Issue - meetings

The Council and the bus operators have agreed to enter into an Enhanced Partnership (EP), and this is required by end of April 2022.

Failure to form an EP would result in no new sources of bus funding from the government’s £3bn budget and cessation of other government support for bus services. 

The establishment of an EP requires several stages including the development of draft documentation; public engagement; negotiation between partners; and statutory consultation of key stakeholders before the EP can be formed.

Due to the timescales set by government, it is not possible for Cabinet to consider the EP Plan (including EP Scheme) before the end of April 2022. The purpose of this report is to seek delegated authority in regard to decision making for the formation of an Enhanced Partnership Plan and Enhanced Partnership Scheme.

RESOLVED that Cabinet delegates authority to the Director of Transport and Engineering in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Transport to form an Enhanced Partnership Plan and Enhanced Partnership Scheme by the end of April 2022, to meet the challenging timescale required by the Department for Transport within the National Bus Strategy for England.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Sustainability and Transport

Reason

The National Bus Strategy for England sets out an ambition for every local transport authority and bus operator in England to be in a statutory Enhanced Partnership or a franchising arrangement (entering an EP does not preclude franchising in the future, however, achieving franchising is lengthy and complex with significant financial risk).

Improving bus services to attract more passengers is a joint aim of the bus operators and the Local Transport Authority. A Bus Service Improvement Plan has been jointly agreed with the bus operators, which subject to government funding, will result in more people travelling by bus. The next stage is an Enhanced Partnership Plan and Enhanced Partnership Scheme which need to be in place by the end of April 2022.

The Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Transport presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'E' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was advised that the National Bus Strategy for England sets out an ambition for every local transport authority and bus operator in England to be in a statutory Enhanced Partnership or a franchising arrangement (entering an EP does not preclude franchising in the future, however, achieving franchising is lengthy and complex with significant financial risk).

In relation to this Cabinet was informed that improving bus services to attract more passengers is a joint aim of the bus operators and the Local Transport Authority, and that a Bus Service Improvement Plan has been jointly agreed with the bus operators, which subject to government funding, will result in more people travelling by bus.

Cabinet was advised that the next stage is an Enhanced Partnership Plan and Enhanced Partnership Scheme which need to be in place by the end of April 2022, and that the Council and the bus operators have agreed to enter into an Enhanced Partnership (EP), and this is required by end of April 2022.

Cabinet was informed that failure to form an EP would result in no new sources of bus funding from the government’s £3bn budget and cessation of other government support for bus services. 

Cabinet was advised that the establishment of an EP requires several stages including the development of draft documentation; public engagement; negotiation between partners; and statutory consultation of key stakeholders before the EP can be formed, and that due to the timescales set by government, it is not possible for Cabinet to consider the EP Plan (including EP Scheme) before the end of April 2022.

Further to this Cabinet was informed that the purpose of the report was to seek delegated authority in regard to decision making for the formation of an Enhanced Partnership Plan and Enhanced Partnership Scheme.

Councillor Rice addressed the Cabinet expressing support for anything which would encourage bus travel.

RESOLVED that Cabinet delegates authority to the Director of Transport and Engineering in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Transport to form an Enhanced Partnership Plan and Enhanced Partnership Scheme by the end of April 2022, to meet the challenging timescale required by the Department for Transport within the National Bus Strategy for England.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Sustainability and Transport

To consider the following Transport related reports scheduled for Cabinet consideration on 9 February 2022:

•   Bus Operator Enhanced Partnership Plan

The O&S Board is asked to scrutinise the reports and make recommendations to Cabinet as appropriate.

Cabinet member invited to attend for this item: Councillor Mike Greene, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Sustainability

The Cabinet report for this item is included with the agenda for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

The Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Transport presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each member of the Board and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these minutes in the Minute Book. The Portfolio Holder and officers addressed a number of points raised by the Board including:

·       Franchising – The Portfolio Holder confirmed that this had been discussed as an alternative option at an earlier stage but had been disregarded by BCP and the vast majority of other Councils due to the huge resource and commitment required, not least in preparing for it.

·       Governance arrangements – At this stage it was not yet clear whether meetings and minutes would be made public. If so, it was noted that some redaction may be required where issues of commercial sensitivity were disclosed.

·       Bus speed – The Portfolio Holder was asked whether the targeted increase in bus speed would have the desired transformational impact and encourage new bus users. The Portfolio Holder explained that going from 12 to 13.2 miles per hour constituted a 10% increase in speed, which he felt was significant particularly at a time of increasing congestion. Studies showed that even a 1% increase in speed resulted in a 1% improvement in patronage. There were elements in the Plan which targeted both new users and a greater take up by existing users

·       Tackling the school run in order to transform peak journey times – The Portfolio Holder reported that there were aims in the Plan to reduce fares for young people and increase the number of school children using the bus to deal with this key issue.

·       Pricing and Fares – Board members commented on the current cost of bus travel, especially for families, and asked how much influence the Plan could have on the bus companies in reviewing fares and ticketing. The Portfolio Holder explained that although commercial confidentiality did have an impact on the extent of joint discussions with the Council, the partnership aimed for greater cooperation and was a legally binding agreement. He agreed there was a need for proper, simplified cross ticketing. There was also a need to review those high frequency routes with too much cross over of services This could free up drivers and vehicles to enable increased frequency on other routes.

·       ‘Getting About’ Ticket – The Portfolio Holder agreed that this needed to be looked at. It was currently operating with a 20% premium rate, so the 0.05% take up was understandable.

·       A Board member felt that the proposed schemes requiring funding as set out in Annex A were underwhelming - The Portfolio Holder cited one of these schemes, the review of on street parking, as an example which the bus companies had identified as the biggest barrier to reliability and speed. He explained that the Plan needed to be realistic and fully funded to succeed.

·       Lack of direct routes – A Board member commented on how the lack of a direct bus route was a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 154