Presentation from Simon Mathieson, Business Development Director, Arriva.

The Forum received a presentation on Arriva Click Demand Responsive Service from Simon Mathieson, Business Development Manager at Arriva.

Mr Mathieson explained that Arriva had been piloting a ‘corner to corner’ demand

responsive bus service in Sittingbourne, Kent since March 2017. The pilot had been

successful and popular. Arriva had big ambitions to develop the service elsewhere. Arriva was aware that local authorities were facing cuts to budgets, increased demand for social transport, falling passenger numbers, increased congestion and

concerns over air quality.

The demand responsive bus scheme helped to address some of the issues as it

aggregated people travelling from multiple origins to multiple destinations in an

efficient and convenient way. The automated system matched journeys and adjusted

routes. There was no manual intervention required, but back office back up was

available if needed. Algorithms were used to ensure optimal routes were chosen

within built–in parameters. In Sittingbourne routes were never more than 20% away

from the direct route. The 16-seater vehicles were high specification and could be

configured in various ways. The vehicles used in Sittingbourne were 10 seater plus

space for one wheelchair.

The technology was able to teach itself demand patterns so an unbooked bus would be sent to the position nearest the next likely booking. The offer was a 20 minute window for collection; in Sittingbourne average waits were 10-11 minutes. Customers were able to book a ride via an app or by telephone or website. Journeys could be purchased via credit, on a pay as you go basis, or via a season ticket. Once booked, customers received details of the vehicle and driver who would pick them up, including a direct telephone number, along with journey details.  Customers could cancel bookings before pick up at no cost.

Mr Mathieson highlighted elements of the customer proposition including convenience, quality, accessibility, safety, shareability and excellent customer service. The Forum were informed that the demand responsive services could be used in a number of environments including urban areas and also where services had traditionally been subsidised because of low demand. Members noted the growth in the Sittingbourne pilot, which was now achieving over 2000 rides per week.

Via the usage of the app, Arriva was able to obtain instantaneous and very detailed data, which was used to improve the service and manage driver and vehicle resourcing. It was noted that the proportion of people using the service in Sittingbourne for their daily commute had reduced over time, with increased use for leisure, shopping and visiting friends and family. The data also showed that 30% of respondents had shifted from using their car.

In response to questions Mr Mathieson confirmed that current legislation allowed for on-demand services to operate without additional licences. As a bus service rather than a private hire operator, the service could take concessionary passes and receive the fuel subsidy.  The model and zone used would be informed by stakeholders; if demand was clear then it could be included in the zone. The service was not restricted by, for example, borough boundaries and there had been no safety concerns raised by users.

Mr Mathieson informed that the fare was pitched between a bus and a taxi at approximately £1 per mile.  The fare price did not change based on number of users; yield management was not allowed under the regulations.   A potential zone for Maidenhead would be larger than the current zone in Sittingbourne, therefore would require more vehicles.

The Chairman thanked Mr Mathieson for his presentation.