Statutory Quality Partnership (sQP): Best Practice Guidance

2 Defining a statutory Quality Partnership

Legislative context

2.1 The Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 (referred to as the '2001 Act') empowers a transport authority ², or two or more authorities acting jointly, to make a statutory Quality Partnership ( sQP) scheme covering the whole or any part of their area, or combined area. An authority can establish a scheme if they are satisfied that it will:

To any extent implement their relevant general policies in the area that the area to which the proposed scheme relates; and:

either:

improve the quality of local services and facilities provided in the area to which the proposed scheme relates in such a way as to bring material benefits to persons using those services and facilities or;
reduce or limit traffic congestion, noise or air pollution.

2.2 A sQP places legal obligations on both the transport authority and the bus operators, the former to provide the relevant facilities and the latter to operate their services to the prescribed standards.

2.3 The main aspects that will remain controlled by the operators will be the level of fares, timetables, frequencies (over and above minimum frequencies of service) and routes served.

2.4 Facilities must have been provided within five years of date when notice is first given of proposed scheme.

2.5 To use sQP facilities, bus operators need to satisfy standards of service set in the scheme by the transport authorities

2.6 The scheme must be in operation for at least three but not more than seven years.

2.7 In accordance with the legislation, a sQP scheme must set out the following details:

the specified facilities to be provided by the transport authority;
the specified standard of local services which operators are required to provide;
the date on which the scheme will come into operation;
the period for which it shall remain in operation; and
procedures for determining any dispute arising in relation to the scheme between the transport authority and any operator of local services who has undertaken to provide such services under the scheme.

Implementation of sQPs in the UK

2.8 Only one part of the United Kingdom (North Sheffield) has established a statutory Quality Partnership scheme for bus services under the Transport Act 2000, (English schemes pursuant to Sections 114-123 of the Transport Act 2000). The DfT is hoping that legislation brought in with the Transport Act 2008 will make statutory QPs a more attractive proposition for transport authorities and operators in England. To date, no sQPs have been introduced within Scotland, although three transport authorities, Dundee City Council, Glasgow City Council and Renfrewshire Council, are currently in the process of establishing schemes in their areas.

North Sheffield, SYPTE/First South Yorkshire
The first statutory quality partnership was established in North Sheffield in August 2007, under Sections 114-123 of the Transport Act 2000. Before the change brought about by the Transport Act 2008 English legislation meant that all facilities and standards had to be met before a scheme could be made. This delayed implementation and resulted in lower facilities and standards being introduced than had first been proposed. Legislation in Scotland allows for phasing in of standards and facilities. The North Sheffield sQP was set up because of Falling bus patronage - 2% per year Low car ownership High density population with 40,000 households within 400m of bus stop Covers 25% of Sheffield buses (100 buses) AQMA and poor air quality issues Facilities Inbound bus lane (200m) 97 upgraded stops (raised kerbs/Traffic Regulation Orders ( TRO)/shelters) Real time detection and priority at 16 traffic light junctions Better bus stop information 18 real time displays at selected stops Junction improvements and parking controls Standards Low floor accessible buses Low emission Euro III engines to improve air quality CCTV to improve safety and security High standards of presentation, maintenance and cleanliness NVQ II trained drivers Results Patronage growth since scheme "made" at 9.5% Reliability improved year on year from 97.9% to 98.3% Punctuality improved year on year from 81.9% to 87% Improved presentation and cleanliness Transport Authority lessons learnt Locally Operators may not control Group investment of vehicles Despite consultation disagreement about standards when sQP published Agree monitoring process earlier Costs must allow for monitoring compliance

North Sheffield, SYPTE/First South Yorkshire

The first statutory quality partnership was established in North Sheffield in August 2007, under Sections 114-123 of the Transport Act 2000. Before the change brought about by the Transport Act 2008 English legislation meant that all facilities and standards had to be met before a scheme could be made. This delayed implementation and resulted in lower facilities and standards being introduced than had first been proposed. Legislation in Scotland allows for phasing in of standards and facilities.

The North Sheffield sQP was set up because of

Falling bus patronage - 2% per year

Low car ownership

High density population with 40,000 households within 400m of bus stop

Covers 25% of Sheffield buses (100 buses)

AQMA and poor air quality issues

Facilities

Inbound bus lane (200m)

97 upgraded stops (raised kerbs/Traffic Regulation Orders ( TRO)/shelters)

Real time detection and priority at 16 traffic light junctions

Better bus stop information

18 real time displays at selected stops

Junction improvements and parking controls

Standards

Low floor accessible buses

Low emission Euro III engines to improve air quality

CCTV to improve safety and security

High standards of presentation, maintenance and cleanliness

NVQ II trained drivers

Results

Patronage growth since scheme "made" at 9.5%

Reliability improved year on year from 97.9% to 98.3%

Punctuality improved year on year from 81.9% to 87%

Improved presentation and cleanliness

Transport Authority lessons learnt

Locally Operators may not control Group investment of vehicles

Despite consultation disagreement about standards when sQP published

Agree monitoring process earlier

Costs must allow for monitoring compliance

Voluntary Quality Partnerships

2.9 A quality partnership scheme as defined in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 has the backing of statutory legislation. Its process, form and content prescribed by the 2001 Act are made by the transport authority. It should not be described as an agreement. For the purpose of clarity within this guidance, a Quality Partnership is referred to as a statutory Quality Partnership ( sQP).

2.10 Voluntary Quality Partnerships ( vQPs) or quality partnership agreements, unlike sQPs, are widespread throughout Scotland ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1115/0003140.pdf) but do not exist in legislation. By their very nature they are agreements between parties.

2.11 The vQPs range from agreements covering entire transport authority areas or specific corridors only. A vQP in Scotland is made between one or more transport authorities and bus operator(s), but can also include other parties such as large employers, developers, airports and even in some circumstances, bus infrastructure suppliers.

2.12 In these partnerships each party is committed to delivering improvements aimed at securing better quality bus services in an area. Typically this involves both the introduction of better infrastructure and better vehicles but unlike the sQP there is no legislative framework behind the partnership.

Glasgow voluntary Partnership Scheme
An existing Quality Partnership agreement or voluntary Quality Partnership commits Glasgow City Council ( GCC), Strathclyde Partnership for Transport ( SPT) and First Glasgow to work together with others to improve the quality of buses within the city.

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Statutory Quality Partnership (sQP): Best Practice Guidance

2 Defining a statutory Quality Partnership