Agenda item

Subsidised Public Bus Services

Meeting of Executive - for meetings from 03/06/00 to 26/04/11, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 2.00 pm (Item 45.)

This report asks Members to note the short term arrangements put in place to maintain services for bus routes 22 and 18 and seeks approval for a package of measures to modify and maintain subsidised bus services until the outcomes of the Subsidised Bus Service Review are known and new arrangements can be implemented.

Decision:

RESOLVED: (i) That the short term measures implemented, as described in paragraphs 21 to 23 of the report, be noted.

REASON: So that Members are aware of the arrangements already in place to maintain these services, as far as possible, until the results of the review are known.

(ii) That Officers be requested to negotiate an extension to the contracts in accordance with the following list until the end of the financial year, and that these services be specifically reviewed as part of the pending report on public transport provision in the City.

Service	Proposal
22 (evenings), York - Skelton	Discontinue 31/08/08 at end of current contract because of lack of patronage but seek to negotiate a late night service to Skelton and return after 2230 hours if economically viable.
22 (day) York - Skelton	Service maintained
C1 Tadcaster – Acaster Malbis, Bishopthorpe – Askham Bar	Discontinue but replace with new expanded service 21
21 Acaster Malbis –Tadcaster Road - York	Continue, revise and extend as per officer recommendation but review usage as part of public transport report
C3 Askham Bar – Askham Richard – Askham Bryan (loop)	Continue until end of present contract (24/4/09)
195 York – Elvington – Pockington	Continue until end of financial year but terminate at Elvington if practical and cheaper (e.g. unless subsidy from East Riding Council continued)
196 York – Elvington – Aughton	Continue until end of financial year but terminate at Elvington if practical and cheaper (e.g. unless subsidy from East Riding Council is made available)
27 Heslington – Heworth – Monks Cross	Continue until end of financial year
28 University – City – Clarence Street – Monks Cross	Continue until end of financial year.
18 York – Wheldrake – Holme on Spalding Moor	Service maintained

(iii) That up to £40,000 be allocated from the Council’s reserves towards the cost of sustaining the services detailed in Resolution (ii) above.

REASON: To ensure the continuation of those services for which current evidence suggests there is a clear need, pending the outcome of a comprehensive review of subsidised bus services.

Minutes:

Members considered a report which outlined the short term arrangements put in place to maintain services for bus routes 22, 18 and 196 and sought approval for a package of measures to maintain bus services until the outcomes of the Subsidised Bus Service Review were known and new arrangements could be implemented.

Temporary arrangements agreed with First York to maintain Service 18 and a reduced Service 22 were outlined in paragraphs 21 and 22 of the report. Service 196 had previously been part funded by City of York and East Riding Councils. As indicated in paragraph 23, City of York had now agreed to fund this service fully until 31 August 2008.

The report presented two options for addressing current service and cost pressures pending the outcome of the review of subsidised services requested at the last Budget Council meeting. They were:

Option A – maintain services pending the review (not recommended);

Option B – modify services from September, on the basis of the policy framework outlined in paragraphs 11-13 of the report. This would involve maintaining Service 22 during the daytime only, maintaining Service 18 and discontinuing Services C1, 21, C3, 195, 196 and 28/29, on the basis that these services had limited patronage and provided poor value for money.

Having considered data supplied by bus service operators and Transport Planning regarding annual and daily patronage figures for the services in question, and having noted the comments of Cllr Moore (Minute 41 refers) and the advice of the Shadow Executive on this item, it was

RESOLVED: (i) That the short term measures implemented, as described in paragraphs 21 to 23 of the report, be noted.

REASON: So that Members are aware of the arrangements already in place to maintain these services, as far as possible, until the results of the review are known.

Service	Proposal
22 (evenings), York - Skelton	Discontinue 31/08/08 at end of current contract because of lack of patronage but seek to negotiate a late night service to Skelton and return after 2230 hours if economically viable.
22 (day) York - Skelton	Service maintained
C1 Tadcaster – Acaster Malbis, Bishopthorpe – Askham Bar	Discontinue but replace with new expanded service 21
21 Acaster Malbis –Tadcaster Road - York	Continue, revise and extend as per officer recommendation but review usage as part of public transport report
C3 Askham Bar – Askham Richard – Askham Bryan (loop)	Continue until end of present contract (24/4/09)
195 York – Elvington – Pockington	Continue until end of financial year but terminate at Elvington if practical and cheaper (e.g. unless subsidy from East Riding Council continued)
196 York – Elvington – Aughton	Continue until end of financial year but terminate at Elvington if practical and cheaper (e.g. unless subsidy from East Riding Council is made available)
27 Heslington – Heworth – Monks Cross	Continue until end of financial year
28 University – City – Clarence Street – Monks Cross	Continue until end of financial year.
18 York – Wheldrake – Holme on Spalding Moor	Service maintained

(iii) That up to £40,000 be allocated from the Council’s reserves towards the cost of sustaining the services detailed in Resolution (ii) above.²

REASON: To ensure the continuation of those services for which current evidence suggests there is a clear need, pending the outcome of a comprehensive review of subsidised bus services.

Supporting documents: