4.1.5
Original Document
With regards to other public transport, the primary issue to be addressed by the Big City Plan is whether and how the Midland Metro system might be extended, given the need to put together a practical funding package. This issue is closely inter-related with initiatives to improve both conventional bus services and to introduce Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) operations. Another important issue is on-street congestion in the city core. Streets simply do not have the physical capacity (space) to accommodate all the movement and other demands that are and are likely to be placed upon them (pedestrians, buses, trams, quality public realm). Resolving these conflicts and determining priorities on a street-by-street basis is required. Increased demand will also need to be met through improvements to alternative modes of transport, as well as demand management.
Plain English Translation
The Big City Plan also needs to decide whether and how the Midland Metro system might be extended. This would mean finding a practical way to pay for the work. This is linked to planned improvements to conventional bus services and possible new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services.
Another problem is that city centre streets are not big enough for all the demands from pedestrians, buses, trams and of course street lighting, seats, signs etc. . We need to sort this out street by street at the same time as meeting a growing demand for ways to travel around Bimringham City Centre.
I would like to see a system like the Oyster swipecard system on the London Underground introduced across Metro/Rail and bus services. Since a lot of these are already implemented by Centro, this could fairly easily introduced.
Since most bus riders do so frequently, but not necessarily regularly, I believe that this with some for of pre-payment system could help speed up boarding and ticket purchasing across all transport methods.
An Oyster card type system is being planned by Centro I believe. I think it's a tad more complex than London as Centro covers rail as well (Oyster use on rail in London took quite a while to come in I think and still isn't network wide).
Is certainly in the offing anyway.
Quality bus contracts would help to avoid duplication of services and 'cowboy' operators, helping to reduce bus congestion – what's the point of 2 competing bus companies running half-full buses at the same time?