Agenda item

(a)       That the Committee recommends the adoption of Option 3 (support             subsidised routes on the core bus network and implement alternative,    sustainable local travel arrangements in communities not on the core         network) within four            geographical areas of the County;

(b)       That the Committee recommends to Cabinet the approval of the       proposed service levels on the strategic core bus network; 

(c)        That the provision of an in-house minibus service to support the local        travel             arrangements, where it was cost effective to do so, be supported;

(d)       That the Committee recommends to Cabinet approval of the proposed        approach for dealing with historical non-statutory school transport arrangements that had been identified during the service review;

(e)       That the Committee recommend to Cabinet that the school transport           provision for siblings be given further consideration; and 

(e)       That the Committee recommend the adoption of Option 2 as its preferred   pricing structure for a concessionary bus pass, with a review to be        carried out on the impact of the increased cost after one year.

The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) introduced the Outcome of Public Consultation on Public Transport and School Transport Anomalies report which provided details of existing subsidised bus routes and the outcome of the bus network review consultation exercise that had been undertaken to consider those services and deliver an affordable and sustainable public transport service in the future.   

Bus Network Review

            The Transport Programme Manager reported on the bus network review.  To facilitate the review, an eight week public consultation process had been carried out with the public, elected Members and town and community councils who were invited to provide feedback on the proposals.  The four options which had been presented for consideration were:-

·         Option1 – stop subsidising bus services completely;

·         Option 2 – do nothing and continue to support the existing subsidised routes in place as they were currently;

·         Option 3 – Support subsidised routes on the core bus network and implement alternative, sustainable local travel arrangements in communities not on the core network; and

·         Option 4 – Support subsidised routes on the core bus network and introduce a demand responsive service for communities not on the core network.

            Elected Members and town and community councils predominantly supported Option 3 but it was recognised that there was no ‘one size fits all’ and transport salutation would need to vary from one area to another depending on local need and demand.  Under the preferred option, local travel arrangements on the non-core network were intended to be provided by smaller minibus vehicles, which were better suited to the nature of the routes in rural areas.  Proposed routes had been identified for the local travel arrangements which were attached as an appendix to the report.

            The Transport Programme Manager concluded that it was proposed that the intended change in service provision would be introduced from 1 October, 2018 on a phased approach and a proposed implementation plan and timetable was attached as an appendix to the report.

            The Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Countryside explained that there had been a number of changes to the commercial bus network by bus operators which had impacted on communities and left potential gaps in service provision; this was not within the control of the Council.  However the Council had a statutory duty to keep the bus network under review and intervene when appropriate.    

            Councillor Paul Shotton thanked officers for the report and for the extensive consultation sessions carried out.  He said that following the consultation exercise, as shown within the report, there seemed to be a consensus for Option 3 and that this option tied in well with the new transport arrangement for Deeside Industrial Estate.  He asked if a contractor had been identified to deliver the Deeside Shuttle Service.  The Chief Officer responded that the Council had received Welsh Government (WG) and EU funding to purchase four 16-seat minibuses and five Low Carbon Emission Buses (LCEB) with the LCEB intended to be deployed on the existing Deeside Shuttle Service.  Deeside Shuttle Service would be re-procured over the summer period to be operated by an external contractor and the service would be re-branded and launched later in the year.  It was proposed that the four 16-seat minibuses would be utilised for the local travel arrangements, as set out within the report, and operated in-house within the Streetscene Portfolio.  The intention was to provide a high quality, sustainable, professional minibus service and maintain greater control on the passenger transport operations.   

            Councillor Chris Dolphin sought an assurance that consultation with town and community councils would continue before a timetable was produced and shared.  He also raised concern that the Committee was being asked to recommend an option without knowing what the impacts/cuts to routes were going to be.  The Transport Programme Manager assured the Committee that consultation with town and community council and operators would take place prior to a timetable being produced.  Feedback from communities had been collated to identify gaps in the current service and this feedback would be shared with communities through further consultation exercises to ensure the feedback information was correct.  The Cabinet Member said that through identifying gaps in the service and continued consultation with town and community councils it was hoped that a scheduled service could be offered rather than having a pre-booking service.                        

