APPLICATION OF FUNDING IN
2002/03
7. It is imperative that the Executive can agree which tenders
to accept at this meeting for the following reasons:
a) So that there can be a smooth transition in service
provision for the benefit of the passengers using the services.
b) That there be sufficient time to ensure incorporation of the
details of the services in timetables and other publicity material.
c) To ensure compliance with the bus service registration
period required by the Traffic Commissioner.
d) That there can be a reasonable mobilisation period for the
operators.
8. Accordingly, Members of the Select Committee were asked to
consider the options arising from the tendering process.
9. Tenders for individual contracts were received from only
three operators, with certain operators bidding for only a small number of the
contracts and some of the prospective contracts receiving no tenders
whatsoever.
10. If Members were to choose to “shop” for contracts on an
individual tender basis, then this would result in loss of services in
comparison to current levels, since tenders for individual contacts are
considerably higher than the value offered by a Southern Vectis Group Tender
that has also been submitted.
11. In order to continue to provide all of these services which
have proven popular with passengers to date, and to do this within available
budgets, consideration can only be given to a Group Tender received from
Southern Vectis. This Group Tender for
a two year term also makes allowances for the addition of a small number of new
services that have been identified as desirable during the consultation
process.
12. Acceptance of the Southern Vectis Group Tender would enable
the following services to continue:
a) Evening services on Mondays to Saturdays on the
Newport-Wootton-Ryde route.
b) Early morning journeys from Bembridge to Ryde and from
Ventnor to Newport on Mondays to Saturdays.
c) Evening services on Mondays to Saturdays on the
Ventnor-Wroxall-Newport route.
d) Sunday evening journeys on the Ryde to Ventnor route.
e) Evening services on Mondays to Saturdays on the
Newport-Brighstone-Freshwater route.
f) Daily evening services on the Ryde to Seaview and
Nettlestone route.
g) The half-hourly frequency on Newport Town routes on Mondays
to Fridays between 0900 and 1400.
13. Additional services that would be provided as part of the
Southern Vectis Group tender are as follows (please note that 13 (e) is to be
introduced only from October 2003):
a) An hourly frequency in the morning and early afternoon on
Mondays to Saturdays between Bembridge, Whitecliff Bay and Sandown. In part this will replace some current
commercially-provided timings that will otherwise be withdrawn by Southern Vectis
from 29 September.
b) Additional early Sunday morning services on the
Cowes-Newport-Ryde route intended to benefit shop workers.
c) An earlier Sunday morning service from Freshwater and
Yarmouth to Newport intended to benefit shop workers.
d) Additional Sunday daytime journeys on the Newport-East Cowes
route that would result in an half-hourly frequency between 0900 and 1800.
e) Provision of an evening service on Newport town routes from
October 2003 onwards.
14. However, there are some other consequences of acceptance of
the Southern Vectis Group tender. These
are that:
a) there would be an overall reduction in the total number of
services via Yaverland, although the actual impact would not be too great since
a regular hourly frequency would be established instead of the assortment of
irregular timings currently offered in the mornings and early afternoons.
b) As a consequence of the withdrawal of the commercial
services referred to in 13(a), the route between Bembridge, St Helens,
Nettlestone and Ryde on Service 12 will no longer be served outside of the
morning and afternoon workers and shoppers peak hour journeys.
c) The route of Newport town services would be modified so as
to no longer serve Sainsbury’s store site.
15. In respect of the withdrawal of services in the off-peak on
Service 12, Southern Vectis has stated the following:
“The main innovation in the
combination bid (the Group Tender) is the replacement of all conventional buses
(in the off-peak) between Nettlestone and St Helens. Given both the fragmented demand over the whole day and the
perceived desirability of linking services with St Helens, this would seem the
ideal site for a demand-responsive action, perhaps using a local taxi
operator. Southern Vectis proposes that
responsibility for this rests with Seaview and Nettlestone Parish Council. As part of the combination bid, Southern
Vectis proposes to transfer £5,000 per annum to the Parish Council to assist
with the development and operation of such a service.”
It should be noted that this
£5,000 transfer is not of Rural Bus Subsidy Grant, but is a transfer from
Southern Vectis funds.
It is hoped that more detail
in respect of this proposal will be available at the Committee meeting.
CONCLUSION
16. The availability of RBSG has once again raised expectations
that many more additional services can be provided. However, simply to renew existing successful RBSG services will
account for the vast majority of funding in 2002/03 and 2003/04.
17. Only the acceptance of the Southern Vectis Group Tender for a
two year period can ensure current levels of service are maintained and
improved upon.
18. Rural Bus Service Grant is but one of a number of funding
services that are becoming available and it is likely that many of the demands
which cannot be met by RBSG may be met by Parish transport Grant, Rural
Transport Partnership funding or by Rural Bus Challenge.
|
RECOMMENDATION
That the Executive agrees
acceptance of the Southern Vectis Group tender for a two year period for
£142,000 in 2002/03 and £167,000 in 2003/04.
|
BACKGROUND PAPERS
Tender documents.
