Draft of Final Dial a Ride Report

DRAFT OF FINAL DIAL A RIDE REPORT

Index

1.0 Purpose of Report3

2.0Recommendations3

3.0Background4

4.0Provision of Service4

5.0Fares and Usage4

6.0New Computer System5

7.0Organisations using Dial a Ride5

8.0 Alternative Service Providers6

9.0 Conclusions6

10.0 Members and Witnesses7

11.0 Dates of Meetings8

Appendix I Scoping Document

Appendix ii Dial a Ride Interim Report

1.0 Purpose of Report

1.1 This is the final report of the Dial a Ride Topic Group which looks at the following areas:

• Review the operating hours of the dial a ride service paying particular attention to evening services Monday to Friday and Saturday services

• Consider the current model and compare alternative models used in Districts and other Local authorities

• Review the existing funding arrangements for the Dial a Ride service

1.2The scoping document can be seen at appendix i.

1.3An Interim Report was published by the Topic Group on 4 July 2008. It focussed on the use of the service on weekdays. That report is attached as Appendix ii.

2.0 Recommendations

2.1To regularise drivers’ contracts as soon as the opportunity allows. (4.2)

2.2To support the introduction of the Cleric software and the introduction of a charging regime based on miles travelled rather than by parish. (5.1, 6.1, 6.2)

2.3 To increase fares to reflect increased costs since the last increase in

2005. To review fares on a yearly basis. (5.2, 5.3)

2.4To look at ways of further increasing the utilisation of the service and developing the service further in rural areas (5.4, 8.2)

2.5When Dial a Ride users are next surveyed to ask what use they make of

community transport services (5.5)

2.6To write to the Chief Executives of the 10 Hertfordshire District Councils advising them that a number of witnesses stated that taxi drivers prefer not to carry wheelchair users. The districts may wish to undertake spot checks on the vehicles they licence for private hire to ensure drivers comply with their licensing permit. (7.5)

2.7To recommend to OSC (Overview and Scrutiny Committee) for a one day

scrutiny of additional transport services to be included in the 2009/10 programme. (8.4)

3.0Background

3.1Dial a Ride is a door to door, local passenger transport service for

those with mobility problems, who have registered to use the service and who have difficulty in using conventional passenger transport services. The service is designed for driver only operation where a high standard of customer care is expected, particularly in relation to the assistance of a range of disabled, frail and elderly passengers, in boarding, alighting and health and safety requirements.

3.2One Dial a Ride service (a bus and a driver) is provided by the Council to cover each of the 10 District Council areas in Hertfordshire. Broxbourne, Stevenage, ThreeRivers and Watford fund an additional bus for use by their residents.

4.0Provision of Service

4.1The Topic Group noted that Dial a Ride bridges a gap between the Commercial Network and the needs of users who cannot use the network.

4.2Members identified inconsistencies in Saturday provision across the County. Concerns were raised at the decline in Saturday usage in East Herts, St Albans, Stevenage and Welwyn Hatfield districts. Officers informed the Topic Group that difficulties had been experienced with driver contracts which meant some drivers did not have to work on a Saturday. Members were made aware that in a number of areas there are additional transport schemes available that Dial a Ride passengers can access on a Saturday and Sunday.

4.3Members heard cancellations are not a major problem. The most common causes for cancellations are either the user cancelling their trip or the County Council cancelling if the vehicle breaks down and a replacement bus is not available.

5.0Fares and Usage

5.1Currently passengers are charged between £1.10 and £6.00 per trip. The fare is calculated by distance travelled which is measured by the number of parishes travelled through. The consequence of this can be that a person may pay more for a journey than someone else even though the miles covered are fewer.

5.2The average cost per trip is £11.93. The average fare per trip £1.50.

5.3Fares have not risen since 2005. There is no mechanism in place for an annual review of fares.

5.4 Utilisation of the service has risen from 1.1 persons per journey in 2005,

when the county brought the service back in house, to 1.4 in 2007/08. Members were advised that the nature of the service, which is very individual and personal, tends to militate against a greatly increased utilisation unless a number of people are being transported to and from the same event/activity. Anecdotally members heard that a utilisation level of 1.4 is regarded as good for this type of transport service.

5.5 Members were advised that Dial a Ride is shortly to undertake a survey

of all its users. The survey will include asking users if they make any use

of any of the community transport services available.

6.0New Computer System

6.1A new computer system, called Cleric, is being brought in for the Dial a Ride Service. Data has been loaded on it and the drivers are now trialling the use of blackberries to show their appointments, future work schedules and alert them of any changes.

6.2The advantages of the new system include:

• the better planning, allocation and scheduling of vehicles
• more efficient use of the fleet and drivers
• the chance to communicate more effectively with drivers

• the ability to charge by the mile for any journey

7.0Organisations using Dial a Ride

7.1Members took evidence from a number of organisations at different points in the scrutiny. Full details of the evidence presented can be seen at

The key points raised were as follows:

7.2All organisations placed great value on the service and recognised that the service deals with a large number of people who would not get out without access to Dial a Ride.

7.3The need for all people travelling on Dial a Ride to be a member of the scheme for insurance purposes. This can be an issue if an organisation wishes to make a group booking which includes individuals who are no longer part of the scheme.

