Agenda item

(Lead Member: The Mayor, Director: Dave Pearson)

Resolved:

(a)      That the publication of the Notice To Prepare An Assessment of the Need for a Franchising Scheme be approved.

(b)      That the publication of the Notice of Intent for the Enhanced Partnership be approved.

(c)      That the Government’s publication of the National Bus Strategy, the requirement for the Bus Service Improvement Plan be noted and the vision and objectives for the Plan as set out in the submitted report be endorsed.

(d)      That the approach to the deployment of emergency funding for bus services for the remainder of 2021/22 as set out in the submitted report be endorsed pending further guidance from Government.

The Combined Authority considered a report of the Director of Transport and Property Services on bus reform and the next steps.

Members discussed a proposal to start the process of introducing a bus franchising scheme into West Yorkshire and details of the next steps to deliver the Mayoral pledge to bring buses back into public control were set out in the submitted report.  Such a scheme would enable the Mayor to define routes, fares and service levels to make bus services more affordable, accessible and improve connections between communities. A copy of the ‘Notice To Prepare An Assessment of the Need for a Franchising Scheme’ was attached at Appendix 1. 

It was noted that the statutory process leading to a formal decision being taken on franchising would take some time and the franchise assessment would be subject to public consultation. Therefore, in the interim, it was proposed to establish an Enhanced Partnership with operators which would deliver earlier improvements and provide a better bus service for passengers .  Members discussed the proposal which would give access to Government funding next year. A copy of the ‘Notice of Intent for the Enhanced Partnership’ was attached at Appendix 2.  A Bus Service Improvement Plan has to be developed in partnership with the operators and submitted as part of the bidding process by October 2021 and the Authority endorsed the vision and objectives for the Plan as set out in the submitted report.  A further report would be brought to a future meeting.

The current position in respect of the emergency funding issued by Government to bus operators and Local Transport Authorities during the pandemic was noted.  The Government had advised that further funding will be available to support the recovery of bus fare revenues for September 2021 until March 2022.  The Authority was advised that details of the value and mechanism of the funding were still awaited and Members discussed and endorsed the principles for deploying emergency funding for the remainder of the year which were outlined in the submitted report. A report would be prepared for a future meeting when further details had been received from the Government.

The importance of devolving all public transport including rail to the regions was also highlighted and a report would be brought to a future meeting.

Members voted on the recommendations of the report with the following results:

          For:              7

          Against:        0

          Abstentions: 2

The recommendations were therefore carried.

Resolved:

(a)      That the publication of the Notice To Prepare An Assessment of the Need for a Franchising Scheme be approved.

(b)      That the publication of the Notice of Intent for the Enhanced Partnership be approved.

(c)      That the Combined Authority notes the Government’s publication of the National Bus Strategy and the requirement for the Bus Service Improvement Plan and endorses the vision and objectives for the Plan as set out in the submitted report.

(d)      That the approach to the deployment of emergency funding for bus services for the remainder of 2021/22 as set out in the submitted report be endorsed pending further guidance from Government.