This is Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Authority’s (the ITA) annual Performance Plan for the three year period 2005/06 to 2007/08. In it we say what our committed policies and future programmes for improvement are. We do this by: giving an account of out-turn performance in terms of national corporate health and local service indicators for 2004/05; setting targets for the current and two subsequent years against which to plan for future improvement; and comparing performance with our peers

In line with the ITA’s duty of best value, performance management is being embedded into our day to day work and improvement planning activities, including through our best value reviews. Working in close conjunction with Nexus (Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Executive) we are constantly learning from experience as part of the proactive process of continuous improvement. This learning is being strengthened and enhanced through collaborative co-operation with the other ITAs and the Executives via the Passenger Transport Executive Group and its Support Unit.

The Performance Plan includes a brief summary of our vision and strategic objectives. It also demonstrates the heavy reliance that the ITA places on Nexus in carrying out improvement planning processes directed at delivering best value.

The Government has a significant interest in Performance Plans. Many of our aspirations for improvement have direct links to national ambitions for public transport. These are being delivered through joint working with our local authority partners in the Tyne and Wear Local Transport Plan. We hope that our efforts will continue to receive the financial and legislative support that will be necessary to bring about the process of continuous improvement in service delivery to which we aspire for the benefit of local people.