Agenda item

The report by the Director of Transport, Environment and Business Support considers the current tendered bus services contracts in Portsmouth that were awarded for a maximum three years (1+1+1) from Sunday 27 March 2016.

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member for Traffic &Transportation:

(1)       Notes the patronage figures for the current tendered bus services;

(2)       Approves the termination of the current subsidised service / tendered service contract for service 19/19A to end on the 26th March 2017 to enable savings of future contract costs;

(3)       The Director of Transport, Environment and Business Support is given delegated authority to remove bus stop infrastructure from redundant routes as appropriate.

The Cabinet Member for Traffic &Transportation:

(1)       Noted the patronage figures for the current tendered bus services;

(2)       Approved the termination of the current subsidised service /tendered service contract for service 19/19A to end on the 26th March 2017 to enable savings of future contract costs;

(3)       Agreed that the Director of Transport, Environment and Business Support be given delegated authority to remove bus stop infrastructure from redundant routes as appropriate.

Alan Cufley, the Director of Transport, Environment & Business Support, introduced his report which set out the background to the review and paragraph 4.1 set out the patronage figures for the routes under review and at paragraph 4.2 the level of subsidies received for the tendered bus routes. At paragraph 5.2 of the report the usage of the No19 route was found to be an average of 66 people per day (across 10 journeys).  It was confirmed that the Nos 13 and 14 First bus routes also serviced Portsmouth College.  If the 19/19A service was removed other services were available within an average of 490 metres, and some of these alternative services ran with greater frequency.

Deputations in opposition to the proposal were made, with points including:

i)          Jeanette Smith - the no19 covers most of the Baffins ward and PCC's Sustainable Travel Plan encourages the use of public transport.  Many roads will be left without a public service and there should be a full impact assessment as many elderly people would be cut off.

ii)         Richard Adair - Many people in Southsea relied on buses, some of whom don't own cars and don’t have family nearby to give lifts.  The 19/19A service connects to the city centre and an important route. Public Transport use should be encouraged for the city's sustainability.

iii)       Councillor Darren Sanders - he thanked officers for taking down the Neville Road bus shelter.  The 19/19A service provided good links across the city and the reasons of cost could also apply to No.16 and No22 services, especially at weekends.  Many roads would be losing access to a bus service.  Baffins ward councillors had met with the provider to suggest a re-routing (via Hayling Avenue) to save costs but preserve the service, and he asked that a temporary extension be made on this basis.

iv)       Councillor Lee Hunt - Bus services should not be taken away when the council is trying to encourage people to use public transport rather than cars.  Funding could be made available to support the No.19/19A service, such as through reinstating residents' parking schemes that generated income. Removal of the service would lead to isolation and taking the only service running along Winter Road.  He asked if Dial-a-ride would be subsidised?

Councillor Stuart Potter, as a Spokesperson, asked if public taxis could be used in a way to take concessionary fares.

Councillor Lynne Stagg, as a Spokesperson and ward councillor, then spoke in support of the No.19/19A service as it was the only service to go right across the city (covering 9 wards). She was concerned that Stride Avenue would be cut off from where it was hard to access other routes, and it would have a big impact on Stubbington Avenue and its surrounding roads.  The elderly represent half of the concessionary fares and they have further to go, on low incomes.  The usage figures showed that the No.19 service was better used than the No.16 service, and sustainable transport was being promoted by PCC.  She had also been involved in meeting with First Bus regarding the suggestion of re-routing this service.

Councillor Jim Fleming, as Cabinet Member, stressed that the review was not to cut costs but to look at value for money across the city.   6 or 7 passengers per bus was not viable and he had travelled on the No.19 to witness the low usage and felt that the route was too long. Also the sum saved would not be deleted from the T&T budget but reinvested in the city's wider bus service, and better coverage in other parts of the city such as Paulsgrove would be considered. There are 3 alternative bus serves running in Baffins, and regarding the No.22 weekend service, he would ask the officers to review this in a similar way. The No.16 was important to give coverage along the seafront but it would also be reviewed after the summer.

Councillor Fleming announced that there could be some funding available to help those who do not have independent means of travel and he asked to be informed of such cases.  Most of those affected by this proposal would be able to access alternative buses for more direct routes. 

DECISIONS - the Cabinet Member for Traffic &Transportation:

(1)       Noted the patronage figures for the current tendered bus services;

(2)       Approved the termination of the current subsidised service /tendered service contract for service 19/19A to end on the 26th March 2017 to enable savings of future contract costs;

(3)       Agreed that the Director of Transport, Environment and Business Support be given delegated authority to remove bus stop infrastructure from redundant routes as appropriate.