Contact: Kevin Ings , ext 6986

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That the arrangements for the Hart Community Transport Scheme, Transport to Hospital Service and Rural Transport Links Service be agreed so that applications for funding these schemes can be submitted to the Countryside Agency.

2. Reason

2.1 To progress the three new proposed transport initiatives for Hart.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 Taking no action.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer consulted - None.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor K B Estlin

7. Introduction

7.1 Following a recent transport survey in Hart three new community transport initiatives are being proposed. The arrangements for these schemes need to be agreed so that applications can be submitted to the Countryside Agency in order to secure contributions towards the costs of their implementation.

8. Background

8.1 Hampshire County Council has, in partnership with Hart District Council, undertaken a transport survey in Hart to identify local transport needs which could be addressed through new passenger transport schemes. The intention was that any new schemes could be introduced by making use of monies which are currently available from the Countryside Agency through both the Rural Transport Partnership Scheme and the Parish Transport Grants Scheme. Both schemes are aimed at improving transport in rural areas and reducing social exclusion.

8.2 The idea for a transport survey originated from a previous Rushmoor and Hart Transport Forum. The exercise was not intended to be a panacea in itself. It was instead intended as a starting point to provide a basic snapshot position of the situation in Hart, whilst at the same time identifying issues which could be progressed to achieve some practical `quick wins' on the ground, aimed to meet the aspirations expressed by both the district council and local organisations for action in this area.

9. Scheme Proposals

9.1 The transport survey was undertaken with the support of an independent transport consultant who helped to facilitate the consultation aspects of the survey. The process involved a number of local workshop sessions with key stakeholders, transport providers and users, individual interviews with representatives from key organisations in the area and several meetings with the parish and town councils in the area.

9.2 A mapping exercise of existing service provision was also undertaken. The survey took into account previous transport studies and strategies which relate to the area. As a result of this survey the following new transport initiatives are being proposed for Hart:

(i) Transport to Hospital Service;

(ii) Rural Transport Links Service; and

(iii) Hart Community Transport Scheme.

These schemes are now considered in more detail.

10. Transport to Hospital Service

10.1 A wheelchair accessible transport service is proposed on five days each week from the parishes of Hart to Basingstoke and Frimley Park Hospitals. At the outset, the scheme is expected to operate on three days per week to Basingstoke, and on two days to Frimley Park. The balance of operating days may change in the light of experience.

10.2 The problems associated with accessing both Basingstoke and Frimley Park Hospitals featured prominently throughout the transport survey. The proposed service would:

(i) provide direct transport links to the hospitals;

(ii) reduce the journey time, particularly for those people in a frail condition, for trips to hospital which can often be lengthy by public transport and involve a number of changes;

(iii) ease the burden on voluntary car schemes providing trips to hospitals, thus creating scheduling capacity for more local journeys; and

(iv) provide an accessible transport option for those people who find it difficult to use public transport to get to hospital.

10.3 There has been some discussion about whether a five day a week service should be provided to both Basingstoke and Frimley Park Hospitals at the outset. This approach would require additional funding of £90,000 in the first year. The proposed scheme is seen as a way of providing additional opportunities for making journeys to hospital and will be used as a pilot to monitor the level of need for these journeys, including requests for non-operating days. Subject to demand, this information could be used as a basis for extending the times of operation of this service.

11. Rural Transport Links Service

11.1 A demand responsive accessible minibus service is proposed on five days per week that will provide opportunities for shopping, visiting the doctor's surgery and social trips for people in rural communities who either do not have existing public bus services or find them difficult to use. Each parish will receive a service on at least two days a week to two or more retail venues.

11.2 Hart's rural population is dispersed over a relatively large geographical area. The scheduled bus services serving the large population centres run to well defined routes that pass through some of the smaller settlements. Most of the services are provided, or include trips that are provided, under contract to Hampshire County Council. Services outside the large towns are infrequent and, because of this, they are often unsuited to people's personal requirements for the duration of shopping and other journeys.

11.3 Some settlements are bypassed altogether by the scheduled bus services. Some members of the community, particularly the older and disabled, are unable to access these bus services because of their location or personal physical frailty. Whilst there is a dial-a-ride provision in Hart this only operates on one day a week in the western part of the district, in contrast to the five days a week operation on the eastern side of Hart.

12. Hart Community Transport Scheme

12.1 The proposed establishment of a district-wide Hart Community Transport Scheme would develop the most effective use of existing community transport resources within the community and act as a local reference point for increasing and developing the transport opportunities for individuals and groups in the district through the community transport sector. One key feature of this new scheme would be the operation of the two new services previously outlined.

12.2 It is generally recognised that community transport services in Hart are not as well developed as in some areas of Hampshire. A notable difference between Hart and other parts of the county is the absence of a coordinated transport approach in the district. It is one of the few districts not to have a recognised community transport scheme.

12.3 There was overwhelming support during the consultation period for the establishment of a Community Transport Scheme. The scheme would employ a transport organiser with a remit to support and develop new community transport initiatives, acting as a catalyst for increasing the number of trips provided by the community transport sector to help people access shopping, health and social facilities in the area. It will be essential that this is done in a manner which complements the existing public transport services in the area.

12.4 Experience elsewhere in the county shows that where these schemes are set up they offer a catalyst in the sector for improving existing and developing new transport services. One particular example is in the New Forest. The local Council for Voluntary Service operates a number of minibuses, facilitates a district-wide minibus brokerage scheme (including Social Services' vehicles) and operates a number of schemes which are being funded through the Rural Transport Partnership Scheme. These include a moped scheme for young people and shopping trips for older and disabled people. A number of other initiatives have also been tried for young people.

12.5 To be successful, a community transport scheme needs to have the backing of the community at large and the local funders. The location of the scheme is a key issue. For Hart, a strong tie-in with the voluntary sector is also a key requirement. A number of participants saw Hart Voluntary Action as the natural home for any scheme and negotiations are now at an advanced stage with this organisation over the setting up of the scheme.

12.6 The establishment of a community transport scheme in Hart will enable the County Council and its partners to begin to meet the objectives which have been set out in the recently completed Community Transport Development Plan. The plan aims to put in place the necessary infrastructure which will enable the community transport sector to play its part in providing journeys as part of the overall transport network.

13. Scheme Costs

13.1 The Community Transport Scheme is the cornerstone initiative for the new schemes in Hart, all other schemes relate to this. Discussions with Hart Voluntary Action have identified that the cost of operating a Hart Community Transport Scheme in the next financial year is estimated at £33,500. This would be an ongoing revenue commitment.

13.2 A maximum of £20,000 (the limit available for funding posts) could be available from the Countryside Agency up until March 2005. The remaining funding for this scheme will need to be provided by Hampshire County Council and Hart District Council. The Community Transport Scheme would therefore be funded in the following way:

Countryside Agency £20,000

Hampshire County Council £6,750

Hart District Council £6,750

Total Cost £33,500

13.3 If the Countryside Agency's current arrangement with the Government for the Rural Transport Partnership Scheme is extended beyond March 2005, then a further year's funding may be available until March 2006. If the scheme proves successful, the full costs would need to be met by the agencies involved in providing the match-funding once the funding from the Countryside Agency ceases. During this period every effort will be made to secure a contribution from the local Primary Care Trust.

13.4 The new Transport to Hospital Service and the Rural Transport Links Service would be operated by the new Hart Community Transport Scheme. The cost of operating these schemes in the next financial year is estimated at £40,777 and £37,772 respectively. Discussions are under way with the Countryside Agency to secure 75% of the funding required for this service through the Parish Transport Grants Scheme as part of a consortium bid with parish councils.

13.5 Again, funding from the Countryside Agency is only available until March 2005 although there may be the opportunity to draw down further money beyond this period if the national arrangement is continued. The length of funding available through the Parish Transport Grants Scheme will be partly dependent on the number of parishes prepared to be part of a consortium bid, as parish councils are each only eligible for a maximum grant of £10,000. For example, support from twelve parish councils would provide funding until March 2005.

13.6 Parish and town councils in Hart have been invited to support these services by being part of the consortium grant application to the Countryside Agency, led by the County Council, and by providing a proportion of the match-funding needed, calculated on the basis of the number of households in their area. Out of the eighteen councils, ten have already confirmed their support whilst others have given encouraging responses informally. In order for this scheme to progress the remaining match-funding needs to be guaranteed by the County and District Councils. This will reduce if more parish and town councils come on board. The two services would need to be funded in the following way:

Countryside Agency £58,912

Hart parish and town councils £10,283

Hart District Council £4,677

Hampshire County Council £4,677

Total Cost £78,549

13.7 If these schemes prove successful then the full costs would need to be met by the parties involved in providing the match-funding once the money from the Countryside Agency ceases. Clearly, involving the parish councils in match-funding these schemes at this stage is seen as part of the strategy for sustaining these schemes in the longer term.

