How is an authority's transport performance assessed for CPA?

Transport is located within CPA's 'Environment' block, together with waste management and spatial planning.

More specific information about how transport fits into this block and within CPA

It should be noted that the six Passenger Transport Authorities, as single purpose authorities, are not covered by CPA. In these metropolitan areas, assessments have been made of the Metropolitan Districts.

Three different evidence sources are brought together to provide the transport component of the Environment service scores; Best Value Inspections, Government's assessment of Local Transport Plans and Annual Progress Reports, and Best Value Performance Indicators.

Best Value inspections

Scores from all substantive inspections of transport services published since August 2000 will be included in the overall assessment (except for first inspections after which there has followed a formal re-inspection). Details of particular Best Value inspections can be found at the Audit Commission's website, www.audit-commission.gov.uk.

The Local Transport Plan Assessments

The transport plan scores for CPA have been determined by combining two elements.

The 2001 score: this was formulated from the former DETRs and the Government Offices assessments of each transport authoritys 5-year local transport plan (LTP) against the criteria that were published in the Guidance on Full Local Transport Plans (DETR, March 2000). These assessments were updated as necessary to take into account any particular improvements to LTP strategies demonstrated in authorities 2001 Annual Progress Reports (APRs); and
A 2002 APR score: this was formulated from DfT and the Government Offices assessment of each transport authoritys 2002 Annual Progress Reports (APRs) against the criteria published in the Guidance on LTP Annual Progress Reports Second Edition (DfT, printed May 2002 - first circulated to local authorities electronically March 2002).

The rationale for combining these scores is that the LTP was a 5-year strategy, and is therefore still current, and it is a good measure of the authorities ability to plan strategically; whilst the latest progress report is the best indicator we have of delivery and progress on the ground. We made clear in Guidance on LTP Annual Progress Reports Second Edition (page 13) that we would take into account the scores arising from authorities second APRs and their LTPs and first APRs when drawing up an overall score in 2002.

All LTP and APR assessments are conducted by the Government Offices, with Local Transport Policy Division in DfT central performing a moderating role to ensure that the GOs are all approaching the assessments in a fair and consistent way. The Government Offices and DfT central come to a consensus view on each score following a rigorous assessment process. The joint recommendations on scores are then submitted to DfT Ministers for final agreement.

Authorities (and groups of authorities in the case of the joint plans) have been ranked according to overall percentage scores and placed into 5 relative categories, from well above average to well below average. The distribution was determined by number of plans. We placed the largest number of authorities in the average category. We placed fewer in above average and below average and fewest in well above average and well below average (The numbers in above and below average, and well above and well below average, are not an exact mirror image, however, because we ensured that no authorities with the same percentage score were placed in different categories).

We have also included an annex in each authoritys settlement decision letter to explain what their score is and how we devised it. This includes telling authorities exactly what their overall percentage score was in 2001 and 2002, the weighting we have applied to each year in devising the final 2002 scores, and the category (average etc) into which the authority falls.

Government Offices also hold meetings with all their authorities after the local transport settlement is announced, to give more detailed feedback on performance. This will be an opportunity to answer any questions the authorities have on their particular scores and explain further the rationale for the scores.

Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs)

Best Value authorities report progress each year against baskets of indicators. The transport indicators contributing to authorities' CPA scores are:

BVPI 96, which measures the condition of principal roads;
BVPI 97a, which measures the condition of non-principal roads;
BVPI 103, which measures customer satisfaction with public transport information supplied locally;
BVPI 104, which measures customer satisfaction with local bus services, and;
BVPI 165, which measures the percentage of pedestrian crossings with facilities for the disabled.

How is an authority's transport performance assessed for CPA?