The West Lothian Bus Alliance is a network bringing together West Lothian Council, the Regional Transport Partnership, SEStran, Bus Users Scotland and our local bus operators: McGill’s Scotland East, Lothian Country; Stagecoach; Scottish Citylink; E&M Horsburgh; HcL transport; SD Travel; and Prentice Westwood.
The Alliance has been formed to provide a platform to work together to access funding opportunities to improve bus infrastructure in the West Lothian area and create a smarter, more successful set of bus services that maximise the potential in the West Lothian area for the benefit of those who live, work and visit West Lothian.
The Alliance is supported by Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government Bus Partnership Fund.
The Bus Partnership Fund supports local authorities to work in partnership with bus operators, to develop and deliver ambitious schemes that incorporate bus priority measures. The Fund aims to improve bus journey times and provide greater reliability for users by providing bus priority infrastructure. The Fund does not directly support new or different bus services.
The Alliance has engaged SYSTRA Ltd, a specialist transport planning company, to undertake a Transport Appraisal of a series of bus priority measures, following Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) funded by the Bus Partnership Fund. The appraisal is the first step in a series of phases, each working to enhance the bus experience in the area. The appraisal will include an evidenced-based and objective-led process to identify measures to improve bus journey times, reduce the negative impacts of congestion on bus services, and encourage bus use.
What are the West Lothian Bus Alliance goals?
The aim of the Alliance is to work towards a Bus Service Improvement Partnership (BSIP) and a better experience in bus use from end -to-end and this is reflected in the Alliance’s objectives which include:
- Improving bus journey times and reliability;
- Encouraging more people to use the bus network;
- Improving the quality of bus services, information, and infrastructure to make bus travel more attractive;
- Reducing congestion and emissions;
- Providing a platform for the future development of a Bus Service Improvement Partnership (BSIP).
Bus Service Improvement Partnerships (BSIPs)
BSIPs are partnerships between local authorities and bus operators which support and enhance bus services and networks. As part of longer term aims of this study the WLBA will develop longer-term options that include bus partnerships to make best use of priority measures and bus service improvements.
What have we done so far?
The first phase in the development of the Alliance, is to deliver a STAG Transport Appraisal. The appraisal is divided into four stages. The first being a Case for Change report.
The case for change includes a review of socio-demographic and transport information for West Lothian. The review considers both problems and opportunities faced in using bus services. This review helps develop the ‘Transport Planning Objectives’, the aims of the study against which all options will be considered. The process then moves onto developing a ‘long list’ of transport options.
The Case for Change includes data analysis and reviews of local, regional and national policy, in addition we also need to understand why people use the bus and don’t use the bus, what works for you and what doesn’t. Thank you to those who completed the online survey to inform the Case for Change.
The second stage of the appraisal assesses ‘Preliminary Options’. This is a qualitative assessment of the options meaning that all of the options are assessed independently, leading to a more detailed short-list being taken forward. This stage identified if there were any reasons to rule out options. This was completed in January
The final stage of the study, the ‘Detailed Appraisal’ then assesses the options quantitively, in greater detail, to include an assessment of costs, risk and uncertainty. We are currently working on the Detailed Options Appraisal.
How can you get involved?
The options being considered are described on The Options page. If you have any comments on the options then please send comments to wlba@systra.com
West Lothian Bus Alliance 