Contact: Tony Smale, ext 6926 email: [email protected]/

Alison Hull, ext 6926 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That approval be given to accept tenders for new four-year bus subsidy contracts resulting in the following service changes, most of which will take effect from September 2007, but some of which will be introduced earlier as the opportunity arises:

(i) Solent Blue Line Red Rocket A, Hamble-Netley-Hedge End-Eastleigh. Sunday services will revert to two hourly. The service has been hourly since February 2007, prior to that date it had been two hourly for many years;

(ii) First service 8A, Lords Hill-Southampton-West End. This frequent service will be extended into Hedge End using developer contributions from new housing at Dowds Farm, for a period of four years to establish whether it can become self-supporting;

(iii) Solent Blue Line service 6, Boorley Green-Hedge End-Southampton. Options for the Boorley Green-Hedge End section have been examined and it is proposed that service 6 be combined with service 29 providing through journeys to Southampton;

(iv) Solent Blue Line service 17. This service to be operated by Brijan and will incorporate an afternoon school service at considerable cost saving;

(v) Solent Blue Line service 29. Operation passes to First who will use low-floor accessible vehicles;

(vi) Solent Blue Line services 49/49A/49B. Low-floor accessible vehicles to be introduced;

(vii) Solent Blue Line school service 507. Times adjusted to suit school;

(viii) Barfoot & Sons school service 85. This lightly-used service has been withdrawn and replaced by a contracted minibus; and

(ix) Brijan school service A2. This afternoon-only service will be operated by Stagecoach at considerable cost saving.

2. Reason

2.1 These decisions will enable the continued provision of public transport services which give access to employment, education, health, retail and leisure facilities for the widest section of the community, whilst containing expenditure within the budget available. The cumulative effect of the changes listed in the above summary is to achieve a saving in excess of £50,000 per annum towards the overall savings target for 2007/08 and 2008/09.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 The area review considered a number of options for delivering local services which consisted of varying mixes of local bus and community transport services. Others were rejected on the grounds of not achieving best value for money nor providing good accessibility.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or Other Executive Member Consulted - None.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - None.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - None.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor M J Kendal

Executive Member for Environment

1343Decn/TS/AH