Agenda item

To consider a verbal update from the Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Transport to provide the committee with information on Yellow Busses ceasing operations and the wider impact on bus services in the area along with information on the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) Implementation report which was considered by Cabinet on 7 September.

(Please note that the original wording for this item within the published agenda referred, incorrectly to an unrelated Cabinet report and this has therefore been amended and republished for clarity)

The Portfolio Holder for Transport and Sustainability provided a verbal update to the Committee on the implications of Yellow Busses ceasing services in the area and the implications of the Bus Service Improvement Plan Implementation report which had recently considered by Cabinet a copy of which was circulated to Committee members and a copy of which appears as Appendix ‘B’ to the minutes in the Minute Book. The Portfolio Holder highlighted a number of points including:

·      Notification of the final award was still awaited to push forward some of the measures within the Improvement Plan but this was expected in the following few days.  It was noted that the report would go forward to Council in November.

·      Initiatives highlighted within the paper included, a multi-modal and multi-operational map bringing different providers together, bus priority measures and additional bus shelters.

·      Yellow Buses had been loss-making for a few years and covid had a significant impact, with increased home working and home shopping. Despite support from central and local government, passenger numbers had not recovered as quickly as anticipated.

·      Go South Coast had not made any attempt to acquire Yellow Buses but had been able to move very quickly to expand their network to cover many Yellow Bus routes. However, there was an issue with sufficient numbers of drivers, and they had set up an emergency recruitment desk. Much of the former network was covered after just one day.

·      Yellow Buses was also responsible for three school routes but as they ceased operation during the school holidays additional provision was able to be put in place for the schools’ return.

·      Rotes 18,33 and 36 had been picked up by the Zella Group for a 6-month contract, which was currently being retendered and would be in place from February next year.

·      The Council had a duty of regard to the overall bus network and were working with Go South Coast.

Members raised a number of issues which were responded to by the Portfolio Holder, including:

·     Bus lane enforcement operation in the BCP area. There was no change to this provision, which needed to be done by camera enforcement. The cost of this needed to be balanced against the outcomes. However, the Council were looking at any less cost intensive options. 

·     The impact of the national capping of bus fares for the winter and the cost of this to the Council. The Portfolio Holder supported this and advised that it would need to be seen whether a reduction in fares would increase bus use significantly. The Portfolio Holder undertook to share the information on this once it became available.

·     The price of school bus fares and impact of new contracts which may lead to people moving away from bus use.  It was understood that the prices hadn’t increase on school routes. However this was a good point with further consequences beyond school routes.

·     Whether it was possible to align bus service fares to BCP areas, parts of BCP were currently outside of Zone 1 making the journey costs very expensive.  The meeting was informed that it should be ensured that boundaries were in the right place for everyone.

·     Integrated transport links and improvements to pedestrian routes from bus stops. The Portfolio agreed that an enhanced partnership should support this and would like to see Beryl Bikes and trains included within integrated journey planning. The Portfolio Holder also commended officers for the work done on this.

·     Whether anything could be done to prevent the loss of some well-established routes with lower usage. Changes to the services and numbering over the last few years had impacted the number of passengers accessing services.