Contact Point: A A Morris, F 823780
|
M J A FISHER
Strategic Director
Corporate and Environment
Services
|
E FOX
Portfolio Holder for
Transport
|
APPENDIX 1
RURAL BUS SERVICE GRANT
(A) SERVICES WHOSE CONTRACTS ARE DUE TO TERMINATE ON 30
SEPTEMBER 2002
ANNUAL PASSENGERS CARRIED
a) Service 1
Mondays to Saturdays - evening
services;
Newport - Ryde at 1855, 1955, 2055, 2155,
2255
Ryde - Newport at 1930, 2030, 2130,2230,2330
Total
annual passengers - 35,500
b) Service 3A
Mondays to Saturdays;
Ventnor - Newport at 0655
Total
annual passengers - 2,500
c) Service
3A
Mondays to Saturdays - evening
services;
Ventnor - Newport at 1953, 2153, 2330
Newport - Ventnor at 1930, 2130, 2330
Total
annual passengers - 13,000
d) Service
7
Sundays and Public Holidays -
evenings;
Ryde - Ventnor at 1955, 2235
Ventnor - Ryde at 1853, 2053
Total
annual passengers - 1,500
e) Service 7B
Mondays to Saturdays - evening
services;
Newport - Brighstone - Freshwater at 1935,
2105, 2235
Freshwater - Brighstone - Newport at 1924,
2124, 2254
Total
annual passengers - 12,600
f) Service 8
Daily evening services;
Ryde - Seaview - Nettlestone - Ryde at 1932,
2032, 2132, 2232, 2332
Total
annual passengers - 8,600
g) Service
12
Mondays to Saturdays;
Bembridge - Nettlestone - Ryde at 0655
Total
annual passengers - 1,500
h) Service 24
Mondays to Fridays;
Sandown - Bembridge - Sandown at 0945, 1045,
1145, 1245, 1345, 1650
Total
annual passengers - 7,300
I) Service 38/39 Newport Town
Mondays to Fridays;
Newport - Gunville at 0910, 1010, 1110, 1210,
1310
Newport - Pan at 0940, 1040, 1140, 1240, 1340
Total
annual passengers - 16,300
(B) SERVICES FOR WHICH TENDERS HAVE BEEN INVITED, BUT WHICH ARE
NOT CURRENTLY OPERATING
j) Service 12
Mondays to Saturdays - evening
services;
Sandown - Ryde 1700, 1915, 2115, 2240
(Bembridge only)
Ryde - Sandown 2000, 2220, 2250 (from
Bembridge)
Anticipated
total annual passengers - 12,000
k) Service
12
Mondays to Saturdays;
Sandown - Bembridge - St Helens at 0945,
1045, 1145, 1245, 1345
St Helens - Bembridge - Sandown at 1015,
1115, 1215, 1315
Anticipated
total annual passengers - 14,000
l) Service 12
Sundays and Public Holidays;
Ryde - Bembridge - Sandown at 1000, 1200,
1400, 1600, 1800, 2000, 2200
Sandown - Bembridge - Ryde at 1115, 1315,
1515, 1715
Anticipated
total annual passengers - 5,000
m) Services
1/7
Sundays and Public Holidays;
Cowes - Newport - Ryde at 0700
Cowes - Newport at 0800
Ryde - Newport - Cowes at 0705
Anticipated
total annual passengers - 1,700
n) Havenstreet - Wootton Taxibus
Mondays to Fridays;
Havenstreet - Wootton - Havenstreet at 0935,
1015, 1055, 1135, 1215, 1255
Anticipated
total annual passengers - 6,000
o) Service
7
Sundays and Public Holidays;
Freshwater - Newport at 0856
Anticipated
total annual passengers - 500
p) Service
33
Mondays to Fridays;
Havenstreet - Ryde at 0910, 1110
Ryde to Havenstreet at 1050, 1250
Anticipated
total annual passengers - 3,500
q) Service
5
Sundays and Public Holidays;
Newport - East Cowes - Newport
at 0915, 1015, 1115, 1215, 1315, 1415, 1515, 1615, 1715, 1815
Anticipated
total annual passengers - 6,000
r) Services
38/39 Newport Town
Sundays and Public Holidays;
Newport - Gunville at 1740, 1840
Newport - Pan at 1810, 1910
Fridays and Saturdays only;
Newport - Gunville at 1940, 2040, 2140, 2240
Newport - Pan at 2010, 2110, 2210, 2310
Anticipated
total annual passengers - 8,000
s) Service
32
Sundays and Bank Holidays;
Cowes - Gurnard - Cowes at 1000, 1200, 1400,
1700
Anticipated
total annual passengers - 1,000