7.4Concerns were raised about clients not being able to go out when drivers are on holiday. It was noted that there are 14 full-time drivers and 3 full-time relief drivers which most of the time means there is full cover.

7.5It was alleged that taxi drivers prefer not to takewheelchair users because such passengers are not regarded as cost effective. Officers informed the group that it was an offence for DDA compliance vehicles such as London style taxis not to pick up a client as it breaks the licensing agreement.

8.0Alternative Service Providers

8.1Members were provided with information on a number of other service providers. They all have different remits including taking people (primarily the elderly) to hospital/health appointments, shopping, leisure etc. The majority of these organisations charge directly and have to recover their costs so charge higher fares than a Dial a Ride.

8.2 Environment Department currently uses a PTU budget of£129,400a

year to support voluntary community transport initiatives. It is used

mainly to fund the appointment of co-ordinators who are responsible for

ensuring the particular service operates. Members heard that the key

issues facing community transport in Hertfordshire are:

• the absence of volunteer schemes in parts of the county,

• schemes operating independently of one another,

• longevity of funding.

8.3Funding has also been provided by the NHS to the tune of £750k over three years to support health transport provision. This follows a period when the NHS had withdrawn transport funding for community transport schemes meaning some out patients were relying on Dial a Ride to transport them to appointments, so the Dial a Ride service was not always available to do the local journeys for which it was intended.

Full details of the funding provided by Hertfordshire County Council and the NHS by borough/district can be seen at DAVE CAN YOU PUT THE LINK IN FOR ME WHEN WE HAVE THE PAPERS

8.4Members asked that the Delivering Quality Healthcare Topic Group (DQHC2), when considering access issues,be made aware of the transport issues posed by Health when they withdrew funding for hospital transport. They also felt that there should be a recommendation to OSC for a one day scrutiny of additional transport services to be included in the 2009/10 programme.

9.0Conclusions

9.1 Hertfordshire County Council’s statutory responsibilities in respect of Dial a Ride were noted along with the services contribution to social inclusion, accessibility and HCC Corporate challenges. (4.1)

9.2 Provision of the Dial a Ride service is patchy on a Saturday. This can only be addressed if the drivers’ contracts are regularised. (4.2) (recommendation 2.1)

9.3 To support the introduction of the Cleric software and the introduction of a charging regime based on miles travelled rather than by parish. (5.1, 6.1, 6.2) (recommendation 2.2)

9.4 Fares have not risen since 2005. (5.3) (recommendation 2.3)

9.5 To look at ways of further increasing the utilisation of the service and developing the service in areas where there is not good community transport coverage. (5.4, 8.2) (recommendation 2.4)

9.6To ask Dial a Ride Users what use they make of other community transport services (5.5) (recommendation 2.5)

9.7All organisations spoken to as part of the scrutiny placed great value on the Dial a Ride service and spoke well of it. (7.2) (recommendation 2.6)

9.8 There was some anecdotal evidence that the disabled, in particular wheelchair users, could not always access taxis because taxi drivers prefer not to take wheelchair users as such passengers are not regarded as cost effective. (7.5)

9.9 To advise DQHC2 of the discussions the Topic Group had held around

hospital transport and to request OSCinclude a one day scrutiny of

additional transport services in the 2009/10 programme. (8.4)

(recommendation 2.7)

10.0Members and Witnesses

Members

Mary Bayes

Roy Clements (Chairman)

Margaret Coxage

Steve Rackett

Eddie Roach

Derek Scudder

LeonardSpencer

Witnesses

Jackie Allen – Douglas Drive Day Centre, Stevenage

Jo Marsh– Broxbourne Borough Council

Ted O’Neill – Three Rivers District Council

Helen Penrose – HertfordBaptistChurch

Officers

Steve Barnard- Deputy Transport Manager

Tom Hawkyard- Head of Scrutiny

David Neilan- Team Leader Community Transport

John Sykes- Integrated Transport Services Manager

Neil Terry- Democratic Services Officer

11.0Dates of Meetings

22 May 2008

5 June 2008

4 July 2008

5 September 2008

6 October 2008

5 November 2008

Appendix ii

HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

Interim Report of the Dial a Ride Topic Group

Report of the Head of Scrutiny

Author: Tom Hawkyard

Tel: 01992 555300

Purpose of report

1.1To examine the use of the Dial a Ride Service during weekdays.

2Recommendation

2.1To make efficiency savings to the Dial A Ride Service by adjusting the advertised hours of operation from 9.00 - 19.00 to 9.00 -18.00 Monday to Friday which will provide savings of £50,000.

Please note that this is only an interim report and the final report could recommend other changes in service delivery with possible increased costs.

2.2To consult with all districts on this change.

Background

3.1Members received a presentation on the weekday Dial a Ride Service.

3.2They focussed on usage during the weekday timeslot 18.00 – 19.00. Evidence was presented showing that during 2007/08 only 10 journeys across the whole of Hertfordshire took place in this time period. Appendix i shows this information in more detail from 2004/05 – 2007/08.

3.3Members concluded that it was not an efficient use of resources to continue to offer the advertised service during weekdays between 18.00 and 19.00.

APPENDIX iii

Yearly use of the Dial a Ride Service Monday – Friday 18.00 – 19.00.

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