Transport integration
Transport integration is a key part of improving the overall quality of service to our customers and attracting more people to use public transport.
As the UK’s largest bus and rail operator, we acknowledge the importance of transport integration in all areas of our business. We pioneered the introduction of Integration Managers for our rail franchises, a move that has stimulated continued development of multi-modal travel in terms of sales and qualitative improvements.
Across our rail franchises and many of our bus businesses we offer a comprehensive range of integrated tickets and easy-to-understand information that helps customers to make through journeys.
We continue to work with industry partners to develop the industry standard Journey Solutions PlusBus, an integrated ticketing product which is seeing continued sales growth across the UK. The popularity of integrated travel products has grown consistently in the last few years. Our bus and rail businesses are active participants at 17 of the Top 20 PlusBus ticket locations, including table leaders Reading and Oxford.
In Cornwall, our bus and rail companies work in partnership with Western Greyhound and Arriva Trains Cross Country to offer a multi-modal, multi-operator 'Ride Cornwall' ticket. This offers unlimited off peak travel on nearly all bus and all train services throughout Cornwall with just one ticket. In the Bristol area our bus and rail companies offer a combined bus and rail ticket known as the Freedom Travelpass. This is available in day, week or month formats and extends from Weston-Super-Mare in the west through Bristol to Bath in the east.
In many of our major conurbations we participate in multi-modal ticketing initiatives designed for those making complex journeys. In Manchester, for example the System 1 brand enables travel on all bus services, the Metrolink tram service and certain rail services within the Greater Manchester area. We participate in the One Ticket initiative in the Edinburgh area which covers buses and trains and there are other initiatives in Leicester, West Yorkshire, Merseyside and Glasgow.
In Scotland, First ScotRail is installing onward travel information at all stations through a project we call ‘Totem Signage’. This provides details of onward travel options including bus services, cycle network information, ferry and airport bus links, and for the larger stations a layout and local area map.
We have also improved connectivity with many airports across the UK and Ireland. For example, we have enhanced the successful Reading RailAir coach service to Heathrow, grown and expanded our Aircoach operations in Ireland, introduced new Coachlink services to Stansted, introduced a new Aircoach operation between York and Leeds Bradford Airport and work closely with Manchester Airport (via staff secondment and other methods) to promote rail access from all major cities across the North of England.
First also operates a large number of Park & Ride bus services in conjunction with local authorities across the UK including operations in Bath, Aberdeen, York, Chelmsford, Bristol, Reading, Leeds and Plymouth. These services offer an alternative to city centre driving, reducing congestion and the environmental impact of cars in cities and towns. To encourage modal shift, our recently introduced Plymouth Park & Ride services incorporate state-of-the-art modern buses, leather upholstery and local television news provided directly by the regional BBC news team. We are also delighted to have successfully tendered for the operation of York Park & Ride, one of the UK’s most successful initiatives of its kind. Further work in partnership with City of York Council will build upon its impressive growth over the last decade.