Franchising outside cities could be challenging – but it could also unlock opportunities for rural communities, from improving access to jobs and services to reducing the costs of providing social and other services.

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With the Buses Bill specifying the need for socially necessary services, it’s important to consider the options to ensure that people have access to transport and the opportunities to tackle rural issues that this presents, for example:

• Alleviating transport poverty in car-dependent rural areas
• Reducing the pressure from tourist car traffic and parking
• Designing integrated networks that ensure services work together can reduce costs and increase patronage.

In this webinar we look at:

• Integrated journey planning outside cities
• Combining small and community operators within franchised areas
• Rural franchising models and the role of socially necessary services in a transport network

Chair: Beate Kubitz, Director, Beate Kubitz Associates

Speakers:

Melanie Watson: A Vision Lead Approach to Bus Networks in Rural Areas

The Buses Bill includes measures to turn around the loss of bus services in rural communities. We will look at case studies showing how a vision lead approach can improve services even outside urban areas - and the  benefits of franchising can be leveraged whilst minimising the risk to the public sector.

John Taylor: The role of Community Transport in Integrated and Franchised Bus Networks

Integrated transport networks outside dense urban areas will require creative thinking. There are multiple examples of community transport providers underpinning the network, serving rail stations, providing DRT services and connecting communities - and providing opportunities to improve the services available in rural areas.

James West: Integrating DRT in multioperator networks

Demand Responsive Transport buses can successfully connect with rail stations, get people to and from work, school and appointments. In these case studies we look at how different service designs and bus and community transport operators can be integrated to ensure that rural communities have access to public transport.

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