Issue - items at meetings - Bus Network Review

The Director of Transport, Environment & Planning to present a report which provides an update on actions taken so far and makes immediate recommendations to stabilise the local bus network.

Resolved:

i. That the principle that maintaining the extent of the bus network is the key priority within the budgets available be agreed, and that preserving the routes takes priority over preserving bus frequency, to the extent that the council won’t fund current commercial services where a reduction in frequency is an option for the operator without significant impact on communities.

Reason: Keeping the bus network, even with a reduced frequency if necessary, gives a better basis to build back in the future. There is limited funding to deliver bus subsidy.

ii. That authority be delegated to the Director of Transport, Environment & Planning (in consultation with the Leader of the Council, Executive Member for Transport and the Director of Governance, Section 151 Officer or their delegated officers) to:

a. work with the Enhanced Bus Partnership to deliver bus support funding through the BSIP allocation;

b. reduce bus frequency requirements of subsidised bus services to maintain the network if the overall bus subsidy is greater than the budget;

c. work with all partners, Bus Operators, North Yorkshire County Council and the YNYLEP to identify ways of encouraging recruitment and driver training;

d. work with the Park and Ride Operator towards reopening Poppleton Bar Park and Ride and returning all other Park and Ride sites to pre-pandemic levels of service by Easter 2023.

Reason: To give officers the flexibility to act at pace and ensure the services are maintained.

iii. That the removal of the bus subsidy criteria for a period of one year be approve.

Reason: To give officers the flexibility to maintain services within the budget.

iv. That a report be brought to Executive in the summer providing an update on the Government funding situation, the current levels of bus usage, the progress of action identified in the current report and the impact on bus services.

Reason: To enable Executive to have oversight and to review the options and next steps.

Cllr Aspden returned to the meeting and resumed as chair.

The Director of Transport, Environment & Planning presented a report which provided an update on actions taken so far and made further recommendations to stabilise the local bus network. It was confirmed that the majority of York’s buses were run commercially with some routes which were deemed to not be profitable by private operators were commissioned by the Council and subsidised. It was also confirmed that the Council covers any concessionary bus fares to the operators. With the industry having shrunk to 80% of its pre-pandemic level operators were threatening to withdraw funding for some services.

The Executive noted the issues outlined regarding government funding currently running out in March 2023 and welcomed the Council’s successful securing of BSIP funding. It was confirmed that that the Council had gone out to tender for a new operator for the number 12 bus and were working with the LEP around driver training and nearby local authorities on cross boundary services. It was confirmed that the Council was looking where required, to move to fewer buses per hour rather than allowing some routes to end. It was noted that officers would review the results of changes which was hoped would result in more buses arriving on time and therefore while having less buses would create a more reliable service.