Quality Bus Partnership

"To provide an improved public transport system that offers an alternative travel choice for all"

North East Lincolnshire Council wishes to improve the environment of North East Lincolnshire through promoting the use of public transport, cycling and walking. In this context they seek fundingfrom the Department of Transport through the Local Transport Plan. They also acknowledge that to achieve an improved environment and encourage modal change in personal transport a partnership between the Council and bus operators is essential.

It is for this reason that North East Lincolnshire Council and Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes/ Lincolnshire have formed a ' Quality Bus Partnership' to encourage a shift away from cars and towards buses through the provision of high quality services and improved bus stop infrastructure throughout North East Lincolnshire.

The purpopse of the partnership is to:

• Identify and implement measures which will encourage greater use of bus services in North East Lincolnshire.
• Set out the roles and responsibilities of each of the partners in achieving an improved environment and modal change to public transport.
• Establish a standard for quality local bus service operation within North East Lincolnshire.

The 'Quality Bus Partnership' agreement covers areas such as how information is provided for passengers, publicity of the services, the cleaning of vehicles, allowing for customer feedback, how bus shelters and stops are maintained and many other commitments by North East Lincolnshire Council and Stagecoach to providing a quality bus network in North East Lincolnshire.

Projects so far

North East Lincolnshire Council and Stagecoach Grimsby- Cleethorpes/ Lincolnshire have already worked in partnership to improve several areas of public transport in North East Lincolnshire.

• 45 Route Improvements - North East Lincolnshire Council improved 15 of the stops along the route from Immingham (County Hotel) to Grimsby Town Centre and Stagecoach provided 5 new low floor double deck buses at a cost of £550,000 and increasing the service frequency to 20 minutes.
• InterConnect 3 - North East Lincolnshire Council in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council made improvements to the bus stop infrastructure on the Grimsby to Lincoln InterConnect 3 route and Stagecoach provided low floor buses with CCTV and increasing frequency of the service from every two hours to a hourly service.
• Kick Start 'Lo-zone' 13/14 Route - North East Lincolnshire Council placed a successful bid for £523,000 from the Governments Kick-Start campaign in 2005 to re-invigorate the old 3F/4 route in partnership with Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes. Stagecoach invested nearly £2million on 23 new low-floor buses for the route and North East Lincolnshire Council Improved the bus stop infrastructure. The route was re-named 'Lo-zone' 13/14 and links Grimsby and Cleethorpes.
• Phone n Ride - This demand responsive community travel was set up jointly with the help of two successful bids to the Department of Transport by North East Lincolnshire Council. £375,000 was obtained from the Urban Bus Challenge 2002 and £344,000 from the Rural Bus Challenge 2002. This service brings public transport to those members of the community who find accessing employment, education, healthcare and leisure facilities a problem due to a lack of transport. For further information, visit  Phone n Ride. From the 1st April 2008 the operation of the Phone 'n' Ride bus service was taken over by TransLinc, for more information on TransLinc visit http://www.translinc.co.uk/