Fastrack project update

The first stage of the Fastrack new bus rapid transit system, launched in March 2006, has already had a huge impact on the travel patterns of local residents already living in north Kent. Now a new route has been launched, this time with the focus on influencing the travel behaviour of the future residents of a major development, even before they arrive.

The background to Fastrack and its rationale were detailed in Issue 2 (2006) of Intelligent Transport. This article reviews progress since and describes the recently launched new route designed to deliver unprecedented public transport mode share from the first new major development site to get underway in the Thames Gateway.

Kent Thameside, one of the main growth areas in the Thames Gateway, is concentrated within the boroughs of Dartford and Gravesham in north Kent. The area has the potential to deliver up to 50,000 new jobs and 30,000 new houses over the next 20 to 30 years as large brownfield sites are re-generated. A key catalyst for re-generation is the new international station at Ebbsfleet on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, which will bring about a change in accessibility for the area and provide easy and rapid connections to and from central London, Paris, and the continent.

The need for Fastrack is intrinsically linked with this re-generation. Studies showed that the scale of planned development could not happen if a conventional approach to transport was adopted, so a comprehensive vision for Kent Thameside was prepared by local stakeholders based on innovative proposals to fully integrate land use and transport planning. A bold strategy for sustainable mixed-used development set in a high quality environment and integrated with existing communities was proposed.

One of Kent Thameside’s vision core principles is Public Transport Orientated Development (PTOD). This encourages higher density development along public transport corridors and enables people to live close to good public transport links; particularly Fastrack. PTOD therefore reduces the need to travel long distances by providing the day-to-day facilities necessary to work, learn, shop and play close by, with Fastrack as the centrepiece of an integrated transport network linking those facilities. All new major development schemes within Kent Thameside are required to incorporate these principles. Another core principle focuses on the timing of infrastructure provision. The aim is to have the transport network ready before development is occupied; further increasing the attractiveness of the system and the likelihood that people will become habitual users.

The long timescale of the proposed new developments demands a system that can grow organically as the area develops. Although the original Kent Thameside vision included a tram system, initial studies soon ruled out this option as too costly and inflexible. Instead, the simplicity and flexibility of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) offered the most appropriate solution for Kent Thameside. A bus-based system could provide most of the benefits of a tram system and also have the necessary flexibility to keep pace with re-generation, responding to increased demand quickly but also able to adapt to any changed circumstances.

A network of some 40 kilometres is envisaged for the final development pattern of Kent Thameside. The objective has been to provide sufficient priority from end-to-end so that journey times can be guaranteed. Dedicated busways are planned wherever possible; most notably through the new development sites where there is, in effect, a clean sheet to work with. Elsewhere, where full segregation cannot be physically accommodated or justified, Fastrack runs on priority lanes constructed alongside existing roads.

It was always planned that much of the network would be delivered by private sector developers of the major development sites that Fastrack serves. However, the need for a public sector kick-starting of the delivery process was also envisaged, and this was the role of the first phase, Fastrack Route B, a 15 kilometre route between Dartford and Gravesend that was launched in March 2006.

Patronage levels on Route B have exceeded all expectations and, even allowing for transfer from an existing bus service that was partially replaced, Fastrack has showed 22 per cent growth along the corridor in the first 12 months of operation. This is not simply the result of new trip generation but also a significant shift from private car users onto Fastrack. A survey after six months of operation showed that 19 per cent of passengers had used a car for their trip prior to Fastrack being available.

This clearly demonstrated that Fastrack could drive mode shift by attracting users away from reliance on the car for local journeys. However, the next challenge was to ensure that Fastrack began to influence car reliance even before residents of new developments moved in. Now, hot on the heels of the public sector Route B kick-starting comes the first clear example of how this challenge is being met by a major private sector developer.

The Bridge development and Fastrack Route A

The Bridge, a mixed development on a 107 hectare brownfield site, is located close to the River Thames and next to the M25 Dartford River Crossing. It has at its heart 69,490 square metres of warehouse and distribution space and a further 65,960 square metres of office space, as well as 1,500 new homes. The site encompasses 32 hectares of public open space including a nature reserve, footpaths and cycle ways. A science park will provide 30,470 square metres of office, laboratory and studio space with access to support from regional and London universities and a dedicated seed fund. The Nucleus, a state of the art innovation centre, is already open and operated by START International. A new primary school, within walking or cycling distance of the new residential districts, will include healthcare, crèche, social care and lifelong learning facilities. And there will be all-weather sports fields as well as hotel facilities.

