It is vital that rural communities can access employment, training, education and services such as medical appointments.  A lack of public transport options can make this more difficult.  We’ve seen Government attempt to tackle transport policy in recent years with Bus Back Better and the competitive bidding for Bus Improvement Funds which has ultimately left many rural areas without public transport options

On Thursday 21st September we will be focusing on rural transport in our National Rural Conference with three expert speakers joining us.

The session will be opened by Selaine Saxby MP, one of the Vice Chairs of our All Party Parliamentary Group on Rural Services.

First up will be John Birtwistle, Head of Policy at First Bus who will be talking about the renaissance of the rural bus.

Next, we will hear from Caroline Whitney, Director for England at the Community Transport Association sharing her views on ‘Community Transport: Challenges and Opportunities’.

Finally discussion will focus on Rutland County Council and Emma Odabas, the Acting Senior Transport Manager who will share her expertise on Rural Transport in England’s smallest county.

The session will finish with a wider debate amongst delegates of some of the key challenges facing rural communities in accessing transport, along with potential solutions.

The conference this year is supported by NICRE, and sponsored by BT, Gemserv, Northern Powergrid and SWS Broadband. 

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The Mi-Link bus services operating around Didcot in Oxfordshire represent the first use of electric autonomous buses to carry passengers in the UK. Following the success of Phase 1 providing a bus service within Milton Park business, science and technology park throughout March 2023, from 12 June service 002 has linked Milton Park with Didcot Parkway station.  Although operation of service 002 will cease on 28 July, the third phase of operation will commence in August with route 003 also linking Milton Park with Didcot Parkway station.

The buses are 100% electric and emissions free. The service is available for anyone to use and it’s free. It is fully accessible to users of wheelchairs and other mobility aids.

An autonomous vehicle can drive itself without human intervention. Some modern cars have driver assistance features such as automatic lane keeping on motorways, or self-parking. Full autonomy extends this to the entire driving task, and that is what we have done with the Mi-Link buses. All steering, acceleration and braking is done automatically, and the vehicle will respond to other traffic and road conditions and external events.

Is this safe?
Yes.  Before starting operation, the project team has had to complete a rigorous safety assessment which has been independently reviewed. The vehicles we are using are standard electric buses, adapted to operate autonomously with the modifications fully tested and approved for use on UK roads. The service is operated by First Bus, a fully licensed operator of bus and coach services throughout the UK and beyond.

You can check the online timetable and wait for the bus at one of the specified stops. Each stop provides details of the route and a QR code to scan for live, real-time updates for your journey using Messenger or WhatsApp. No fares are charged on the service. Take a seat (no standing is permitted), fasten your seat belt and we’re off!  When you want to get off, just press the bell like you would on any other bus, and it will stop automatically at the next bus stop on the route.

There is always a “safety driver” on board – in case a cow jumps in front of the bus, the Milton Park goslings decide to cross the road, or a sink hole appears in the road – to take evasive action. The safety driver is always a fully qualified and experienced bus driver. We also have all the necessary legal consents and the emergency services have been briefed on our operations.

What can we gain from autonomy?
The UK is at the forefront of autonomous technology and wishes to remain in that position. We are exploring the potential for the application of this technology to real world situations. Local bus services provide an equalitarian transport solution for everyone, irrespective of income, car ownership, ability to drive or personal mobility. However, running any type of vehicle is not cheap and this is equally true of buses. If we can find a way of reducing that operating cost, we will in future be able to extend the range of public transport to places where it is currently simply uneconomic and unaffordable to provide – either by commercial bus companies or funded by local authorities. But we have to learn about applying the technology first, from experience – of passengers, stakeholders, other road users, and observers.

How green is my journey?
The buses are fully electric vehicles powered by batteries which are recharged overnight.  The vehicles’ propulsion system produces no carbon and no airborne emission of oxides of nitrogen or sulphur. As part of the MultiCAV project, a fleet of Mi-Link electric bicycles is also available to hire from Didcot Parkway Station and other handy locations nearby.

