Go2 – NCT’s premier network of bus routes providing a fast, frequent and direct service along 14 routes into Nottingham City Centre – has been short-listed for the “Winning New Customers” Award at the 12th annual UK Bus Awards.
The “Winning New Customers” Award is a new category at this year’s UK Bus Awards and is supported by the Department for Transport. The award is designed to recognise radical initiatives which increase bus patronage and demonstrate modal shift from the car to the bus.
The Go2 network was launched in September 2001 and celebrates its 6th birthday later this month and was introduced to revitalise bus travel in Nottingham and reverse the decline in bus usage in the City.
Go2 offers:
- Buses every 10 minutes or better during Monday to Saturday daytimes
- A direct route to the City Centre
- Regular evening and Sunday buses, up to every 15 minutes, including midnight departures from the City on Mondays to Saturdays
- Brand new modern buses, with CCTV and all the latest security and safety features
- Fully accessible, certified buses to accommodate wheelchairs and pushchairs
- Raised kerbs at major bus stops to improve access on to buses
- Bus shelters and extensive information at stops
- 22Km of bus lanes to offer a fast, competitive journey times to the car
- Electronic displays at core bus stops, being rolled out across the network
- Real-time system due to go live in the autumn
- Partnership working with the local authorities
£23.5m has been invested in 114 brand new buses for the Go2 network and the average age of the fleet is just 3 years old.
Since the full Go2 network was introduced, patronage has increased by 6% and now over 24 million passenger trips are made using Go2 every year. 85% of all Nottingham City residents live within 400m of a frequent daytime service and Go2 has helped improve frequencies for many areas within the City.
The most recent satisfaction survey research on Go2, conducted independently by RAMA, showed that 7 out of 8 service features were rated as better by Go2 users compared to the old NCT network operated prior to September 2001.
One of the core objectives for Go2 and a key requirement to be considered for the “Winning New Customers” Award was to increase bus usage through modal shift and attract car users onto the bus network.
As part of the satisfaction research, RAMA identified that 24% of Go2 bus passengers have a car available for their journey, but chose to use the bus, with one Go2 route – Green 6 to Edwalton – where this was as high as 42%. Of the new passengers to Go2 in 2006, 20% stated they previously made the journey by car.
In 2007, Go2 routes 21 to Carlton Valley and 36 to QMC, Beeston and Chilwell were upgraded with new, larger capacity buses and patronage is already increasing on these two key routes. NCT is currently finalising plans for the re-launch and upgrade of Green Go2 routes 6, 10 and 11 to West Bridgford as part of the introduction of around 20 new buses on these routes next year.
Go2 is one of six projects short-listed for the “Winning New Customers” Award and the winner will be announced at the 2007 UK Bus Awards Ceremony at Old Billingsgate, London on Wednesday 7th November 2007.
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