Questions asked by members under Standing Order 7(3) and 7(5).
Minutes:
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
(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
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