The project has been part funded by the UK Department for Transport’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, otherwise known as CCAV.  All other funding has been provided by the commercial project partners.   None of this comes from local council tax, business rates or other local council expenditure.

Come and try it for yourself!

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The BBC report York will have one of the first bus depots in the UK outside of London to run a fully electric fleet, the government has announced

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Adventures by Bus is the new and exciting brand for outstanding leisure services at First South West. It heads and incorporates an exciting ‘family’ of adventures across Somerset, Devon and Cornwall; Atlantic Coaster, Falmouth Coaster, Land’s End Coaster, Day Tripper, The Lizard, Dartmoor Explorer, Discover Exeter and the Exmoor Coaster.

Each individual adventure has its own characteristics which represent the unique nature of the routes – their landscape, geography and the different types of adventurers that they attract. Some are open top such as the Land’s End, Atlantic, Falmouth and Exmoor Coasters, which enable adventurers to absorb the stunning scenery. Others are more informative, like the Discover Exeter city tour, complete with audio whilst the Cornwall DayTripper network connects a variety of world-class attractions and pretty places across mid-Cornwall, with the iconic Eden Project serving as its hub.

The objective is that adventurers will be enthralled and entranced by the ‘Adventures by Bus’ proposition and compelled to try not just one of the adventures but another, until they’ve tasted them all! Adventurers are encouraged to compare and contrast their experiences. It will be fashionable to talk about an ‘Adventures by Bus’ experience and it will be something that is added to the ‘must-do’ list of every holiday maker.

Aside from being an extremely ambitious tourism and leisure offering, Adventures By Bus is a meeting of demand from an ever-growing staycation market whilst providing serious investment in the local economy. The forward-thinking brand involves integrated partnership work which has seen the small team affiliate closely with destinations and local stakeholders such as the National Trust, Dartmoor National Park, Exmoor National Park, Visit Cornwall, Cornwall Chamber of Commerce and local councils to name but a few. Supporting the re-emergence of tourism in the region following a global pandemic is at the heart of Adventures By Bus and the team are committed to supporting the post-Covid recovery in the south west region.

The exciting Adventures By Bus proposition is a bold diversification and expansion into the leisure industry by First South West and answers the call from a growing tourism market who are seeking to authentically explore their chosen destination. The current eight adventures are only the beginning of plans to capitalise on the growing number of staycationers whilst encouraging locals to explore what is on their doorstep, promoting the natural beauty of the area, the plethora of world-class attractions, outstanding eateries and eclectic range of things to do in and around the south west.

Locally, the small team comprises of Pam Wherry, Adam Hawksworth, Head of Network and newly-hired Laura Griffiths as Marketing Manager, each under the helm of experienced and driven south-west Commercial Director, Marc Morgan-Huws. More widely, the team call on industry specialists with huge commercial experience in the leisure market, calling up the ‘king of the customer offer for leisure travel’ Alex Warner from Flash Forward Consultancy and Ray Stenning of transport design and branding powerhouse Best Impressions. Together, this determined and knowledgeable group are driving forward the Adventures By Bus offering, a clearly wildly aspiring leisure brand which has already enriched and enhanced the south-west tourism market and promises plenty more adventures to come.

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As the UK starts to emerge from staggered lockdowns and more people return to commuting, it’s perhaps more important than ever that everyone has the confidence and choice to consider bus travel and thus play their own part in reducing emissions by leaving the car at home.

At First Bus, one of the UK’s largest operators, we recognise the need to extend our tools and support to include all of our customers, taking account of any particular needs they may have.

Whilst the pandemic has brought a multitude of challenges with it, First Bus, saw it as a catalyst to expedite some of the tech support already in development for its customers.  This included an update to its mobile app  to live track not only the location of their next bus but also its available capacity, including that of wheelchair spaces across its fleet.  This important innovation makes bus travel easier by tracking wheelchair capacity through an icon that moves across a virtual map.

