Date: 14th August 2008

14  August 2008   

For Immediate Release

SEStran study recommends Bus Rapid Transit system for orbital route

Service could carry up to 6 million passengers a year

A report to be considered by the SEStran board recommends establishing an Edinburgh Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT), to link up economically important areas surrounding the capital.

The new service would integrate the growing network of park and ride sites currently being developed by SEStran in partnership with local authorities, giving increased access to key destinations such as; Edinburgh Park, Queen Margaret College, The Gyle and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (ERI).

he new service could run 12 buses an hour, around the south of the city. It is anticipated that the service would be self financing.

SEStran Chair, Cllr Russell Imrie said:

“A Bus Rapid Transit system will link up the growing network of park and ride sites around Edinburgh and give quick, convenient, access to economically important locations outside the capital”.

“At present, in many cases, the only way to get from one of these locations to the other by public transport is to travel through Edinburgh city centre, which is inconvenient and time consuming. The alternative of driving around the ring road adds to region’s overall traffic congestion problems”

“The proposed BRT system will serve up to 6 million travellers a year; that represents a major contribution to SEStran’s goal of getting people out of their cars and onto public transport, while ensuring that the needs of business are well served”.

ENDS

SEStran - South East of Scotland Transport Partnership - is one of seven new Statutory Regional Transport Partnerships (RTP) created by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2005 and is a partnership of eight local councils covering the Borders, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian, Edinburgh, Fife, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire.

For further information, please contact:

Andrew Dougal,

SEStran Communications Officer

T: 0131-524-5161

M: 07889-010-291

E: Andrew.dougal@sestran.gov.uk

Notes 

Edinburgh Orbital Bus Study  

1.    Background and Purpose of Report

 1.1.    The SEStran RTS identified the orbital corridor around Edinburgh as underperforming in respect of the share of public transport patronage relative to that of the car. SEStran therefore commissioned Halcrow transportation consultancy to undertake a study into the potential for an Edinburgh Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.  

1.2.    The study area stretched from Wallyford in East Lothian to Inverkeithing in Fife – as shown on the plan attached to this report. A key element of the study was to link existing and potential future Park and Ride sites with major areas of Employment such as Edinburgh Park. 

1.3.    The purpose of this report is to present the current position of the study – which is nearing completion - and to seek agreement from the Board on how to take forward the recommendations from the study. 

1.4.    The timing of receipt of the draft final report from the consultants has meant that the partner authorities have had a very limited period of time to consider the content. However, with the publication of the next stage of the Strategic Transport Projects Review being imminent, it is essential that this project is fed into that process. Consequently this report is presented to this Board rather than waiting for more considered responses from the partner authorities and their feedback will be incorporated as appropriate before the report is finalised. 

1.5.    A summary of the key conclusions and a copy of the chapter titled ‘the Vision’ (which provides the background to and an overview of the project) are appended to this report. A copy of the full draft reports (STAG1 and Environmental assessment reports) will be displayed in the Member’s area of the SEStran office.  

2.    Current Position 

2.1.      The corridor was divided into 5 sections:  

·         Wallyford to ERI

·         ERI to Straiton

·         Straiton to Hermiston

·         Hermiston to The Gyle

·         The Gyle to Inverkeithing  

2.2.      After considering several relevant alternative modes, it was concluded that a Bus Rapid Transit solution was the only one worth taking forward for closer investigation. Options then tested were in particular based on various levels of bus segregation and network configuration. 

2.3.      The appraisal concluded that the most beneficial options were based on a high degree of segregation between bus and general traffic that would range from separate bus only routes and buses running on the hard shoulder of the bypass to bus priority facilities at junctions. This would link existing and future park and ride schemes with major areas of employment. 

2.4.      Two service options were recommended for further consideration: 

1.    A high frequency (12 buses per hour) Bus Rapid Transit between Newbridge and Musselburgh. This would involve an estimated capital cost investment of £54m (2008 cost level without any ‘optimism bias’) and the operation should be commercially viable. A possible 5.9m additional public transport trips per annum were estimated but relatively little additional demand would be created by extending this service to Wallyford and/or Inverkeithing. 

2.    A composite timetable of overlapping services that utilises all or parts of the ‘high segregated’ route between Newbridge and Musselburgh but would also serve ‘off-route’  towns such as Dalkeith and West Lothian towns. This would involve an estimated capital cost investment of £44m (2008 cost level without any ‘optimism bias’) and the operation should be commercially viable. A possible 6.1m additional public transport trips per annum were estimated.   

3.    Recommendation.  

3.1      It is recommended that the Board:- 

3.1.1        notes the content of the report  

3.1.2        instructs the Director to ensure completion of the study following further discussions with the Consultant and consultation with relevant stakeholders 

3.1.3        agrees that the the Director takes the issue further forward – in partnership with Local Authorities and Operators as relevant. This would include: 1

.    Open up discussions with Transport Scotland to promote the scheme within the Strategic Projects Review

2.    Progress - with transport Scotland and other relevant parties - the concept of buses operating on the hard shoulder of the bypass

3.    Open up discussions with relevant Local Authorities with a view to secure relevant land allocation required for the scheme

4.    Progress the Business Case for the scheme through a detailed STAG2 process

5.    Instigate detailed technical feasibility studies as relevant

6.    The above work streams to be progressed through Scott Wilson, the new term consultant 

3.1.4        instructs the Director to submit further reports to the Board as the scheme progresses and continue the process of liaison and engagement with the partner authorities   

Trond Haugen

Advisor to SEStran

06 August 2008 

Appendix 1: Part 1 Summary of Appraisal Conclusions

Appendix 2: The Vision

Appendix 3: EOBP Study Corridor   

Policy Implications	Will deliver towards SEStran RTS
Financial Implications	Cost of progressing the scheme is included in the current budget
Race Equalities Implications	None
Gender Equalities Implications	None
Disability Equalities Implications	Could significantly improve accessibility

 

 Appendix 1.

1               Part 1 Summary of Appraisal Conclusions

1.1.1                                   The appraisal has identified that a Quality Orbital Bus service around the A720 corridor can deliver the strategic objectives of the Regional Transport Strategy.  Furthermore, given sufficient segregation from road traffic congestion, high frequency services could be operationally self funding.

1.1.2                                   The appraisal has shown that without investment in improved infrastructure, a viable service cannot be operated along the study corridor.  It has also shown that very little new orbital demand arises from north of Newbridge or east of Musselburgh and that these sections contribute very little to the overall project.  In essence the projections show that in order to have a significant impact on orbital travel opportunities and effect significant mode switch, there needs to be a step-change in the quality of service offered.  The road sections north of Newbridge (A8000) and east of Musselburgh (A1) do not cause substantial delays to buses, whilst the current delays on the Forth Road Bridge cannot reasonably be avoided until the new Forth crossing is provided.  The present services are therefore both fast and frequent.  In these circumstances the orbital service adds little value to the present network and investment in additional infrastructure cannot be justified on the basis of benefits to orbital movement.

1.1.3                                   By contrast between Gogar and Musselburgh the orbital service and its associated infrastructure does have the potential ability to make a considerable improvement to travel times for orbital demand, and thus to effect a real impact on mode choice. 

1.1.4                                   The low segregation options have a limited contribution to make towards the strategic aims of the project, and especially in terms of altering mode share.  However it is recognised that, in comparison to the high segregation options, they have a lower cost and a lower environmental impact and therefore cannot be discounted from further appraisal on these grounds alone.

1.1.5                                   However the nil investment and low segregation options 1,3, 5 and 7 do not generate enough revenue to cover their annual operating costs and have been discounted from further appraisal on these grounds.

1.1.6                                   The sensitivity tests exploring the impact of alternative land use development distribution suggests that the traffic forecast are robust.  These alternative land-use plans are considered by the planning authorities to be realistic and probable outcomes.  Whilst they are currently insufficiently detailed to allow a firm forecast of revenue and demand, the implications are that the redistribution of residential development would increase the demand for high quality orbital services, enhance the strategic value of the project and its improve its financial viability. 

1.1.7                                   It is therefore the recommendation of this STAG Part 1 Study that the following options are taken forward for further detailed analysis and appraisal following the STAG Part 2 guidance:

·                Option 4 – All high segregation from Newbridge to Musselburgh with 12 buses per hour throughout.  Estimated capital cost £54M (2008 prices excluding optimism bias); estimated demand c.5.9 million passenger trips per annum.

·                Option 6 – All high segregation from Newbridge to Musselburgh with composite timetable of overlapping services from off-route origins/destinations.  Estimated capital cost £44M; estimated demand c.6.1 million passenger trips per annum.

1.1.8                                   The segregated infrastructure required will include sections of busway, bus-lanes alongside existing roads and some enhanced bus priorities on existing roads.  There is in part an unavoidable intrusion into the greenbelt and agricultural land.  The construction of new sections of road will therefore have some adverse environmental effects, but these can largely be mitigated by keeping the new busways close to existing road alignments and by careful design. 

1.1.9                                   In developing detailed proposals for a STAG 2 appraisal the following criteria are also key issues for consideration:

§  Only a high degree of segregation of the bus service from congested road traffic conditions can deliver the quality of service that will persuade travellers to commit to the orbital service and effect real mode shift;

§  Only a high degree of segregation of the bus service from congested road traffic conditions can reduce operating costs to the point where revenue can potentially cover all costs;

§  The synergy of the whole route is of great significance and provision of individual links in isolation will not deliver strategic benefits or enable a viable orbital service to be operated.  The provision of infrastructure that enables orbital services to travel swiftly from Gogar, Edinburgh Park, Lothianburn, Straiton, the New Edinburgh Infirmary and St Margaret’s University should be seen as the ‘Orbital Package’; 

§  Even so, these links are not all of equal merit, and in particular a link eastwards from Hermiston towards Lothianburn has low contributory value and high environmental impacts between Hermiston and Torphin Bridge; an alternative way of linking Lothianburn directly to Edinburgh Park without passing through Baberton merits investigation;

§  Radial improvements between Newbridge and Gogar, and also between Sheriffhall and the Infirmary, appear to be of considerable value, but are not critical to orbital movements around the city; and

§  The optimal spacing of stops along the orbital corridor requires more detailed assessment, but these must be limited in number and concentrated on major points of boarding and alighting so that the overall quality and speed of the service is not compromised.

 

SEStran

Edinburgh Orbital Bus Project – Draft STAG Part 1

Figure 1‑1      EOBP Study Corridor

     

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