Route & Branch Member Working Group

AGENDA ITEM 6

BOROUGH OF POOLE

ROUTE & BRANCH MEMBER WORKING GROUP

WEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST 2016

SUBSIDISED BUS SERVICE REDUCTIONS PROPOSALS: REPORT OF THE HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

STATUS Service Delivery Information

1.  PURPOSE

1.1  The purpose of this report is to seek Members’ views on proposals to save a further £100k from the Bus Subsidy budget. This includes recommending a list of routes for public consultation during October/November 2016 with a view to changes being introduced from May 2017.

2.  RECOMMENDATION

2.1 Members are asked to consider the options for bus service savings detailed in Appendix A and which of these to recommend to the Portfolio Holder for consultation.

3.  BACKGROUND/INFORMATION

3.1  The Council has the power to subsidise local bus services not provided on a commercial basis where it considers there is an unmet need. In 2015/16 approximately £700,000 was spent on this from the Bus Subsidy budget.

3.2  There have been a number of bus subsidy reviews in recent years and a significant amount has been saved (£239,000 since 2014). Poole and Bournemouth have experienced the biggest increase in bus patronage over the last decade and this has enabled Go South Coast to reduce the prices on many contracts with no changes to timetables.

3.3  Other services have had reductions in frequencies or routes combined to and fares have been increased on two services achieve savings. Overall the savings to date have been achieved with relatively little impact on passengers.

3.4  Go South Coast asked whether the Council could work with them when introducing future subsidy reductions as a managed approach can reduce the impact on passengers. By doing this the bus company is able to plan its driver and vehicle resource in a more efficient way and expand its commercial network to take up some of the shortfall. In response to this, Portfolio Holder approval was granted to phase the reductions with a target saving of £100,000 scheduled for May 2017 and a further £100,000 proposed from May 2018.

3.5  Negotiations with Go South Coast and Yellow Buses has resulted in proposals that would save up to £152,700 per annum. These are in the main contracts that have not been included in previous reductions and are set out in Appendix A for consideration. It is suggested that all the proposals are included in the consultation. This would then give Members some choice when considering which services should be reduced or withdrawn.

3.6  Consultation is scheduled to take place from 3 October 2016 and to last for 6 weeks. Following consideration of the results of the consultation by a meeting of this group in November/December 2016, a report will be taken to the 12 January 2017 meeting of the Transportation Advisory Group and then to Cabinet on 7 February 2017. Bus service changes will be introduced from the summer timetable change date at the end of May 2017. It is proposed that should any school services be withdrawn they continue to operate until the end of the Summer Term (end of July 2017).

4. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

4.1  The current 2016/17 Bus Subsidy budget (including Route ONE) is £668,000. Any reductions to the bus subsidy budget would support the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan.

4.2  There may be further pressures on this budget in the future given the Council’s financial circumstances.

5  LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

5.1  Legal advice published by Campaign for Better Transport confirms that a local authority has a duty to assess assessed the transport needs in its area and the impact of particular bus services being withdrawn, in particular on the elderly, disabled, and people with mobility problems. The advice also says that a council must not decide on the budget cut, and then simply find a number of bus services that if cut would save them that amount. Consultation must conform to the “Gunning Principles”.

6. RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

6.1 Withdrawing bus service contracts without following the legal advice would put the Council at risk of challenge with potential costs incurred.

7. EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

7.1 An Equalities Impact Assessment will be undertaken following the consultation but prior to any decisions being undertaken.

8. CONCLUSION

8.1 Members are asked to support a consultation on the proposed changes set out in Appendix A. This group will be asked to consider the results of the consultation during November/December 2016 and to make recommendations for reductions to the Transportation Advisory Group. Changes to bus services will be from the end of May 2017 (school services July 2017).

Julian McLaughlin

Head of Transportation Services

Name and Telephone Number of Officer Contact

John McVey (01202) 262221

Appendix A – Bus Service Savings Consultation Proposals

August 2016

APPENDIX A

Bus Service Savings Consultation Proposals

Summary of Proposals

Go South Coast (morebus)

1.  Service 128 Poole – Sterte – Stanley Green – Creekmoor – Upton

The 128 is a wholly subsidised bus service operating with three off-peak return journeys on Mondays to Saturdays. Passenger loadings have been reducing on the route. This has been most noticeable with the numbers of people travelling to work at Upton Country Park Peacock Tearooms very much reduced.

