Archived decisions

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1. Summary

1.1 Both the County Council and Borough Council have formally endorsed the overall approach for improving passenger transport in Basingstoke and Deane, as proposed in the Passenger Transport Study commissioned from consultants by the Borough Council (August 2001). The approach proposed is to take forward a comprehensive programme of improvements that will, over time, produce the step-change sought in local services. Key to this is a Quality Partnership between the two authorities and Stagecoach and the establishment of a multi-disciplinary group representing a cross-section of interested parties with a specific agenda for change. The programme also requires significant resources to support its implementation.

2. Introduction

2.1 In summary, the aims of the study are:

(i) identify current transport demand in the Borough (met and unmet), together with an assessment of future demand;

(ii) examine current perceptions and explore future aspirations for passenger transport in the Borough;

(iii) review current best practice in the field, including experience from the UK and other countries;

(iv) undertake a detailed analysis of all potential options for providing improved passenger transport in the study area; and

(v) consider the existing network and how this may be improved/enhanced or integrated within the context of the study's recommendations.

2.2 It should be borne in mind that the County Council is currently in the process of reviewing community transport county-wide through its Community Transport Development Plan. This will examine the current arrangements for community transport in terms of identifying needs, the difficulties in meeting the costs of replacing current minibuses and how funding may be provided in the future. It is anticipated that the outcomes of this study will be reported later in 2001 and the two reports will complement one another.

2.3 The County Council's bid to the Government for Public Service Agreement (PSA) funding in October 2001 included a target of a 10% increase in bus use by 2010. Interim targets within the PSA timescale are also identified. The initiatives outlined in this report support this PSA bid.

2.4 The Borough Council is already very active in supporting public transport services, including:

(i) Cabinet support for funding tendered bus services;

(ii) Harriet Costello School Bus;

(iii) recent improvements to Route 1 bus corridor;

(iv) selection by the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions as a case study on the use of the development planning process to secure travel plans;

(v) secured Saturday Park and Ride services from West Ham Leisure Park and Gresley Road;

(vi) helped to secure shuttle bus services from Chineham Business Park to the town centre;

(vii) progressing the Chineham Station project;

(viii) Community Based Bus Study, eg Whitchurch Community Bus, and developing taxibus project;

(ix) concessionary fares;

(x) financial support to Dial-a-Ride;

(xi) support to Basingstoke Community Transport, Voluntary Drivers Forum, etc; and

(xii) support for the publication of a local bus map and timetable.

2.5 The new bus station, part of the Festival Place redevelopment, is expected to open in early 2002.

3. Current Situation

3.1 On 12 September 2001 the Borough Council's Cabinet formally endorsed the study. However, individual schemes will need to be presented to Cabinet for approval, once details have been developed.

3.2 The Borough Council's Environmental Overview Scrutiny Committee (OSCOM) Panel also met on this subject on 3 October when it was agreed that the study had met its objectives. The OSCOM Panel's role, to monitor progress on the study, was considered complete and the Panel agreed to refer the matter back to its parent Committee.

3.3 Public consultation on the proposals was scheduled for October and November 2001 to include a joint meeting of the Bus Working Group and the Local Bus Users' Forum on 20 November, aimed at coordinating the proposed Basingstoke Area Passenger Transport Forum, including its terms of reference. It is anticipated that the Bus Working Group and the Local Bus Users Forum will be disbanded in lieu of the new Forum.

4. Implementation

4.1 There are four key elements to ensuring the outcomes of the study are successfully implemented, summarised below.

4.2 Passenger Transport Improvement Strategy

(i) bus priority on urban corridors;

(ii) Park and Ride;

(iii) rural transport, eg demand responsive bus services, shared taxis, taxibuses;

(iv) community transport, eg flexible rural feeder services, door-to-door services for special needs groups;

(v) taxis/private hire - overlapping role with public transport (flexible rural feeder services);

(vi) improvements to bus network/infrastructure; and

(vii) pursue Quality Partnership with the County Council and Stagecoach in Hampshire.

