Agenda item

This is the report of the scrutiny review into York’s Dial & Ride service. It contains a number of recommendations that members are invited to consider.

Councillors Fenton, Burton, and Steward introduced their report to the Committee regarding their task and finish group on York’s Dial & Ride service. They thanked all those that had engaged with them during their work and presented the group’s recommendations to the Committee. They highlighted the impact particularly on disabled residents the ending of the previous dial & ride provision had had. They noted that community transport addressed not only a transport issue for some residents but also an adult social care challenge as the provision was able to deliver a degree of independence for residents.

The wider Committee welcomed the work of the task and finish group and agreed with the recommendations suggested by the Group. The Executive Member for Transport also thanked the task and finish group and stated that she recognised the need for the service. She stated that the Executive would seek funding from the Bus Service Improvement Plan and the combined authority, while seeing how it could be included within the Council’s developing Movement and Place Plan.

Resolved to recommend to Executive that:

                      i.         The Council should as soon as possible take steps

to ensure the provision of a Community Transport service for York residents which would fulfil the need that has been unmet since the cessation of the Dial & Ride service operated by York Wheels. This could be a service that is commissioned or run in-house;

                     ii.         The Council should ensure that funding is available

– either from internal or external sources - to enable a Community Transport service to be provided. This should include (but not be limited to) looking in the round at all transport-related expenditure, such as revenue support for specific schemes, Bus Service

Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding and potential financial contributions from supermarkets which benefit from custom generated by Dial & Ride trips;

                    iii.        The Council should engage with neighbouring local

authorities, the Combined Authority, other public bodies and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to identify opportunities for joint-working and potentially joint commissioning in the field of Community Transport;

                   iv.        In drawing up the specification for a new

Community Transport service, The Council should consideration should be given to broadening the passenger eligibility criteria beyond the client

groups previously served by Dial & Ride (older people and disabled people). Consideration should also be given to reviewing the destinations to be served by a reinstated service;

                     v.        In drawing up the specification for a new Community Transport service, the Council’s  adult social care team and ‘Age Friendly York’ team and advocacy groups for older and disabled people must be consulted to ensure that the service will meet identified needs and be entirely accessible;

                   vi.        In drawing up the contract for a new

Community Transport service, The Council should ensure the needs of service users must be explicitly prioritised in the event of any service delivery issues or contract failure, and bureaucracy associated with the operation of the contract should be minimised wherever possible;

                  vii.        The Council should develop a strategy to effectively promote a reinstated Community Transport service among key potential client groups;

                 viii.        The Committee’s Task and Finish Group be invited to engage with the Executive on developing proposals for a reinstated Community Transport Service and to bring proposals back to the wider committee for scrutiny at an appropriate date.

Reason:     To seek the return of a Community Transport Service for York residents.