Enhanced Partnership launched with the first annual meeting of the Southend Local Bus Forum
In March 2021, the Government launched the National Bus Strategy. The aim of this is to improve local bus services.
In response to this, we produced our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). During the process of producing the BSIP an extensive stakeholder consultation took place. We heard from people and organisations who had an interest in making bus services work better.
The BSIP was launched at the end of October 2021. This highlighted our ambition for bus services across the city.
On 22 June 2021 we gave approval to proceed with the development of an Enhanced Partnership (EP). This was the means of implementing the projects to deliver the outcomes in the BSIP.
The EP document was presented and approved at the January 2023 Cabinet meeting. Following this, the EP took effect from 1 April 2023. The implementation of the EP begins with the first annual meeting of the Southend Local Bus Forum (SLBF).
The Southend-on-Sea EP is a statutory partnership between us and the local bus operators. It sets out how we will work together to deliver the outcomes of Southend's BSIP in the area. This area is the same as our city limits/boundaries.
EP part 1 - The Enhanced Partnership Plan
The Enhanced Partnership Plan provides a clear vision of the improvements to bus services that the EP is aiming to deliver. This mirrors the BSIP.
EP part 2- The Enhanced Partnership scheme
This forms an accompanying document that sets out the requirements that need to be met to achieve BSIP outcomes by local services that stop in the geographical area defined in each EP scheme.
The governance of the EP is made up of two separate bodies, the:
- Local Bus Board
- Local Bus Forum
The Local Bus Board's primary function is to advise, agree on, and manage the delivery of the EP Plan and Scheme.
The primary function of the Local Bus Forum is to:
- set the strategic direction of the EP
- elect the Chair of the Local Bus Board
The Local Bus Forum will bring together representatives from a wide range of key stakeholder groups. All advise on the EP delivery priorities.
The initial Invitees consist of:
- Southend-on-Sea City Council
- the three bus operators running local bus services in Southend:
- Arriva
- First
- Stephensons
- Essex County Council
- Castle Point Borough Council
- Rochford District Council
- Bus Users UK
- Essex Police
- Southend Area Bus User Group
- Southend Business Improvement District
- Transport Focus
All Forum members will have a single vote on all matters that require a recommendation or decision. These include:
- the advice given to the Local Bus Board on the strategic direction of the EP
- the election of the Chair of the Local Bus Board, and
- invitations to additional organisations to join the Local Bus Forum subsequently, should existing members of the Forum so decide
The first meeting of the Southend Local Bus Forum took place on Monday 4 September 2023 at Southend Civic Centre.