The capacity of junction 1A of the M25 had previously constrained development of the site. A new approach to managing travel demand was therefore required. ProLogis, a multi-national company who provide distribution facilities and services in over 80 markets worldwide, in conjunction with the landowners Dartford Borough Council, proposed overcoming this constraint through provision of Fastrack. Essentially, the developers were required to ensure that neither residents choosing to work off site, nor people coming onto the site to work, added any additional load onto the existing road network or exacerbated congestion at the M25 at Junction 1A. From the outset, the emphasis was on delivering public transport mode share and minimising congestion and emissions. Equally importantly, this new approach would substantially increase the quantum of development that could be permitted on the site.

The solution proposed was a combination of measures to discourage un-necessary car ownership and use for local journeys, and provision of Fastrack as the credible and attractive alternative mode of transport. The planning permission subsequently negotiated therefore embraces Fastrack and other Kent Thameside pro-public transport policies on a hitherto unprecedented scale, focussing on practical measures to incentivise use of Fastrack and minimise adverse impact on the local road network.

With so much hinging on Fastrack, Dartford Borough Council and ProLogis recognised early on that it was going to take something out of the ordinary if they were to attract new people to the development and guarantee that people would actually use Fastrack. For example, parking provision at The Bridge is around half that normally expected within a major residential development. Parking space at the commercial premises has also been limited and usage will be enforced using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR). Other intelligent transport solutions have been integrated across both Fastrack and every other aspect of the development.

The Bridge will be served by Fastrack Route A, a 12 kilometre route which runs from Dartford through The Bridge site and on to Bluewater. Over £20 million has been spent on creating the route; including a Fastrack-only bridge over the M25. The route through The Bridge is gated to provide a dedicated busway with six controlled entry and exit points and ANPR will be used for enforcement.

The planning agreement requires ProLogis to provide and operate the Fastrack service for a period of 17 years. ProLogis has contracted with Arriva to operate the service on its behalf, and 12 vehicles similar to those already in operation on Route B have been procured. The planning agreement also specified that Fastrack serving The Bridge must be fully operational before any residents moved into their new homes.

Everything possible has been done to influence the choice of Fastrack as the preferred transport mode. Every new house on the development will be fitted with a unique information display screen, a concept embedded in the development planning from the outset. The screen provides a variety of local information ranging from Real Time Information (RTI) on the Fastrack service to scheduled train information, local weather, travel and news items. Access to RTI within the home means that passengers can check the arrival of the next Fastrack service, and therefore fine-tune their departure from home.

The ticketing and special fare arrangements are further examples of incentives to use the Fastrack service. Ticketing is off-vehicle and, two types of smartcard will be issued; a resident’s smartcard and a workplace smartcard. All residents of The Bridge will be able to use the Fastrack Route A service free of charge at all times. Employees of businesses located at The Bridge will receive free travel within the site and reduced fares for off-site travel. There will also be through ticket arrangements to Fastrack Route B and the wider transport network, providing quick and easy connections not just within the local vicinity but also with mainline rail services and high speed services from Ebbsfleet International.

Close attention has also been paid to the roadside infrastructure. Rather than conventional bus stops, Fastrack Route A reflects the approach of a modern tram system with 19 new station buildings provided along the route. These are built in stainless steel and glass, and are heated. For security, there are three CCTV cameras at each station, two internal and one external, trained on the ticket vending machines. RTI displays are provided both inside and outside the stations, providing web based RTI which includes data from the local rail network, HS1 high speed train services from Ebbsfleet International, the Fastrack bulletin board, and any other network information. A voice helpline in each station is linked into the CCTV system – when a button is depressed the CCTV camera focuses on the help point and the image is beamed directly to the control centre located within The Bridge development, which is continuously manned.

Overall, huge effort has been invested throughout the strategic approach, the master planning, and detailed design stages to ensure that Fastrack can deliver all that is expected of it. The result is an innovative and impressive package. The early success of Fastrack Route B bodes well for the Route A, but only time will tell. However, as the latest bold, exciting and carefully thought through manifestation of innovative Kent Thameside planning policies, The Bridge has everything going for it and will certainly be watched with great interest.

Fastrack providing international connections

Eurostar services from the new Ebbsfleet International station will start running in November 2007. From early November, Fastrack Route B will be diverted to connect Greenhithe and Gravesend local rail stations with Ebbsfleet International, giving local residents and Eurostar customers from further afield convenient access to Ebbsfleet and Europe via the North Kent line and Fastrack.

Although originally conceived as a park and ride station, Eurostar in conjunction with Southeastern – the rail operator in South-East England – and Fastrack, are offering a credible public transport alternative to driving to the station. By showing their ticket and passport, Eurostar passengers will be able to travel for free on both Southeastern train services and Fastrack for transfer to Ebbsfleet International.

Conclusion

The launch of Fastrack and the first 16 months of operation have been a huge success. Now this innovative BRT system is poised for further success with the exceptional package of showcase features within The Bridge development and imminent connections to Ebbsfleet International. For more information visit: www.go-fastrack.co.uk and www.thebridgedartford.co.uk