News from Peterborough City Council

Peterborough City Council has been 'highly commended' at the National Transport Awards 2008, in the 'Improvements to Bus Services' category.

 

The shortlist for this category included: Buckinghamshire County Council; Metro and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (PTE); Nottingham City Council; Peterborough City Council; South Yorkshire PTE; and Staffordshire County Council. Nottingham City Council won the award for 'The Turning Point', which is a new traffic scheme in central Nottingham which gives priority to buses.

 

In its application for the 'Improvements to Bus Services' award, Peterborough City Council included details of its innovative work to improve bus services in Peterborough. This work involved a range of related initiatives, which have helped to increase passenger numbers against a national decline, increase user satisfaction with public transport information and local bus services. In addition, it has been improving accessibility, reducing social exclusion and raising public awareness of the benefits of travelling by public transport.

 

Peterborough's application outlined the way in which the city council has undertaken work with commercial bus operators such as Stagecoach, to ensure that the commercial network of bus routes was complemented by appropriate 'Local Link' cross-town services.

 

Stagecoach and the city council continue to work together to ensure the commercial and subsidised networks are essentially one combined network in the eyes of the public.

 

The partnership working between Stagecoach and the city council is delivering excellent results, which includes the combined commercial and subsidised network where a significant increase in bus passenger journeys has been achieved against a national decline. This, together with the growth in satisfaction with local bus services and provision of travel information, indicates that the services are reaching a greater proportion of the community.

 

At the National Transport Awards, Peterborough City Council was also shortlisted for the 'Most Improved Local Authority' category along with Glasgow City Council, Slough Borough Council. The winner of this category was Slough Borough Council.

 

Teresa Wood, group manager for accessibility and travel at the city council, said: "We are delighted to have been highly commended at this year's National Transport Awards and feel tremendously proud that the hard work and determination of everyone involved have been recognised in this way.

 

"We are keen to continue building on this success and have identified several areas for future development. I would like to thank everyone who has supported the team in improving the city's public transport network."

 

Peterborough, Darlington and Worcester were selected as Sustainable Transport Demonstration Towns under a five-year, £10 million government scheme set up in 2004 to pioneer sustainable transport initiatives that can be adopted by other local authorities throughout the country.

 

The city council established its Travelchoice team to promote cycling, walking, car-sharing and public transport as alternatives to single-occupant car journeys. For more information about Travelchoice, visit www.travelchoice.org.uk or call (01733) 747474.

 

The Travelchoice Centre is located in the Queensgate bus station which is situated in the heart of the city with easy access to the shopping centre. It offers a wide variety of services on a face to face basis and provides people with travel information for bus and train services, as well as walking and cycling options in Peterborough.

 

Information and items available at the centre include bus and train timetables, concessionary bus pass application forms, local maps and good going pledge cards.

 

It also acts as a ticket agent and sells tickets such as National Express coach tickets, Shaws and Peterborough Travel Consultants day trip tickets, International bus tickets and Stagecoach period tickets. Cycle maps, bus timetable booklets and discounted rail cards can also be purchased at the centre.