Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Executive Decision Record

1. The decision:

1.1. That an interim four months' tender, at an approximate cost of £21,000, be awarded to align with the Gosport local bus contracts area tender renewal and wider passenger transport expenditure reviews.

1.2. That the cost for the provision of the service be funded through available Royal Clarence Yard developer contributions, solely collected for the enhancement of bus services to the site.

2. Reason(s) for the decision:

2.1. Developer contributions have been negotiated towards the facilitation, provision, operation or improvement to new or existing bus services to the Royal Clarence Yard in Gosport which would meet the cost of the proposed service.

2.2. First Group intends to withdraw commercial bus services 29/30 Gosport to Haslar and Alverstoke from 30 August 2009 owing to continuing rises in operating costs and the realignment of health services relocating from the Haslar Hospital to the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham.

2.3. The proposal to award a contract in the interim period would provide continuity of bus services for the residents of Alverstoke and remaining employers, including QinetiQ. It would also open the local area to Gosport Borough Council regeneration plans for Haslar, Royal Clarence Yard and Priddy's Hard, providing new bus links to the Explosion Museum, recently completed housing, health services at the Medical Centre on Mumby Road and Gosport town centre.

3. Other options considered and rejected:

3.1. Accept First Group will withdraw the 29/30 services in total which would result in Alverstoke residents or workers not having access to a vital bus service.

3.2. Return developer contributions to the developers of the Royal Clarence Yard. As funds have been specifically negotiated to provide new or enhanced bus services for the development, it would be imprudent now not to implement a new service with the view of creating viable, sustainable journey opportunities in the longer term.

3.3. Award a contract for the current or revised 29/30 timetable providing continuity of bus services at an additional cost to the Public Transport budget. Any additional commitment to the Public Transport budget would be unaffordable within current constraints.

3.4. Divert an alternative bus service to serve Alverstoke. This proposal was rejected by the bus company. All daytime services in the immediate area are operated commercially and First considered that diversion of one of these would lose more passengers then they would gain.

3.5. Options for a Community Transport solution were considered but the volume of passengers recorded on the service would exceed the capacity of a Community Transport service.

4. Conflicts of interest:

4.1. Conflicts of interest declared by the decision-maker: None

4.2. Conflicts of interest declared by other Executive Members consulted: None

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee: None

6. Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent: Not applicable

7. Statement from the Decision Maker: