Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report

1. Executive Summary

1.1. The purpose of this paper is to consider the award of a contract which utilises currently unspent developer contributions to provide a new bus service and mitigate the effects of a decision by First Group to withdraw from commercially operated bus services 29/30 in August 2009.

1.2. This paper sets out the background to the current situation and considers the impact on the Public Transport budget and future service levels.

2. Contextual information

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. Finance

3.1. The interim four months' tender, at an approximate cost of £21,000, could be funded through available Royal Clarence Yard developer contributions collected solely for the provision of new or enhanced local bus services.

3.2. If agreed, the proposal would result in a cost neutral impact on the Public Transport budget for a four months' interim period prior to retendering of the Gosport area bus service contracts in December 2009.

3.3. As financial pressures remain on the Public Transport budget, the tendering of Gosport area bus contracts will take place within the context of a wider review of passenger transport budgetary expenditure. Therefore there is no agreement at present to continue funding the proposed service in the longer term.

4. Performance

4.1. Services 29/30 carried approximately 71,364 passengers a year with 79% of the demand being from passengers travelling between Alverstoke and Gosport Ferry. One in ten journeys was to or from the stop at Haslar Hospital. The first phase of 300 homes in the new mixed use development is complete or well advanced. The development of 700 homes will include social housing and a cinema and when complete is anticipate to attract between 7,000 and 12,000 journeys a year.

5. Other key issues

5.1. Services 29/30 provide transport links for Alverstoke residents and workers. First Group's decision to withdraw the services would result in the nearest alternative bus routes being on Jellicoe Avenue, Gosport. This is some 1,000 metres from residential housing and industries adjacent to the Haslar Hospital on the Gosport Peninsula.

5.2. It is proposed to award a contract for an interim four month period which would provide continued access to the only bus service for residents of Alverstoke. The new bus service would also open up the local area to regeneration providing transport links for the first time to the Explosion Museum at Priddy's Hard. In addition, residents of Royal Clarence Yard will benefit from improved access to health service at the Waterside Medical Centre on Mumby Road and transport links to the Gosport Ferry and shops.

6. Future direction

6.1. The use of Royal Clarence Yard developer contributions seems appropriate to fund a new bus service. The service meets value for money criteria and could otherwise have a good claim for support from the Public Transport budget at the likely expense of less, well used journeys elsewhere.

7. Recommendations

7.1. 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.

7.2. 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.

2112Rpt/853/MM

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Links to the Corporate Strategy

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:

1. Equalities Impact Assessment:

1.1. Not applicable

2. Impact on Crime and Disorder:

2.1. Not applicable

3. Climate Change:

a) How does what is being proposed impact on our carbon footprint / energy consumption?

Provision of the proposed bus service would provide an alternative to travel by car.

b) How does what is being proposed consider the need to adapt to climate change, and be resilient to its longer term impacts?

The proposed service makes the new development and surrounding community more sustainable in transport terms.