Issue - meetings

Mr Hunt CC asked the following questions of the Chairman:

(A)       Support for Public Transport

“1.        Could the Chairman:

(a)               report on the success of last year's bid to the £25 million Department for Transport (DfT) ‘KickStart’ fund for projects involving bus service improvements, which I understand enabled the launch of the County's Skylink service?

(b)               tell the Commission why we have been unable to bid this year either for ‘Kickstart’ or the £30 million DfT Green Bus Fund from which bus companies and local authorities in England can compete for funds to help them buy new low carbon buses?

(c)               comment on the County's future plans and prospects for joint bids with the bus industry which continues to benefit from increased patronage stimulated by local concessionary fares for over 60's and disabled people?”

The Chairman replied as follows:

“1.        (a)       The Kickstart process funded extensions to the Loughborough to Derby Airline Shuttle operated by Kinchbus.  Further funding was provided by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) to provide a daily hourly service direct between Leicester and East Midlands Airport for 18 hours a day from October 2006 through until April 2009. Following the end of the Kickstart and emda funding, which had established a passenger usage base for the Leicester service, from May 2009 East Midlands Airport (EMA) has funded Kinchbus to extend the Derby – EMA – Loughborough Skylink service through to Leicester 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In this respect, the Kickstart and emda funding have produced a significant improvement in access to EMA.

1.         (b)       The Kickstart funding process has changed to place more emphasis towards the operator in terms of risk. The Green Bus Fund only funds the additional cost of purchasing a lower emission vehicle. All main operators in Leicestershire (First, Arriva, Kinchbus and Centrebus) were asked whether they intended to apply for either Kickstart or Green Bus funding but no operator has expressed any interest except for funding for the Inner Circle service in Leicester. Bus companies have reported that current bids for Capital Expenditure within their business plans are not being supported unless there is a very strong business case because of the current economic situation where bus passenger numbers paying fares are declining. This is offset by continuing increases in concessionary pass holder journeys.

1.         (c)        There are currently no plans to bid for funds associated with concessionary travel as the Department for Transport (DfT) has said it will not fund on bus ticketing equipment which would stimulate the delivery of integrated tickets and/or smartcards. The DfT is currently undertaking a consultation on suggestions in ‘Developing a strategy for smart and integrated ticketing’ that may provide new opportunities. Unfortunately, although additional usage has been generated by concessionary pass holders, the bus industry feels under compensated by the reimbursement arrangements in place in England. This has been reflected in Leicestershire by eight appeals against the Leicester and Leicestershire scheme since the introduction of the English National Travel Concession Scheme in April 2006.”

Mr Hunt asked the following supplementary question on the reply to question 1(b):

            “Why are companies not bidding for Green Bus Fund services to serve on the Enderby Park and Ride Scheme?”

The Chairman replied to the effect that:

The Green Bus fund is a new scheme. When the Authority entered the into the initial contract, alternative fuel bus bids were invited, though at that time technology in this area was not at an advanced stage. Negotiations are currently ongoing with the Department for Transport in order to ascertain  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16