Archived decisions

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member-Spatial Strategy

9 March 2004

Project Appraisal: Community Transport Vehicle Funding

Report of the Director of Environment

Item 5

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

EXECUTIVE MEMBER-SPATIAL STRATEGY

PROJECT APPRAISAL

(Externally Funded)

PROJECT:

COMMUNITY TRANSPORT VEHICLE FUNDING

COMMENCEMENT DATE:

MARCH 2004

COMPLETION DATE:

DECEMBER 2004

PLANNED YEAR OF START IN ACCORDANCE WITH CAPITAL PROGRAMME: 2003/04

7.

7.1

Scheme

Introduction

A sum of £524,762 from the Local Transport Plan (LTP) for 2001/03 has already been used to assist with the capital costs of providing ten accessible minibuses at community transport schemes across Hampshire.

Through the implementation of this project every effort has been made to attract match funding from other sources. As a result of this the original sum will have been restored to a level of £310,000 by the end of this financial year. This is due to the matching contributions which have been secured from local district councils, primary care trusts and most of the community transport schemes themselves. It is now proposed to continue the process of supporting community transport schemes by using this money to purchase additional vehicles.

In addition to this a further £185,000 is available, from the Testbed Rural Bus Challenge bid, to purchase four vehicles to prime the setting up of a new community transport scheme in the Test Valley. The successful bus challenge bid will also be providing the majority of the first year costs of supporting a Transport Co-Ordinator for the new community transport scheme, with the County Council providing the balance of funding required through the community transport budget. Establishing a community transport scheme was one of the aims of the successful Testbed Bus Challenge bid.

This continued programme of support will help to provide a secure basis for the future funding of community transport schemes, enabling them to sustain and develop their services whilst supporting the LTP objectives of accessibility and social inclusion. It will also help to resource the community transport sector so that it is able to play a part in providing feeder services into future bus service core routes as the network is reviewed and refocused. Above all, the best value transport reviews have identified a clear role for the community transport sector in supplying local transport services.

A review of community transport schemes in Hampshire was undertaken in 1999. One particular issue identified was that of future funding arrangements. If schemes are to continue to offer accessible vehicles at affordable rates, thus enhancing social inclusion, there is a need to provide assistance to meet increasing capital costs.

7.2

Details

The allocation of these vehicles is based on the following:

(i) Proposals in the draft Community Transport Plan. This involved a needs assessment which has to determine what the baseline level of provision should be in each district of Hampshire. This, among other things, proposes the number of vehicles that should be available in each area.

(ii) The age/mileage profile and condition of the vehicle fleet currently owned by community transport schemes in Hampshire.

(iii) The opportunities to develop the community transport sector as a whole.

(iv) That as many schemes as possible should benefit, particularly those which had received little support through previous replacement programmes.

(v) The possibility of drawing in match funding from other sources.

Using this approach the following schemes will benefit from this latest round of support:

(i) Basingstoke Community Transport 2 vehicles

(ii) Community Transport for East Hampshire 2 vehicles

(iii) Fareham Community Action 1 vehicle

(iv) Test Valley Community Services 4 vehicles

These vehicles will be purchased and owned by the County Council and located at schemes for their utilisation under the terms of service agreements.

7.3

Standards

The vehicles will comply with all necessary legal and safety requirements.

7.4

Statutory Procedures and Consultation

No statutory procedures are required.

7.5

Policy Considerations

The need to develop the community transport sector has been identified in both the Passenger Transport Group and cross-cutting transport review action plans. The need for a strategic approach towards supporting the sector is also set out in the Accessible Transport Strategy which has been adopted by the County and District Councils and many other organisations in Hampshire.

7.6

Environmental Impacts

Opportunities for developing community transport services across Hampshire will be significantly enhanced through this programme, potentially leading to lower car usage. In particular this may be so where the sector has the potential to provide local flexible feeder services which are demand responsive and needs led. These alternatives to the conventional bus service will be provided with smaller vehicles, thus reducing vehicle impact on the environment.

7.7

Land Requirement

Not applicable.

7.8

Alternative Arrangements

There are no feasible alternative arrangements. Without investment from the statutory agencies in Hampshire, community transport schemes will be unable to maintain their current levels of activities and this will have a detrimental effect on the overall transport network in Hampshire.

7.9

Local Members' Views

Consultation with local Members will take place on the allocation of resources for individual community transport schemes in their area.

7.10

Crime and Disorder Act 1998

Developing the community transport sector will enhance accessibility and reduce isolation, particularly in rural areas, for those people or families which do not have access to their own transport. Such facilities, targeted at youth to access recreational and leisure facilities, could help to reduce incidences of vandalism. The demand-responsive nature of some services, particularly where these provide a door-to-door transport service, could offer some reassurance to those people who may have concerns about personal safety on conventional public transport.

7.11

Sustainability

The community transport sector has the potential to play a key role in providing transport opportunities in areas and at times when it is not feasible or cost effective to provide a conventional bus service. Consequently, the sector could help to sustain the present travel opportunities provided by the transport network whilst making use of alternative approaches.

8.

Financial Arrangements

8.1

Expenditure

£'000

Funds Available

£'000

Design Fee

Nil

Other Funding (local district councils/primary care trusts/ community transport schemes)

Bus Challenge

310

185

Supervision

Vehicles

495

Land

____

____

Total

495

Total

495

____

____

8.2

Revenue Implications

£'000

% Variation to Committee's budget

Net increase in

current expenditure

Nil

Nil

Capital Charge

116

0.125

____

____

Total Expenditure

116

0.125

____

____

8.3

Maintenance Implications

The operating cost of the vehicles once purchased will be covered by the community transport schemes themselves. The costs will be recovered through hire charges to organisations using the vehicles and income from contracts for providing specific services. This will recover some of the future vehicle replacement costs, although the majority of these will need to be addressed through the Community Transport Development Plan.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1.

Published works.

2.

Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE

LOCATION

Community Transport Development Plan - File 15/16.4.2.4/.5/.6

Environment Department

Room 206