Department for Transport – Supplementary written evidence (TTS0068)

Thank you for the opportunity to give evidence at the Built Environment Committee hearing on 5 July 2022. In response to the Committee’s questions, I promised I would write with additional information on the topics of post-project evaluation for bus funding and cycle lane assessments.

Post Project Evaluation for Bus Funding

We are currently procuring a monitoring and evaluation contract for bus transformation initiatives implemented through Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) and Enhanced Partnerships (in the context of the National Bus Strategy), as well as City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements. Project and programme level monitoring will be conducted, including measurements of progress against key metrics such as passenger levels, passenger satisfaction, punctuality and journey reliability.

This contract will also cover process, impact, and value for money evaluation with the following aims:

To ensure the Government gains a comprehensive understanding of the overall impact of its bus investment;
to assess the extent to which the National Bus Strategy (NBS) achieves its aims;
to understand which specific interventions improve bus services, where, why, and how; and,
to identify best practice and lessons learnt and share this learning with relevant stakeholders.

We expect the individual schemes shortlisted by each place will be locally assured, unless they are above the threshold to be retained by the Department (scheme lifetime costs of £20 million for places that are not Mayoral Combined Authorities, or £50 million for (MCAs) and £50 million for MCAs). Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) have been asked to submit Section 151 officer confirmation that they consider the funding to represent Value for Money (VfM), and that they will continue to monitor this and comply with our VfM reporting and approval requirements. This requirement was set out in guidance sent to each successful bidder in April.

In addition, LTAs’ progress with delivery of BSIPs will be monitored by the Department. Authorities will be expected to report at least six-monthly against their BSIP targets, giving Government and local electorates the opportunity to judge their performance. The NBS also requires that BSIPs are updated annually.

Cycle Lane Assessments

All schemes are subject to review by local authority network managers who have a duty under the Traffic Management Act 2004 to keep roads clear and moving. The Department’s network management guidance, makes clear that local authorities should consider the impact of cycle lanes and other measures on all road users.

The introduction of cycle lanes need not increase congestion for other users as it may involve parking removal or the utilisation of hatched out areas of the carriageway. In the majority of cases, any negative impacts on other users can be minimized or removed, and there can often be positive impacts. Protected cycle lanes and junctions delivered in Greater Manchester, for example, were shown to relieve congestion due to the efficiency of the new traffic signal approach and shorter pedestrian crossings.

I trust that this letter will stand as part of the official record of the evidence session.

July 2022