School Transport Historical Anomalies

            The Chief Officer explained that the school transport route optimisation and re-procurement exercise was completed in September 2017.  As a consequence of the exercise, a number of historical non-statutory transport arrangements were identified that were over and above the current Home to School Transport Policy, and presented opportunities for alternative service delivery and potential efficiency savings.

            The Chief Officer, ITU Manager and Transport Programme Manager provided details of the anomalies along with proposals on how each issue would be dealt with, as shown as an appendix to the report.

            The Cabinet Member explained that existing pupils would continue to receive the same service.  The Leader of the Council commented on the transport provided for students to attend FUSE Drama Group at Theatr Clwyd and explained that historically this transport had been provided though funding from the WG for the Deeside Shuttle Service.  When the WG grant ended a decision was taken at the time for the Council to continue to subside this service.  This was a breach of the current Transport Policy and was not fair to other groups across the County.

            In response to a question from Councillor David Evans, the Chief Officer explained that the services would be re-procured each year to ensure the right size bus was used to avoid carrying empty seats.  If a service was already running which had empty seats then these could be made available at the concessionary spare seat rate.           

            Councillor Marion Bateman read out the guidance issued by WG around School Transport and felt that this had not been followed within her own ward.  She thanked the Cabinet Member for her intervention in a recent matter and sought an assurance that the Home to School Transport Policy would be consistently applied across the County in the future. 

            Councillor Andy Dunbobbin raised concerns around sibling groups and said that if it was not possible for sibling groups to access transport, parents may feel that their parental choice of school was being taken away from them.  He proposed that the Committee recommend to Cabinet that the school transport provision for siblings be given further consideration and this was supported by the Committee.

            In response to a question from Councillor Colin Legg, the ITU Manager explained that if a child’s nearest school was full then transport would be provided to their next nearest school. 

            Mrs. Lynne Bartlett sought an assurance that consultation had taken place with Ysgol Pencoch, Flint as the proposals would impact vulnerable children.  The Chief Officer gave an assurance that the ITU Manager and her team engaged fully with Ysgol Pencoch during the consultation exercise.           

Concessionary Fares

            The ITU Manager reported that it was proposed to increase the price of concessionary spare seats to ensure full cost recovery.  Options for consideration to reach full cost recovery were shown within the report, together with charges for concessionary spare seats which currently apply in neighbouring local authorities, for comparison purposes.  Further details of the proposed Concessionary Spare Seats Scheme was shown as an appendix to the report.

            The Cabinet Member explained that the proposals to recover the costs of concessionary spare seats had been brought forward following its support as a preferred option at the all Member workshop held in November, 2017.         

            Councillor Evans said that he felt uncomfortable with the proposed increased cost and suggested that the Council look at what neighbouring authorities charged and increase concessionary fares in line with their charges.  He said that further information around this and the possible increase in concessionary seats was needed.  The Chief Officer explained that the cost would remain less than what was currently being paid at the moment.  

            The Chairman thanked the Cabinet Member and officers for the report, their attendance and for responding to the questions raised by Members. 

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee recommends the adoption of Option 3 (support             subsidised routes on the core bus network and implement alternative,    sustainable local travel arrangements in communities not on the core         network) within four            geographical areas of the County;

(b)       That the Committee recommends to Cabinet the approval of the       proposed service levels on the strategic core bus network; 

(c)        That the provision of an in-house minibus service to support the local        travel             arrangements, where it was cost effective to do so, be supported;

(d)       That the Committee recommends to Cabinet approval of the proposed        approach for dealing with historical non-statutory school transport arrangements that had been identified during the service review;

(e)       That the Committee recommend to Cabinet that the school transport           provision for siblings be given further consideration; and 

(e)       That the Committee recommend the adoption of Option 2 as its preferred   pricing structure for a concessionary bus pass, with a review to be        carried out on the impact of the increased cost after one year.