Councillors and committees

Agenda item

National Bus Strategy - Bus Back Better - A Bus Service Improvement Plan for Surrey

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

1.    That Cabinet welcomes the level of aspiration and the proposed initiatives set out in the draft Bus Service Improvement Plan for Surrey, including the proposed measures aiming to ensure buses can operate reliably on Surrey’s roads.

2.    That Cabinet agrees that the draft Bus Service Improvement Plan for Surrey be submitted to the Department for Transport by the 31 October 2021 deadline, with authority delegated to the Executive Director for Environment, Transport and Infrastructure in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure to agree the final document.

3.    That Cabinet support the proposed draft governance arrangements that will oversee the delivery and further development of the draft Bus Service Improvement Plan.

4.    That a further report is taken to Cabinet once levels of Government funding are confirmed, setting out the interventions and improvements to be delivered in partnership with Surrey’s bus operators.

Reasons for Decisions:

 

The Government’s aspirations in the National Bus Strategy, to be delivered through Bus Service Improvement Plans and Enhanced Partnership schemes, support the Council’s own intentions within the emerging new Surrey Transport Plan, to encourage modal shift and a deliver a reduction in carbon and other emissions from the transport sector.

A Cabinet Member for Highways & Infrastructure report on 29 June 2021 gave approval to proceed with the development of Enhanced Partnerships with bus operators and to issue a notice of intent to prepare Enhanced Partnership Schemes, as set out in section 138F of the Transport Act 2000.

The Bus Service Improvement Plan in the next task, to be completed and submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) by 31 October 2021.

This council and our bus operator partners will then develop and enter into formal Enhanced Partnership arrangement, to commence on 1 April 2022.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee]

 

 

Minutes:

The report was introduced by the Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure who explained that a new National Bus Strategy for England (Bus Back Better) was published by the Government on 15 March 2021 and requires a Local Transport Authority to consider its role in encouraging more people to travel by bus post-Covid 19 and sets out aspirations for bus services that are more frequent, more reliable, easier to understand and use, better-coordinated, cheaper to use and with high quality information for passengers. The BSIP sets out the interventions and investment proposed by the council and the bus industry to deliver Bus Back Better in Surrey, alongside the funding ask from Government. The BSIP had been developed with bus operators, community transport providers, adjoining Local Transport Authorities and other stakeholders. £9m for bus priority measures has already been allocated within the Council’s capital pipeline and a half-fare scheme and a free fare scheme for young people under 20 years of age, irrespective of whether in full time education is also being costed for potential inclusion in the BSIP. There was a recognition that buses would be more important going forward as the cost of driving goes up. The punctuality of buses and greener buses was vital as part of the BSIP.

 

Marisa Heath left the meeting at 15:33 and returned at 15:36

 

Jonathan Essex queried how hydrogen bus trials had progressed and what was being done to keep the cost of bus fares down. The Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure explained that an update on the trials would be submitted to the relevant Select Committee. The fuel type used by buses was determined by the route taken so shorter routes would use electric and longer routes hydrogen. The cost of taking a bus was significantly higher than trains but in a resident survey fares for buses was listed as the sixth most important factor when taking a bus. The council was working with operators to reduce fees for under 20-25s.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.    That Cabinet welcomes the level of aspiration and the proposed initiatives set out in the draft Bus Service Improvement Plan for Surrey, including the proposed measures aiming to ensure buses can operate reliably on Surrey’s roads.

2.    That Cabinet agrees that the draft Bus Service Improvement Plan for Surrey be submitted to the Department for Transport by the 31 October 2021 deadline, with authority delegated to the Executive Director for Environment, Transport and Infrastructure in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure to agree the final document.

3.    That Cabinet support the proposed draft governance arrangements that will oversee the delivery and further development of the draft Bus Service Improvement Plan.

4.    That a further report is taken to Cabinet once levels of Government funding are confirmed, setting out the interventions and improvements to be delivered in partnership with Surrey’s bus operators.

Reasons for Decisions:

 

The Government’s aspirations in the National Bus Strategy, to be delivered through Bus Service Improvement Plans and Enhanced Partnership schemes, support the Council’s own intentions within the emerging new Surrey Transport Plan, to encourage modal shift and a deliver a reduction in carbon and other emissions from the transport sector.

A Cabinet Member for Highways & Infrastructure report on 29 June 2021 gave approval to proceed with the development of Enhanced Partnerships with bus operators and to issue a notice of intent to prepare Enhanced Partnership Schemes, as set out in section 138F of the Transport Act 2000.

The Bus Service Improvement Plan in the next task, to be completed and submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) by 31 October 2021.

This council and our bus operator partners will then develop and enter into formal Enhanced Partnership arrangement, to commence on 1 April 2022.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Communities, Environment and Highways Select Committee]

 

 

Supporting documents: