A groundbreaking deal between Sheffield’s biggest bus operator and the region’s transport leaders will be signed in the city today.
Directors from First and the Transport Executive will join Councillors from Sheffield City Council and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority to officially sign ‘The Sheffield Bus Agreement’, a Voluntary Quality Partnership (VQP) Agreement that will lead to a range of significant measures, including £16.9million of funding that will benefit millions of First customers in Sheffield each year.
Following the official signing at The Sheffield Hilton on Tuesday 1 May 1 (1pm), representatives from each organisation will make a ceremonial handprint to signify the agreement that pushes the boundaries of partnership working compared with any VQP agreement concerning bus services signed elsewhere in the country.
‘The Sheffield Bus Agreement’ will give customers stability in the network and reliability in bus services and will be delivered through significant financial investment and improvements to the city’s bus infrastructure.
Nicola Shaw, First UK Bus Managing Director, said: “I am really pleased to see that Sheffield and First are leading the way in delivering a forward-thinking plan that will benefit the customer. As partners our whole objective is to get more people onto the bus.”
Bob Hamilton, First’s Managing Director in South Yorkshire, said: “This is the most comprehensive Voluntary Quality Partnership ever agreed between a bus company and a PTE and will significantly benefit millions of our customers.
“The signing of this agreement shows that partnership working is the way forward to ensure that the people of Sheffield get the best bus service in the UK. This in turn means that the numbers of people using our buses will continue to grow.”
A Voluntary Quality Partnership Agreement is when partner agencies agree to make improvements that benefit a region’s bus services and infrastructure. ‘The Sheffield Bus
Agreement’ will initially be signed for two years but with scope to last much longer if all parties agree to continue. As part of the agreement, any changes to First’s bus network in Sheffield will be mutually agreed by the operator, the local authority and the passenger transport authority.
David Brown, Passenger Services Director at the Transport Executive, said: “This will mean greater stability for bus users as there will be fewer changes to timetables and will enable them to make decisions about using the buses with greater confidence. An agreed investment programme will mean customers having greater belief in bus services and an improvement in customer facilities and bus quality.”
As part of the £16.9million total funding, First will invest £10million in Sheffield over the next two years. New vehicles, extra CCTV cameras on buses and training programmes for staff are included in the investment programme.
In return the Transport Executive and the City Council have invested £4.4million in 2006/7 and have agreed to invest £2.5million in 2007/8, which will be used to fund infrastructure improvements that will help to improve bus services.