Contact: Keith Willcox, ext 6997 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report gives highlights of the work undertaken by the Passenger Transport Group in the East Hampshire area. It covers:

(i) Rail Strategy - Petersfield taxibus and South West Trains timetable; and

(ii) Community Transport - Cango Bus Services.

2. Rail Strategy

Petersfield Taxibus

2.1 The Petersfield Taxibus scheme is a South West Trains (SWT) initiative and was introduced at a press launch on 9 November 2004 following cursory consultation by SWT with East Hampshire District Council and the County Council.

2.2 The catchment area chosen for an experimental period of three to six months extends to the east of the station from Tor Way out as far as Penns Place, bounded in the north-east by the River Rother and in the south by Sussex Street. The aim of introducing the service was to alleviate peak hour car parking capacity problems at Petersfield station and to offer a `greener' solution to customers than driving to the station. The service is wholly funded by SWT.

2.3 Two branded Mercedes Vito 8-seater vehicles are utilised and the service operates broadly between 05.50 and 20.30 hours on Monday to Friday for a flat fare of just £1 each way. It is necessary to call the Taxibus Hotline in order to book a seat. There is no service at weekends or on bank holidays.

2.4 During the brief consultation period allowed by SWT, officers from the County Council and East Hampshire District Council made it clear that, while they welcomed SWT's initiative in offering an integrated transport service at Petersfield at no cost to the public purse, they considered the catchment area to be too restrictive to make best use of the facility and would have preferred a wider `roam zone', perhaps extending to the Meon Valley and/or Clanfield.

2.5 Although SWT made attempts to placate the Petersfield station taxi drivers regarding potential loss of trade, it is clear much resentment remains.

2.6 The actual results so far have been disappointing and SWT has instigated discussions with County Council officers about alternative uses for the vehicles, which could include uprooting the operation totally from Petersfield and transferring it elsewhere in the county. However, as a strategy this may be unwise on two counts; firstly it might create the impression that pressure from the taxi drivers had caused the withdrawal (a dangerous precedent for any introduction elsewhere) and secondly because the full potential of Petersfield as a focus has not been explored.

2.7 In conjunction with East Hampshire District Council, further discussions will be held with SWT to explore ways of enlarging the Petersfield `roam zone' to produce a more viable result, and to examine alternative scenarios elsewhere in the county.

Impact of the new South West Trains Timetable

2.8 With the new timetable introduced on 12 December 2004, SWT took the opportunity for the most thorough overhaul of services throughout its network since 1967.

2.9 Additional services had been added piecemeal over time to cater for an ever increasing number of passengers, with the result that the timetable was becoming unworkable and punctual operation practically impossible.

2.10 The new timetable is based on increased headways between trains and station 'dwell times` that more accurately reflect the reality of accommodating the additional numbers being carried, plus taking account of the operational characteristics of the new `Desiro' trains which are replacing `slam door' stock. The timetable is therefore more robust in operational terms and early results are showing an improvement in timekeeping.

2.11 Services have been recast to match supply and demand more accurately across the network, with the result that while some places have gained additional calls (notably Fleet and Farnborough) there are `losers' where services are decelerated by extra stops (notably off-peak services on the Alton line) or reduced.

2.12 SWT consulted with stakeholders at county and district level in terms of their broad objectives, but much of the detail had to wait until the draft timetables emerged, leaving little time for negotiation.

2.13 While Petersfield continues to enjoy an excellent service with all trains booked to call there, Liphook, Liss and Rowland's Castle lost peak services in the new timetable. Following representations by officers from the County Council and East Hampshire District Council, SWT agreed to introduce an additional stop at Liss (07.21) and Liphook (07.28) in a key commuter service. Unfortunately, SWT would not agree to providing an additional service at Rowland's Castle, nor to improving evening services to Liphook and Liss, which were less frequent than before.

2.14 More recently, following approaches from Liphook commuters, SWT has agreed to extend one of the evening services from Haslemere to serve Liphook and Liss.

