Agenda and minutes

Venue: Main Hall, The Kings Centre, Halifax

Contact: Andrew Atack 

Items
No. Item

7.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Graham Meiklejohn, Jonathan Woodhouse and Pete Myers.

 

Matters Arising

 

Resolved: That John Sheppard be confirmed as deputy chair.

8.

Encouraging Young People To Use Buses

This will be a presentation provided by a representative from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Minutes:

The subcommittee was shown a presentation outlining the findings from a consultation conducted to encourage more young people to use buses.

 

The following were identified by the subcommittee as particular concerns reducing bus use amongst young people:

 

·         Inconsistencies and confusion about pricing; sometimes the same price is charged for different stops

 

·         They are not sure how to order tickets or engage with drivers

 

·         Timetables are too difficult to decipher and lack vital information such as how long a journey will take

 

·         Younger people are less willing to wait in the cold and rain when it is easier to call a parent

 

·         They are afraid and unsure of what to do if a bus doesn’t come – especially if it is the last bus

 

The following were suggested by the subcommittee to encourage more young people to use buses:

 

·         Customer interaction training for drivers to deal with younger people

 

·         Bus operators engage with primary schools and introduce buses to children

 

·         Target parents in any campaigns and promotions

 

·         Develop an evidence base to determine why young people don’t use buses in different postcodes and regions, to better target responses based on social class, culture, geography etc

 

·         Combat cultural association of cars with freedom, to align more with London’s attitude to public transport

 

Resolved: That the presentation and the subcommittee’s feedback be noted.

9.

Operator Updates

This will be presented by representatives from the bus and rail operators.

Minutes:

Operators reported no major changes to services, except for the implementation of contactless card technology on First buses.

 

Resolved: That the operator updates be noted.

10.

Minutes From The Meeting Held On 10 October 2017 pdf icon PDF 268 KB

Copy attached.

Minutes:

An information error and three minor spelling errors were noted.

 

Resolved: That the minutes of the last meeting be approved, pending the following corrections:

 

·         on p3: ’36 stations as part of phase 1 would be completed by the end of 2017’ – in place of ‘Phase 1 stations […] are due to be completed by the end of 2017’.

 

·         on p4: ‘…the town centre would benefit from a sympathetic…’ – in place of ‘synthetic’. 

 

·         on p4: ‘Meg Gilet’ – be replaced by ‘Meg Gilett

 

·         on p4: ‘Geoff Woods’ – be replaced by ‘Geoff Wood’.

11.

Information Report pdf icon PDF 273 KB

This will provide the opportunity for questions to be raised from the floor with a focus on matters of wider interest.

Minutes:

An information report was presented updating the sub-committee on matters relating to the Calderdale district and followed by questions and a discussion covering the following:

 

·         The Combined Authority is working with operators to explore discounted ticket options to support young people

 

·         That the air quality stickers on the side of buses signify that particular bus’s emission quality, not the entire operator.

 

·         There are no plans to adopt electric buses more widely at the current time due to infrastructure and cost considerations.

 

·         Bus usage has reduced overall nationally, including in London, but has increased in West Yorkshire (for Arriva and First).

 

·         All bus drivers must undergo compulsory in-house disability training.

 

·         There are plans to run more commercial services between hospitals as the current minibuses are not wheelchair accessible. 

 

Public representatives suggested:

 

·         That no bus be able to charge more than £2 for a single fare after 7pm, as is the policy established by the Mayor of Greater Manchester.

 

·         Introducing two different timetables at stops and stations, as they do in Manchester: one listing the buses and the times and the other displaying the bus’s route.

 

·         Colour coding bus stop information to match bus routes.

 

·         That the report regarding accessible transport links to the hospital be distributed to the subcommittee and its contents considered further.

 

An objection was raised about the decision to exclude the Todmorden – Hebden Bridge section of the cycle path from the current scheme, whilst retaining the Hebden Bridge - Luddendenfoot section. Dissatisfaction was also expressed about this decision being taken by ‘unelected officers’ instead of being referred back to elected members. It was noted that the Leader of Calderdale Council was in discussion with the Combined Authority’s Managing Director about the cycle path plans.

 

Resolved: That the information report be noted.

12.

Open Forum

This will provide the opportunity for questions to be raised from the floor with a focus on matters of wider interest.

Minutes:

No questions were raised during the open forum.