Agenda item

Resolved: That the Transport Committee endorses the progress made to date in developing a Bus Service Improvement Plan and provides any comments on the content of the Plan as set out in the submitted report.

The Transport Committee received an update on the development of the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and an overview of the key content that would be included in the final document.

As discussed at the last meeting of the Transport Committee, all Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) were required to produce a BSIP by the end of October setting out their regions’ ambitions and plans for recovering bus patronage after the effects of the pandemic, as well as growing the proportion of bus users. The BSIP was currently in development, and engagement had been ongoing with bus operators, representatives of passengers, businesses, and other stakeholders. Feedback was invited from Members, either at the meeting or afterward, which would then be used to guide the development of the BSIP. The BSIP would go to the Combined Authority for approval on 22 October, and the final version would also be circulated to Transport Committee Members in October.

Members welcomed the ambition to improve on the bus service rather than only to return to the pre-pandemic status quo. However, it was noted that less money was flowing through the system, with patronage still not exceeding two thirds of what it had been prior to the pandemic.

Planned ‘turn up and go’ services on major routes were discussed, along with the definition of a ‘core’ network, with Members highlighting that the region included many rural communities as well as those in more urban areas that were not well-served by buses, and there was a strong need to ensure they were not excluded from any development. These terms typically referred to services where buses would run every ten minutes or more frequently. Officers noted the need to balance the service available for well-used routes with those that were less-used but were still very important to their communities, and a challenge to be addressed by the BSIP would be determining how these more frequent services could be expanded to wider areas where possible while still fitting into the wider economy of the bus service.

Members raised the following other questions and concerns:

·       It was noted that the Government had agreed that the bus service network should maintain connectivity to serve all communities, so no shrinking of the network should result from the BSIP.

·       The need for a new model for rural and semi-rural areas was discussed, and the importance of connectivity for these communities – particularly the region’s market towns - was highlighted. Demand Responsive Transport was noted as a promising way forward in this area, along with other methods to evolve and transform the network in an ambitious way that reflected the adaptability that had been shown over the pandemic. 

·       Working conditions for the staff of the bus service were discussed. Drivers held a vital role in the region’s transport needs and were depended upon, and a shortage of drivers was already a problem nationally. Ensuring that drivers worked in good conditions with flexible working practices, good rates of pay, and that were able to work in patterns that accommodated them would support the provision of a reliable and punctual bus service. Members noted it would be useful to see details from operators on the levels of driver shortages they were experiencing, to ensure it did not lead to routes being closed.

·       The need for strong coordination and availability of information was noted, particularly in regards to real-time information displays at bus stops as well as information for operators regarding roadworks. Systems for these existed, but there were difficulties with ensuring that up-to-date data was regularly inputted, particularly because of the upheaval caused by the pandemic and the current period of driver shortages.

·       Making the bus service simpler to use for non-habitual users was identified as an important point. Colour-coded routes had been implemented in Leeds to address this, and the intention was to expand this across the region.

·       Timelines were requested by Members, to allow the rate of progress to be measured going forward. Officers advised that the final version of the BSIP would include timelines and KPIs.

·       The need to provide new bus services where opportunities existed was discussed, with the lack of a direct service between Huddersfield bus station and Leeds in particular being raised. Members also discussed working with stadiums to coordinate regarding availability of public transportation to football games.

·       The importance of communicating and celebrating successes was noted, and the under-19s fare scheme launched in July was highlighted as having led to a significant increase of bus patronage by young people.

The importance of bus priority schemes was discussed, and the congestion experienced by buses at Cooper Bridge in Kirklees was particularly noted. However, the implementation of bus priority lanes was limited by a lack of available space, particularly in areas of the region with more hilly terrain such as Calderdale.

Resolved: That the Transport Committee endorses the progress made to date in developing a Bus Service Improvement Plan and provides any comments on the content of the Plan as set out in the submitted report.