2.15 The County Council and East Hampshire District Council, along with the Portsmouth-Waterloo Line Users' Group, are continuing to monitor service provision and performance on the line and have established a dialogue with SWT so that timetable problems can be raised and solutions sought.

3. Community Transport

Cango Bus Services operating in the eastern side of Hampshire - Update

3.1 The Cango bus services operating in the districts of East Hampshire, Hart and Basingstoke have been mainly funded by a successful application to the Rural Bus Challenge Fund. Additional funding has been secured by the conversion of existing bus services within the operational areas and also by incorporating a school contract.

3.2 The areas of operation were decided upon after independent transport consultants were employed to undertake a network review. Consultation was also held with the parishes as well as an East Hampshire area meeting.

3.3 The operational areas can be divided into three:

(i) the old 206 bus service area towards Binsted and Froyle into Alton;

(ii) an Alton to Basingstoke service via Four Marks and the Candovers; and

(iii) Long Sutton, Odiham area into Basingstoke.

In addition there is a commuter service from Four Marks into Alton railway station, enabling passengers to catch the 07:17 train and return on the 18:32 or 18:10 evening trains.

3.14 All services going to Basingstoke can serve both the hospital and the leisure centre on request, and the Alton destination points include the hospital and sports centre.

3.15 All services have a new branded low-floor vehicle, which remains in the ownership of the County Council but is let to the operator for the duration of the contract.

3.16 Cango does not have a designated route. Passengers know when, for example, they will arrive in Alton and what time they will leave Alton, but they will not know their individual pick up times until they have rung to make a journey request.

3.17 The publicity of the Cango services is extremely important and every effort is made to ensure that people are aware of the concept of these demand-responsive services. Shortly before services are introduced members of staff travel on the bus services which are to be converted to explain the changes to the passengers. Also, as many settlements as possible are visited with the vehicle prior to the launch to encourage people to find out more. Publicity is produced explaining how the service works and the operating times, and this is distributed door-to-door in the operating areas, with supplies being left at doctors' surgeries, post offices, etc.

3.18 In addition stopping points are installed which have stop specific information in them. Very few passengers actually use the stopping points as their pick-up point but they do serve as a permanent reminder in the communities of the bus service and how to use it. This is particularly important for the occasional user who may only use the service when, for example, their car is in for a service.

3.19 The vehicles themselves serve as another form of publicity, as they are brightly coloured with a striking livery which displays the booking telephone number.

3.20 Passengers have to register to use the services which are available to the general public. Upon registration they receive six free tickets and agree their own pick-up point. This is then entered into the booking system, thereby making the booking of future journeys quicker. (This pick-up point can be varied at any time.)

3.21 Whilst the main service operating in East Hampshire is in the old 206 area, Cango is able to avoid the vehicle having to go to unwanted pick-up or drop-off stops, and because of this it is able to cover a much wider geographical area, encompassing places previously without access to a bus service, such as Blacknest and Wyck.

3.22 Once passengers have made their journey request and been given a time, this information is then relayed directly to the vehicle in the form of a `pick-up' list.

3.23 The vehicles are low-floor and wheelchair accessible, and drivers are trained to give assistance to any passenger requiring it. Because the service operates with a small designated team of drivers they soon get to know the passengers, and the partnership between the drivers and passengers is essential to the success of the service, as experience shows that patronage will increase if passengers are confident in the service.

3.24 As there is direct communication with passengers at the point of booking, their comments and requests are able to be noted and fed into an ongoing review of the services.

3.25 As a direct result of passenger, driver and parish feedback, the services are currently being adjusted to provide Binsted area passengers with an earlier service into Alton. Also Ropley, which is not currently included in the services, will be part of the Basingstoke/Alton service. Confirmation from the operator is awaited, but these changes are expected to come into force from 4 April 2005. The publicity will be amended to show the changes and re-distributed.

3.26 There has been an overall increase in patronage of 37% from September to November 2004, and a 35% increase over the same period on the service operating in the Binsted area.

5. Operations and Special Needs Transport

5.1 There is nothing to report on these services at the present time.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

9185/KW