4.3 Passenger Transport Information Strategy

(i) measures: printed matter, signing, telephone helplines, online real-time information; and

(ii) locations: home, bus stops, on board vehicles, bus/rail stations, public areas.

4.4 Passenger Transport Interchange Strategy

(i) adjust timetables for evening services at Basingstoke bus station for ease of change between services;

(ii) peak timetable connections between rail/bus;

(iii) interchanges at edge of town, rural centres; and

(iv) provide travel information at stops and stations for bus and train services.

4.5 Fares and Ticketing Strategy

(i) time-limited tickets;

(ii) wider coverage of weekly travel tickets to include rural areas;

(iii) wider availability of bus tickets; and

(iv) consider smartcard potential (longer term).

5. Way Forward

5.1 It is essential to recognise that the powers of local authorities are severely limited with regard to bus services. There is a duty not to inhibit commercial competition between bus operators, although there is both a duty and a power for County Councils to secure socially necessary services. District Councils, whilst not having such a duty, do have the powers to secure such services.

5.2 Both authorities must work together in partnership with others if they are to achieve the improvements in passenger transport that are sought. To enable this partnership it is proposed to establish a forum through which a variety of interested parties can be informed of developments, offer ideas and provide feedback to the executive agencies that ultimately have the responsibility of delivering change. These include:

(i) Hampshire County Council;

(ii) Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council;

(iii) Parish Councils;

(iv) Stagecoach in Hampshire and other bus operators;

(v) South West Trains (and potentially other train operating companies);

(vi) community transport providers;

(vii) taxi operators; and

(viii) major employers, hospitals and schools.

5.3 It is therefore proposed to create a two-tier partnership structure that would enable interaction between the bus operators, local authorities and other parties in a constructive way that would result in positive actions on the ground.

5.4 At one level it is proposed to create a consultative body enabling all organisations with an interest in passenger transport in the area to be represented, if they wish.

5.5 At a second level there is a Quality Bus Partnership between the major bus operator (and possibly other operators), the Borough Council and the County Council.

5.6 To fund the entire strategy will take substantial capital and revenue resources (see attached appendix). Through the Hampshire Local Transport Plan 2001-2006 there are the capital resources to implement these improvements and it is considered that a Bus Quality Partnership between the County Council, Borough Council and Stagecoach is the way forward in this respect. Consideration of the revenue implications is equally important and appropriate funding has yet to be identified. However, it is anticipated that, through its annual financial review, the Borough Council will be able to complement the County Council's capital programme with significant revenue allocations.

5.7 It should be borne in mind that the measures for improving passenger transport are a comprehensive strategy; in isolation each will have minimal impact but together they add up to the step-change that is sought.

6. Conclusion

6.1 A wide range of improvements to passenger transport in the Basingstoke Environmental Strategy for Transport (BEST) area has been put forward by the consultants. In combination, the proposed measures could have a significant impact on the quality of passenger transport provision, leading to a modal shift from the car. Implementation of these measures requires a combination of capital funding through the BEST programme and revenue funding, made available by the Borough Council. Additional initiatives such as fare strategies would endorse this approach.

6.2 It is considered that participation at all levels is essential for the implementation of the wide ranging measures to be successful. Accordingly, a new consultative body and a Quality Partnership for BEST, involving both local authorities and Stagecoach in Hampshire, are proposed to pursue the various initiatives.

Recommendations

1. That the Panel notes the recommendations of the consultants' study, as set out in this report.

2. That it be a RECOMMENDATION to the Executive Member for Environment that implementation of the proposed measures to support significant improvements in passenger transport provision in the Basingstoke Environmental Strategy for Transport area be approved.

6735/NR

APPENDIX

TIME FRAME AND INDICATIVE COSTS

as Proposed by Consultants' Study

*Selective Vehicle Detection