explaining how it is helping all local transport authorities implement improvements for bus passengers through better use of technology. 7.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: April 2026 7.2 The department is committed to supporting local transport authorities in implementing technological improvements for bus passengers. In addition to funding improvements through Bus Service Improvement Plans, the department is supporting the implementation of a national, smart ticketing solution developed in partnership with Transport for West Midlands, major bus operators, and Midlands Connect. This initiative will enable contactless pay-as-you- go travel on bus and tram services, with fares automatically capped according to the rules set by local authorities. At the core of the solution is a broker system that will process trip data from participating operators, providing a solution that every authority in England (outside London) can use. 7.3 The department is also helping local transport authorities make better use of data and technology. This includes providing access to the Analyse Bus Open Data Service (ABODS), which enables authorities to monitor service performance and make informed decisions about their networks. Further support is provided through the Bus Centre of Excellence (BCoE) which provides best practice and guidance across all aspects of bus service delivery. The department will consider opportunities to enhanced BCoE’s role in providing support in this area as part of the work set out at paragraph 5.3 above.