Improving bus service quality and information in Winchester

This paper reports the results of a package of measures, contained within a quality bus partnership (QBP), designed to improve bus service quality and information on three city centre routes in Winchester, including the Park and Ride (P&R) service. These measures were implemented by Hampshire County Council, Stagecoach Bus Company and Winchester City Council as part of the EU sponsored MIRACLES project, which ran from 2002 to 2006 and whose aims included reducing the environmental impacts of transport at the local level while increasing urban accessibility. These measures included the introduction of new buses, increasing the frequency of one of the main city centre bus routes, new bus infrastructure such as new shelters and poles, physical improvements to the bus/rail interchange and the printing of pocket travel maps. In addition, one of the P&R car parks was extended so that the capacity of the scheme was doubled. The objectives of this work package were to contribute to an 8% increase in bus patronage and the satisfaction rating of bus passengers on the QBP routes as well as integrating public transport services more effectively within Winchester. A review was carried out of bus travel and users’ needs, quality bus partnerships, bus-based P&R schemes and the importance of frequency of service to increasing patronage.