Aim of Scheme
The aim is to encourage public transport use by house occupiers at new residential development sites through the provision of discounted annual MetroCards and public transport information, thus helping to establish sustainable travel patterns from the very start. The MetroCard allows virtually unlimited travel on buses throughout West Yorkshire (with the option of train travel as well).
The scheme therefore provides an attractive benefit for new house occupiers, whilst supporting planning guidance.
Background
The Residential MetroCard scheme is a joint initiative between Metro (the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive) and West Yorkshire Bus and Rail Operators. The scheme is of three years’ duration for any participating new residential development site with the start date based on first occupation.
Under certain conditions, the Operators will allow Metro to supply annual MetroCards at a 50% discount on the list price in Year One, 25% in Year Two and 10% in Year Three.
Where a Residential MetroCard scheme agreement is in place, for the first year of occupation of a new house the house occupier will not be required to pay anything for the MetroCard (the cost of purchase must be covered by the developer). In the second and third years the house occupier will have the option of purchasing the MetroCard at discounted prices (or the developer may continue to pay).
Developers may be asked to contribute toward public transport improvements e.g. MetroCards by the Local Planning Authority or alternatively on a voluntary basis.
Conditions for participation
The Developer will be eligible to purchase annual MetroCards at a 50% discount on the current list price when all the following conditions can be met:
- The Developer agrees to make available a minimum of one Residential (annual) MetroCard per household in respect of the designated housing site
- The Developer agrees to provide the house occupier with the MetroCard free of charge
- The Developer agrees to work with Metro to provide house occupiers with the necessary information about the scheme
- The Developer pays Metro an administration fee of 10% of the developer contribution towards discounted MetroCards for a site.
How will it work – new house occupiers
Metro will provide participating Developers with a “Residential MetroCard Application Pack”. This should be supplied to the occupiers of the new homes on the site. The Application Pack will provide information about the scheme, its administration over a three year period, MetroCard application form, return envelope, facility locations, timetable information, and a MetroCard information booklet.
The application form will entitle eligible persons in each home to apply for free bus travel (or bus and train travel, depending on the agreement) throughout the West Yorkshire region for their commuting, business and leisure journeys. The MetroCard is not transferable (i.e. it can only be used by the cardholder).
Following the completion of the house purchase any eligible occupier wishing to apply for their free annual MetroCard should complete and return the enclosed MetroCard application form along with two passport sized full-faced photographs to Metro/Developer, in the envelope provided. This discount scheme will remain open to residents for a period of five years following first occupation of the site.
Metro/Developer will then send to the applicant a free fully authorised annual residential MetroCard, which will commence on the 1st of the month.
In a typical scheme a Developer will make a payment, in fulfilment of a Planning Obligation, which will be used for the purchase of MetroCards.
How will it work – householders in Years 2 and 3
Once the first year of free travel is completed, the travel card holder can choose to extend the scheme for a second and eventually a third year at discounted rates. The three year agreement is:-
Ø 1st year – free MetroCard to house occupier (developer pays 50% of list price)
Ø 2nd year – 25% discount on annual cost (holder pays 75% of list price)
Ø 3rd year – 10% discount on annual cost (holder pays 90% of list price).
Metro will send renewal notices to holders prior to the ticket expiry, and applicants will need to pay the discounted cost at the time of application.
Where a Residential MetroCard scheme for a given participating site refers to bus-only annual*, householders will be welcome to upgrade the free bus-travel card to include train use too. There is a cost associated with the upgrade made payable to Metro. This charge varies depending on the rail zones required – see MetroCard information booklet for details. Applicants to apply and pay Metro direct for the upgraded ticket required.
For more information about public transport and developer contributions in West Yorkshire, contact Steven Lightfoot 0113 251 7321
For more information about the implementation of the Residential MetroCard Scheme, contact Marian Read: 0113 251 7366 or Liz Pritchard: 0113 251 7275.
Travel Information
For bus and train times in West Yorkshire please phone MetroLine: 0113 245 7676 – open 0700 to 2200 daily (excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day & New Year’s Day), or visit the web site at www.wymetro.com
*The issue of zonal MetroCards will/may depend on the funding available together with the requirements of the Planning Authority.
Footnote
Please note this scheme is currently being developed and the guidance is likely to change. Please check with Steven Lightfoot (contact details above) that the you have the latest draft.
