15/11/2007

• Stagecoach endorses Confederation of Passenger Transport study
• Partnership plans can cut congestion and improve local environment

Stagecoach today (15 November 2007) endorsed a major new report that reveals improvements to bus services in Merseyside through partnerships between operators and transport authorities could boost bus use by 13 per cent, cut congestion and improve the local environment.

Moving Forward – New Opportunities, New Passengers, published by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), reveals the potential for 14 million extra bus passenger journeys in Merseyside per year.

The growth in bus use would result in 1.8 million fewer journeys by car and an annual CO₂ emissions reduction of 3,000 tonnes - it would take 15,000 trees 100 years to erase this amount of carbon dioxide from the environment.

In the report, there is overwhelming evidence that significant improvements can be achieved through a partnership approach rather than organisations working in isolation.

It reveals that by increasing the frequency of buses, decreasing bus journey times through reduced congestion, improving service punctuality and reliability and improving passenger waiting areas will increase passenger numbers by 13 per cent in Merseyside.

Tom Wileman, Regional Director, Stagecoach Merseyside, said: "We have invested millions of pounds in improving the quality of bus services in Merseyside over the past two years. Our proven package of investment, innovation, strong marketing, first-class customer service and operational expertise is attracting more people back on board the bus.

"This report shows clearly that we can do even more if bus operators and transport authorities make the most of the partnership opportunities within our grasp. By giving bus passengers more priority on the road and faster journey times, we can make the bus the sustainable transport choice for millions more people."

Simon Posner, Chief Executive, Confederation of Passenger Transport, said: "A successful, attractive and high-quality bus service can have a measurable impact on an individual's life. This report illustrates what can be achieved through successful partnerships between bus companies and local authorities. We must replicate these successes from across the country in Merseyside if we are to provide an efficient and economical transport option and lessen the burden on our roads and the environment.

"Punctual, reliable and frequent services continue to be passengers' top priorities. Buses play a vital role in Merseyside, providing mobility for people that live, work and study in the area. We need to ensure that bus services are meeting the needs of all these groups of people."

Posner added: "Bus operators and local authorities are most successful when they play to their strengths. Operators have an entrepreneurial spirit and expertise in product development, pricing and marketing and local authorities have skills in management of their public assets and infrastructure. When these are combined, our bus services succeed in putting passengers first, meeting the aspirations of the Local Transport Bill, which was introduced in Parliament last week."

The report comes just weeks after the Department for Transport unveiled its ‘Towards a Sustainable Transport System', a new framework which promises to deliver a low carbon transport system to support the economy and reduce carbon emissions.

Moving Forward - New Opportunities, New Passengers, can be downloaded from www.cpt-uk.org or at www.stagecoachgroup.com/scg/media/publications/policydocs/

ENDS

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NOTES TO EDITORS

Stagecoach Group

• Stagecoach Group is a leading international public transport group, with extensive operations in the UK, United States and Canada. The company employs around 27,000 people, and operates bus, coach, rail, and tram services.
• Stagecoach is one of the biggest bus operators in the UK, running more than 7,000 vehicles in around 100 towns and cities from the Highlands of Scotland to south-west England.
• Stagecoach operates nearly 300 vehicles and employs around 800 people in Merseyside.
• For detailed information about Stagecoach bus services, including timetables, fares and tickets, go to www.stagecoachbus.com

Confederation of Passenger Transport

• The Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT) is the trade association for bus, coach, light rail and metro operators.
• CPT gives passenger transport operators a voice through political lobbying and media liaison. It also provides a forum to share information nationally and regionally, and deliver a number of quality services to its members.