Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member for Commercial

Members were informed that over 90% of bus passenger journeys in Staffordshire were undertaken on the commercial bus network.  The Authority currently provided funding for less than 10% of the bus journeys which were not commercially viable, and which provide connectivity across the county in support of the Authority’s strategic objectives:

• To provide access to good jobs and feel the benefit of economic growth;
• Enable improved health and greater independence; and
• Enable people to feel safer, happier and more supported in their community.

The Authority had a statutory duty to secure public transport that it considered to be socially necessary.

In February 2016 the Council had agreed to provide a budget of £600,000 per annum from 2018/19 onwards which, when combined with the Bus Services Operator Grant, would provide a total budget of £1.3m to enable bus journeys which would not be possible on the commercial bus network.  Significant work had been carried out over the last three years to reshape the Staffordshire supported bus network in order that connectivity was maintained and where possible improved to facilitate bus journeys to education, employment, essential public services, shopping and leisure purposes.  Following analysis of passenger data on a contract by contract basis, and taking into account the Authority’s statutory duty under the Transport Act 1985, four options had been developed which provided a supported bus network within the approved financial envelope, as follows:

Option 1 – Revised Local Supported Bus Services (no Connect or Demand Responsive Services)

Option 2 – Revised Local Supported Bus Services with two Connect Services (South Staffordshire Connects and Moorland Connect)

Option 3 – Revised Local Supported Bus Services with Existing Connect Services Retained (Border Car excepted)

Option 4 – County-wide Connect and Demand Responsive Services (no local supported bus services)

Members were informed that no decisions had been made, although Option 1 was the preferred option as it retained the greatest number of existing bus journeys whilst minimising the public subsidy for each passenger trip.  Currently in some cases this was costing £10 per journey.  It was recognised that some previous travel opportunities via the Staffordshire Bus Network would be lost.  However the Council already encouraged and provided support for voluntary and community transport schemes and was keen to see additional schemes come into operation. 

An extensive eight week consultation was launched on 24 July 2017 and views would be sought from both individuals and organisations, and members considered the initial list of consultees.  The consultation would explore the appetite from communities for the provision of additional voluntary transport schemes.  Following the closure of the consultation on 17 September 2017 and a full analysis of the results it was intended that this would be presented to the Committee at their meeting on 14 November, prior to the Cabinet making the final decision on the shape of the Supported Bus Network on 15 November 2017.  This would allow time for the new network to be introduced from April 2018 onwards. 

A member commented that whilst they welcomed the consultation they had concerns about the impact of removing subsidies, particularly in relation to rural services which provided a lifeline for the growing elderly population, and queried whether this impact would be assessed and whether bus operators would continue to keep some services running.   Members also expressed concerns about possible isolation in the rural community; the impact on the economy of reduced connectivity for students and employees; the need to promote public transport and the potential impact on the environment of increased car journeys.  The Cabinet Member for Commercial agreed that green travel should be promoted and that he would identify pockets of rural isolation and encourage community and voluntary car schemes by pump priming schemes if necessary.  It was agreed that the rural impact was provided and would be reviewed within the Community Impact Assessment.  It was also requested that in Table 2 of the Assessment the abbreviations ENCTS (English National Concessionary Travelcard Scheme) and YSC (Your Staffordshire Card) be explained.

Members discussed the relationship that the Council had with bus operators and the need for them to promote their services using new technologies, for example the electronic display of routes and accurate times at bus stops.  Members agreed that bus operators should be encouraged to adopt a more innovative approach and challenged to improve their operational efficiency and provide more robust services.  Suggestions included using smaller buses on some routes, and that bus travel for employees should be part of the planning consideration when new business parks were developed.

RESOLVED – That:

a)    the content of the report be noted and that a formal response to the consultation be sent from the Committee;

b)    the consultees, which will include a range of voluntary and community groups, be agreed; and

c)     it be noted that the Prosperous Staffordshire Select Committee will be asked to consider the outcome of the public consultation on the Supported Bus Network and make any appropriate recommendations, including endorsing a preferred option to Cabinet; and

 the Committee’s comments regarding the need for more innovation to encourage greater use of public transport be fed into the discussion that the Cabinet Member was leading with bus companies.