On 15 March 2021 the Government published the National Bus Strategy for England ‘Bus Back Better’. The strategy is intended to deliver cheaper, more frequent and more reliable bus services for passengers.
The strategy requires the establishment of a formal partnership arrangement for buses across all local authority areas outside London. This must be led by the Council, as the Local Transport Authority (LTA).
Enhanced Partnership
The commitment to develop an Enhanced Partnership (EP) was made by the Council in June 2021.
The formation of a statutory Enhanced Partnership is necessary in order to be eligible for future Government funding.
The Enhanced Partnership is formed of two elements:
- the Enhanced Partnership Plan - sets out the plans outlined in the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), providing the context for the proposed local bus service improvements
- the Enhanced Partnership Scheme - sets out in more detail how the plan objectives will be achieved through an agreed set of actions. Further schemes can be made as required to facilitate delivery of the Plan
The EP Plan and Scheme is the legal framework to deliver the BSIP. This allows the Council and local bus operators to work together to deliver an improved bus network and bus infrastructure to meet Plymouth residents’ priorities and meet the BSIP objectives. The LTA has formal responsibility to form the partnership. It can only proceed with proposals if it has the support and input of local bus operators.
As required under the legislation, the Council was required to consult stakeholders on the proposal to make the EP Plan and Scheme that will deliver the BSIP so that stakeholders’ views on the Plan and Scheme could be considered before it was finalised.
Members approved the development and implementation of Plymouth’s Enhanced Partnership at Cabinet on 9 February 2023.
The Enhanced Partnership has now been made and is effective from 1 April 2023.
The EP Forum and EP Board will meet quarterly to discuss and review the progress of the plans outlined in the EP and BSIP. Details of how these meetings are held can be found in the EP Plan and Scheme documents linked above. The agenda and minutes of each meeting will be shared on this page when available.
Forum meetings
Agenda
- Welcome
- Introductions of new members
- Approval of minutes from September Forum
- Bus Service Improvement Plan
- Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus programme
- Bus Passenger Charter and Bus Users Panel (Scheme Delivery Group)
- Passenger information and publicity (Scheme Delivery Group)
- Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas 2 (ZEBRA 2)
- Enhanced Partnership forward plan
- Date of Enhanced Partnership Boards
- Dates for future Forum meetings and meeting formats
Agenda
- Welcome and introductions
- Bus Service Improvement Plan
- Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus programme
- Bus Passenger Charter
- Enhanced Partnership forward plan
- Date of Enhanced Partnership Board
- Provisional dates for future Forum meetings
Minutes and slides
Board meetings
Agenda
- Welcome and introductions
- Bus Service Improvement Plan
- Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus programme
- Bus Passenger Charter
- Enhanced Partnership Forum
- Feedback from the September Forum
- Questions submitted by the Forum
- Enhanced Partnership:
- Enhanced Partnership Scheme: Delivery updates
- Consideration of variations to the Enhanced Partnership Scheme
- Creation of Enhanced Partnership Scheme Delivery Group(s)
- Forward Plan for the Enhanced Partnership
- Provisional dates for future Forum and Board meetings
Bus Service Improvement Plan
The Council, as the LTA, are also required to lead the preparation of a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) for submission to the Department for Transport (DfT) setting out what the Enhanced Partnership will deliver in order to make buses easier, cheaper and more convenient to use.
The Plymouth BSIP and annual review, has been developed in partnership with our public transport providers.
Please find letters of support below from local bus operators: