Yorkshire operators not keen on Quality Contracts

[SF07]

Story in the Bradford T&A about a meeting of the Bradford Passenger Consulative Committee, which mentioned introducing an Oyster-style ticketing system in West Yorkshire. However, following the meeting, Chris Greaves, chairman of WYITA, admitted that operators weren't so enthusiastic about the idea of this plus the quality contracts, similar to what has been introduced recently on services in Chester and Liverpool.

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/local/localbrad/8807215.Metro_presses_for_integrated_tickets_for_Bradford_district_buses/

[mollman]

I would have thought it obvious that at least some operators would not be happy at QCs ("How dare you tell us to put passengers before shareholders" etc)

[dwarfer1979]

Jan 23, 2011 21:11:46 GMT 1 mollman said:

I would have thought it obvious that at least some operators would not be happy at QCs ("How dare you tell us to put passengers before shareholders" etc)

Alternatively "How dare you tell us to put politics before our passengers"

[humberside]

Jan 23, 2011 14:29:20 GMT 1 SF07 said:

the quality contracts, similar to what has been introduced recently on services in Chester and Liverpool.

Chester and Liverpool are quality partnerships, not contracts. Very different. Partnerships give operators commercial freedom so long as they meet certain standards. Contracts would prohibit on-road competition. For example Yorkshire Line couldn't just start a Morley-Leeds service, they would have to compete with First for the contract to operate the route. There are currently no quality contracts in the UK, though there are similarities with the London franchising system

[danielnew]

There are several variations on a theme, listed here in order of Local Authority/PTE/Goverment Involvement:

Regulated & Nationalised - Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Berlin

Regulated & Privatised - Quality Contract - London, Jersey, Copenhagen

Deregulated - Local Authority Contracted

Deregulated - Statutory Quality Partnership - Oxford, Chester, Liverpool (Reduced but not eliminated Competition, agreement on Fares/Routes, Minimum Standards Specified)

Deregulated - Voluntary Quality Partnership - Somerset Rural Bus Network, Lincolnshire Interconnect (Integration, Competition Retained, commitment to retain Routes for Infrastructure Investment)

Deregulated - Commercial

[rwilkes]

It is notable that Metro are trying ot confuse by comparing QCs and SQP.

[Jack]

Oh, Coach & Bus Week in last week's edition ran a feature about Metro's proposals for SQPs. Worth a read.