The update forms part of a fast-tracked investment in the app which has seen First Bus become the first UK bus operator to not only allow bus passengers to live track the location of their next bus, but also show its capacity in ‘real time’.

The innovation has gained widespread praise from UK disability groups including,

Rob Burley, Director of Campaigns, Care and Support at Muscular Dystrophy UK,:

“We’re pleased First Bus has committed to improving its services for wheelchair users. Disabled people use public transport to get to work or school, go shopping, or simply enjoy a day out with friends and family. But unfortunately we know experiences can be mixed because of physical and attitudinal barriers. We hope this new app feature will make it easier for disabled people to plan their journeys, and welcome the pledge made by First Bus to make its network more accessible.”

Stephen Brookes, Ambassador for Disability Rights UK
Sector Champion for the Minister for Disabled People:

“It’s good to see that First Bus are enabling their disabled customers who depend on wheelchairs to use real time technology to track and view space availability across the country by use of a mobile app. This means that disabled customers will be able to have more confidence in planning a journey. The information, which is based on driver recorded updates is simply expressed, clearly set out and easy to navigate.”

The app update is aligned with First Bus’ longstanding pledge to improve the bus experience for our passengers with disabilities during the pandemic and beyond. If  customers are exempt from Government face covering guidelines during the pandemic, First Bus also have journey assistance cards available to download from https://www.firstgroup.com/help-and-support/extra-help-travel.  This is in addition to the sunflower lanyard scheme, which our drivers are asked to recognise: https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/about-hidden-disabilities-sunflower

To read more about First Bus’ other tools, including the Spacechecker prediction tool on its App, visit:  https://www.firstbus.co.uk/tech-bus/first-bus-app

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First Bus, one of the UK’s largest operators, has launched an update to its mobile app that will enable customers across the UK to live track not only the location of their next bus but also its available capacity, as the operator continues to develop ways to help customers social distance on board its fleet.

First Bus was the first major bus operator to roll out live capacity tracking. This reduces uncertainty for customers and allows them to make informed decisions about their essential journeys. The app update shows customers a bus icon on a map depicting the live location and available capacity of each vehicle in the vicinity. This new functionality will provide customers with the information they need as the bus approaches.

The innovation has been made possible by First Bus’s new passenger counting functionality, data from this system feeding directly to the First Bus app in real time.

With social distancing guidance being required on board buses, this will allow customers to travel in comfort and safety. To further support social distancing, and in addition to passenger counting, seats on each bus are now clearly marked indicating where customers should sit.

This has now been augmented by the rollout across First Bus of the “Space Checker” tool, geared up to help passengers navigate the “new normal”.

‘Space Checker’ has been created to assist customers who are looking to travel by bus, to ‘plan ahead’ with confidence, see when their preferred service and bus stop is typically at its busiest and choose a quieter time to travel should they want to.  The system uses the latest passenger data for each service, journey and location to predict how much space there will be on each bus and at bus stops, depending on the time of day for up to seven days in advance.

In this new era of working from home, flexible working and continually changing leisure habits, First is looking to make life as easy as possible and welcome customers back onto bus as they adapt to new travel patterns.

By enabling customers to review and plan their travel at any time of the day, and provide greater insights into predicted passengers, First is helping to relieve capacity for key workers, who are restricted to more regular travel patterns, and who do not have the option of avoiding the busier times of the day. 

Customers simply select which bus service they want to take, select the direction in which they are travelling and then select their stop. ‘Space Checker’ will then indicate the busiest times for the service and stop, whilst also providing alternative services from that stop.

First Bus has also recently launched a new way for customers to avoid using cash on buses, with Express Mode for Apple Pay.  First Bus is the first UK bus operator outside of London to launch this innovative technology fleet-wide. The scheme was accelerated through the impact of Coronavirus and has been introduced right across the Company to make bus travel easier than ever for journeys right across the UK.

Customers can now enjoy the true ‘tap-and-go’ convenience of Express Mode on Apple Pay on iPhone and Apple Watch by holding their device near the reader, which will make boarding even faster. There is no need to wake or unlock the device, open an app or use Face ID or Touch ID.

Apple Pay is easy to set up. On iPhone, simply open the Wallet app, tap +, and follow the steps to add your credit or debit cards. To enable Express Mode for Apple Pay, go to Settings and select your chosen card in Wallet & Apple Pay under Express Travel Card. 
First Bus continues to encourage cashless payments, and use of the App to purchase mTickets, to reduce the need for contact between customers and drivers.

These latest updates from First Bus forms part of our ongoing work to improve the customer experience.

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On 30 September 2019 the Chancellor announced details about £220 million of commitments in 2020-21 to transform bus services in England

This included a range of supporting measures, including a National Bus Strategy for England, measures to reduce congestion and improve frequency in urban areas, restore services in rural areas, keep down fares and tackle air quality.  

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-better-deal-for-bus-users/a-better-deal-for-bus-users

On 6th February 2020, the DfT has announced that it is seeking bids for three expressions of interest:

• £50 million for an all-electric bus town,  
• £20 million for demand responsive transport schemes in rural and suburban areas, and  
• £70 million for new Superbus networks to deliver low fare, high frequency services, alongside the four-year pilot of such a network in Cornwall. 

This announcement also includes details of how local authorities can access the additional £30 million for improving current bus services, or restoring lost services. 

Please see the links below for more information:

• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-the-all-electric-bus-town-scheme
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-the-rural-mobility-fund
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-the-superbus-fund
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-supported-bus-services-funding

Please direct any queries to [email protected]

In its campaign for a Rural Strategy, the Rural Services Network has focused on creating ‘A place that everyone can get around’.  It emphasised that people of all ages must have the means to travel to services, jobs and other opportunities. Not least those in the one in nine rural households that do not have a car. Transport is crucial to life opportunities and its absence can compound isolation and loneliness.

It called for Government to search for new rural solutions and suggested that there is more scope to build on the learning from Total Transport pilot projects, which the Rural Mobility Fund looks to do.

John Birtwistle, Head of Policy at FirstGroup PLC and Rural Services Partnership Director commented on these initiatives:

“We welcome the government’s announcement of increased spending on buses as we consider that the bus has the opportunity to increase economic prosperity, improve the environment, reduce carbon and emissions production and improve the social well being and health of the population, in rural as well as urban areas.  We hope that this is the start of the process of providing much needed assistance in promoting the role of the bus.

We have been seeking a National Bus Strategy for some years and this is a welcome development. 

Looking at the funding packages, the electric bus town is unlikely to benefit rural areas other than peripherally as many rural routes are not yet proven as suitable for electric buses given the constraints on their daily operation.  The opportunity for electrification of small rural depots is unlikely to be provided by this initiative.

Demand responsive systems for rural applications need to overcome the historic problems of excessive staff cost and unsustainable business models due to extreme sparsity of demand, and it is hoped that this new fund might provide a lifeline for some communities struggling to sustain their current  bus services, or where these have recently been lost due to local authority spending cuts or undue pressures on commercial operation.

The new Superbus proposals are as yet not clearly defined in how they will be implemented, but they offer the possibility of revitalising use of bus services through a virtuous circle of better and cheaper services, leading to increased usage, thereby reducing congestion and making services more efficient to operate and more attractive to passengers, leading to further increased usage and a long term sustainable network.  This is just as possible in rural areas as in urban ones.

The specific fund for maintaining existing supported services or reinstating those recently lost should complement all of the above.  Local authorities must work with their local operator partners to use their expertise and experience to ensure that the best opportunities for achieving value for money are pursued, under all these new initiatives.”

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