Partnership

The initial bid for 10 new showcase bus corridors was developed and is being delivered by a partnership comprising:

The 10 Showcase routes were completed in March 2012,
and were launched by Transport Minister, Norman Baker MP who met the team
and celebrated by cutting the cake and launching the shelter trail.

The initial investment in the scheme was £70 million with £42.3m from the Department for Transport (DfT), £20m investment in new buses from First, with £6m from developer contributions and £2m local authority contribution.

Since the initial planning the investment in the scheme has increased to £78.8million with £42.3m of grant funding from DfT, increased contribution to £22.5m from First, increased developer contribution to £6.6m and increased local authority contribution to £6.6m, all combined to improve the impact of the showcase corridors.

The four authorities are responsible for delivering the infrastructure such as new bus lanes, improved traffic signals, bus shelters and so on. First invested in over 100 new buses and upgrading on board equipment enable the use of real time information. The partners are all working together to promote corridors as they are completed.

Although First is the main bus partner in this project other bus operators will be using the new showcase corridors and as such are working with the partnership to upgrade buses for real time information and also to help promote the corridors.

The corridors will be subject to Quality Partnership Schemes. This is a Scheme whereby local authorities provide particular facilities, such as bus lanes and bus stops, in a particular area such as a corridor. Operators of local services who wish to use these facilities must undertake to provide local services of a particular quality standard when using them.