13.8 There is also a need to finance the purchase of three new minibuses. One vehicle would be allocated to both the Transport to Hospital Service and the Rural Transport Links Service. The third vehicle would act as a backup to these two vehicles and be available for group hire through the proposed Community Transport Scheme at other times. The total cost of purchasing these vehicles is estimated at £165,000. It is expected that this cost will be covered in the following way:

Hart District Council £45,000

Primary Care Trust £25,000

Hampshire County Council £95,000

13.9 A summary of the funding requirements is listed below:

2002/03 Capital Costs

	Hampshire County Council	Hart District Council	Primary Care Trust
Purchase of three new vehicles	95,000	45,000	25,000

2003/04 Revenue Costs

Scheme	Countryside Agency	Hampshire County Council	Hart District Council	Parish Councils
Hart Community Transport Scheme	20,000	6,750	6,750
Transport to Hospital Service	30,583	2,428	2,428	5,338
Rural Transport Links Service	28,329	2,249	2,249	4,945
Total	78,912	11,427	11,427	10,283

13.10 It is likely that the Hart Rural Transport Links Service will replace the need for the existing one day a week dial-a-ride service which operates in the western parishes of Hart. If this is the case it would allow the County and District Councils to recycle the £3,975 each currently spends on this service to help fund the three proposed new transport initiatives. When developing this service every effort will be made to pursue this approach.

13.11 The County Council's contribution towards the capital costs for the vehicles will be met through monies which have been allocated in the Local Transport Plan for purchasing community transport vehicles. The revenue costs for the services can be met from the Community Transport budget.

14. How Will the Success of the Scheme be Monitored and Evaluated?

14.1 Patronage figures will be used as the main means of measuring the success of the Transport to Hospital Service and the Rural Transport Links Service.

The target figures for the Transport to Hospital Service are:

Year 1 3,000 passenger trips per annum;

Year 2 4,000 passenger trips per annum;

Year 3 5,000 passenger trips per annum.

The target figures for the Rural Transport Links Service are:

Year 1 3,750 passenger trips per annum;

Year 2 5,000 passenger trips per annum;

Year 3 6,250 passenger trips per annum.

14.2 The County Council's Community Transport Team will assume responsibility for monitoring scheme outputs in partnership with the newly formed Hart Community Transport Scheme. Regular progress reports will be provided to the Countryside Agency through the Hampshire Rural Transport Partnership.

15. Conclusion

15.1 With the help of the local community a number of new practical transport initiatives have been identified and developed for improving travel in Hart. Whilst not representing a panacea in themselves the schemes will provide some new opportunities to make journeys in those areas where people currently perceive there are problems. They will also complement the existing public transport services in the area.

15.2 The initiatives appear to have widespread support, to the extent of encouraging parish councils to raise match-funding for the two new transport services by raising their precepts and being part of a County Council led consortium bid to the Parish Transport Grants Scheme. This is particularly encouraging as, since the introduction of this funding stream, only one parish council in Hampshire has made use of this.

15.3 If the momentum is not to be lost then the match-funding arrangements need to be confirmed so that funding applications can be submitted to the Countryside Agency. These new initiatives will enable schemes to the value of £112,000 per annum to be introduced into Hart. This would draw down £79,000 per annum from the Countryside Agency at least up until March 2005. If the capital money for vehicles is also taken into account it will represent an investment of some £277,000 in the next year in Hart.

15.4 The additional money required from the County Council in the next financial year would be £11,427. If the money from the one day a week existing dial-a-ride service can be counted against this then the amount would reduce to £7,452. This can be funded from the Community Transport budget. The County Council's contribution towards the capital costs for the vehicles will be funded through the Local Transport Plan capital programme.

15.5 There has been a recognition for some time that there is a need to extend the one day a week dial-a-ride service in the western parishes of Hart. The proposed new transport services will be accessible and consequently provide a cost-effective means of extending journey opportunities for disabled people unable to use existing public transport. It will be a more cost-effective way of doing this because it will be aimed at a much wider user base.

7649/KI