Passenger numbers for the period 5 October 2015 to 23 October 2015 showed a total average of 22.9 passengers per day using the service towards Poole with 8.6 of these boarding at Dacombe Drive, Upton (outside the borough). Therefore 14.3 passengers per day used the inbound service boarding in Poole. The return average passenger numbers were very similar.

The map below shows the route of the 128 service. It is proposed to withdraw the 128 route and replace part of the service with an amended Route 10. The 10 operates between Poole and Lytchett Matravers via Upton.

Map to show the inbound route of the morebus 128

Current timetable:

128 Poole – Stanley Green – Creekmoor – Upton

Mondays to Saturdays

Proposed timetable:

10 Poole – Stanley Green – Upton – Lytchett Matravers

Mondays to Saturdays

Code: NS – Not Saturdays NSch & Sat – Operates during school holidays and on Saturdays

The proposed 10 service will continue to operate between Poole Bus Station and Holes Bay Road but instead of continuing on Holes Bay Road will be routed via Sterte. This will provide a much improved service for Sterte and Stanley Green residents. The service will operate via Fleets Lane and Willis Way, providing a much requested service to the Wessex Gate Retail Park, which is inaccessible by public transport at the moment.

This will, however, mean a reduction in service on Christopher Crescent which will only be served by the 32 (two return journeys a day). Passenger data shows that an average of 2.2 passengers a day boarded the 128 on Christopher Crescent to travel into Poole and 0.5 in the outbound direction (probably to Tesco Fleetsbridge).

The service will then operate via Broadstone Way, Holes Bay Road and Upton By-Pass. The only part of the 128 route that wouldn’t be covered by any other service is Longmeadow Lane and Beechbank Road in Creekmoor (the rest of Creekmoor is well served by the frequent 8/9 and 4 services). An average of 2.6 passengers board the inbound 128 service from stops on these roads. It is proposed that a repositioned bus shelter with seat is installed at the nearest stop in Creekmoor Lane for passengers in this area.

Although there will no longer be a bus operating into the grounds of Upton Country Park, Services 8/9 serve the stops on Poole Road, a short walk from the park entrance. An average of 1.8 passengers a day board the inbound 128 from inside the park and 0.7 travel from the park in the Upton direction.

The current cost of the contract for the 128 route is £21,339 p.a. (Dorset CC contribute £2,000 towards this). This change would generate a saving of £10,000 for the Borough of Poole with an expectation that could be further reduced in time as the new routing becomes established.

2.  Service 445 Bearwood – Merley – Allenbourn School (Wimborne)

This schooldays only service carries middle school pupils to Allenbourn School from Bearwood and Merley. An average of 31.1 (36 maximum) passengers use the morning service and 36.1 (47 maximum) travel in the afternoons. The most popular stop is Rempstone Road/Mimosa Avenue, Merley with an average of 19.1 passengers. All passengers are fare-payers with no pupils currently entitled to transport assistance.

The morebus 4 operates from Merley (though not Sopwith Crescent) every 30 minutes to Wimborne Square (5 minutes walk to the school) and provides a suitably timed alternative in the mornings although not as convenient in the afternoons. There is no alternative service from Magna Road or Bearwood.

Withdrawing this service would save £27,700 per annum. It is suggested that if the service were to cease, this should be at the end of the summer term 2017. This service was included in the consultation in 2014 which resulted in no changes to the route. The result of this consultation is set out below:

Consultation Response (2014)

There were 60 responses to the questionnaire. 6 agree with the proposal; 50 disagree; and 4 don’t know/not stated.

This service is relied on by the families using it. The recent change in finishing time at Allenbourn School means that it coincides with the Merley First School finish time. Many parents have children at both schools (Merley First is a feeder school for Allenbourn School) and cannot be in two places at once. Work commitments would make it difficult for some parents to take their children to Allenbourn School. Some respondents concerned about children as young as 9 walking or cycling if bus is withdrawn. There are also concerns about increased traffic congestion in Wimborne.

3.  Service 744 Poole Old Town – Oakdale Junior School

This schooldays only service carries children from the Baiter Park and Lagland Street areas of Poole old town. An average of 34.1 (38 maximum) use the morning service and 37.1 (44 maximum) travel in the afternoons. The most popular stop is Lagland Street (11.7) closely followed by Furnell Road (10.1). All passengers are fare-payers with no pupils currently entitled to transport assistance.