Issue - meetings
TRANSPORT AND TRAVEL REVIEW
Meeting: 23/01/2014 - Cabinet (Item 64)
64 TRANSPORT AND TRAVEL REVIEW PDF 158 KB
To agree the approach to reducing subsidy and delivering significant savings for passenger transport services over the period 2014/15 and 2015/16.
Additional documents:
- Appendix A - Core Bus Network (LTP), item 64 PDF 129 KB
- Appendix B - List of Supported Services 14 1, item 64 PDF 49 KB
Minutes:
The Cabinet Member, Health & Wellbeing introduced the report of the Head of Transportation & Access, which sought approval of the approach to reducing subsidy and delivering significant savings for passenger transport services over the period 2014/15 and 2015/16.
The Cabinet Member, Health & Wellbeing highlighted the following key points:
- The savings requirement of £1m was over a two year period owing to the timing of contracts covering subsidised bus services across the county
- The reduction of subsidies would not be a simple across-the-board reduction
- The needs of service users with complex transport requirements would be addressed through the review
- The review would seek to maximise the development and use of community transport schemes
- Commercially viable services should in principle not be subsidised
- Feedback received through the recent budget consultation (centring on market day services) would inform the review, and further consultation with specific communities would be undertaken
- There would be no changes to services before September 2014.
Members in attendance welcomed the proposals. The following responses were given to queries raised:
- Integration of services and savings associated with that integration had already begun; more could be achieved
- The value for money of amount of subsidy per passenger would inform future decision-making
- Routes involving out of county journey elements were recharged and therefore subsidies quoted were the net cost to Herefordshire
- Any decision to withdraw subsidy from a particular route would be informed by consultation responses and impact assessments as well as value for money considerations
- The review included social care transport costs
- Route details such as timings and stops should be a matter for discussion between providers and communities
- Many children already completed their journeys to and from school on public services rather than dedicated schools transport
RESOLVED: That
(a) the approach to reducing passenger transport subsidy and securing savings of £1M over the period 2014/15 to 2015/16 including a comprehensive review and re-planning of passenger transport services in an integrated way (including the approach to consultation) as outlined in this report be approved; and
(b) authority be delegated to the Director of Economy, Communities & Corporate, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, to finalise and implement service changes following the public consultation and contract tendering