Issue - meetings

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Environment and Transport regarding the recommencement of the review of all the Council’s supported passenger transport services against the Passenger Transport Policy and Strategy (PTPS) following a pause whilst service use was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and seeking approval for a programme of local focussed engagement/consultation with affected communities ahead of implementation of the review outcomes.  A copy of the report, marked ‘Agenda Item 6’, is filed with these minutes.

Also filed with these minutes are comments from Mr. S. J. Galton CC (minute 209 above also refers) and comments from Mrs A. J. Hack CC and Mr. M. Hunt CC on behalf of the Labour Group.

In reference to the comments made by the Labour Group, the Director said that an independent review of the Policy and Strategy had been previously undertaken by consultants which had concluded that it was fit for purpose. The services under review made up less than 10% of the overall bus network and therefore the overall impact would be small. In response to Mr Galton’s comments, she added that if the additional £1 million identified within the MTFS was used to continue services under the current arrangements, it would only delay the reviews for 12 months in which time the County Council would continue to subsidise services, some of which were very poorly used. She added that the proposed actions were not a reduction in budget, rather removing the £1m growth to return the spend to its original total.

Mr O’Shea CC said that whilst he understood the concerns of service operators and users, the County Council had to reduce its spend within the subsidised bus network. He added that a significant number of current subsidised services were poorly used and unsustainable in their current form. Where changes were required following a review, the Council would work closely with communities affected and they would not be left without access to essential services. He added that Leicestershire MPs should recognise the pressures the County Council faced and the need for a fairer allocation of funding.

In response to a question from Mr Pain CC concerning a specific bus service in Fleckney, the Director said that in some instances, funding was requested via s106 agreements to subsidise a bus service over a specific period. If by the end of the period the service was not commercially run, it would be removed, reflecting the fact that the demand was not there. Developer contributions were often also sought to provide low-cost initiatives such as travel packs and free bus passes, but the monies concerned would not be sufficient to be re-purposed to subsidise a service.

Mrs Richardson CC said that a Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) alternative had been introduced within her division and appeared to be working well.

Mrs Taylor CC said that the poor patronage levels was a national issue and if buses were not being used they were not only a drain on the County Council’s resources but also a detriment to climate change and there were examples across the County where DRT had been introduced successfully. She added that there was also an onus on bus companies to improve the service they provide, specifically in terms of reliability.

RESOLVED:

a)    That the recommencement of the review of all supported passenger transport services in line with the Council’s Passenger Transport Policy and Strategy be noted;

b)    That the proposed programme of local focussed engagement and consultation to inform affected communities of the review outcomes and intended course of action as set out in paragraphs 58 to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 211