Agenda item

To update the Environment Select Committee on the Council’s progress on a number of public transport projects. The report also provides updates on potential future developments.

This follows on from a briefing given to the select committee on the Future Bus Strategy – Connected Wiltshire on 7 September 2021.

The Cabinet Member Transport Waste Street Scene and Flooding, Councillor Dr Mark McClelland introduced the report which covered a challenging year in passenger transport. The Cabinet Member outlined that the numbers had recovered a bit but were still 70/80% of the level prior to the pandemic. The government had extended the Bus Recovery Grant but Passenger Transport still faced issues such as driver shortages and fuel price rises.  The committee was also informed that Wiltshire Council had missed out on the latest funding round from DfT but would use the work for future bids. Head of Service Passenger Transport, Jason Salter, clarified that the work would be updated every six months and would use the feedback from the DfT since the report was published.

The Cabinet Member and Head of Service Passenger Transport then responded to questions on the following topics:

·       Whether there was an improvement on shortage of drivers impacting services. It was clarified that there was an improvement, but a number of drivers continued to leave the market leading to bus companies running reduced services and unable to expand.

·       The importance of buses to the night time economy, for both punters and workers, and coordination between bus and train services.

·       Integrated transport and how best to utilise and publicise that.

·       It was clarified that Wiltshire Council had received £671,000 just at the start of the pandemic to enhance the bus service throughout the county. However due to the impact of the pandemic it was the money had to be used to support services that were going to cease as opposed to introducing new schemes.

·       The issue of reliability of buses as a deterrent for increased use. It was explained that the bus industry recognised that and that within S106 money there was an allocation to improve public transport, although the driver shortage remained an issue.

·       Demand Response Transport and consideration of different models of public transport provision. It was explained that an app would be trialled for that in the Pewsey area, but driver shortage remained an issue in expanding services. It was stated that DRT was seen as part of long term strategic planning in Passenger Transport.

Resolved:

That the select committee,

1.    Notes the outcome of our Bus Service Improvement Plan funding bid, that we have made an Enhanced Partnership and that we are seeking alternative Funding Streams.

2.    Notes that we are progressing work on implementing our successful Rural Mobility Fund bid.

3.    Notes that we have committed our Supported Bus Services Fund to secure routes that would otherwise have ceased to run.

4.    Notes that we are contributing to the development of Local Transport Plan 4.

5.    Notes that costs related to the passenger transport sector continue to rise significantly, contributed to by the lack of available drivers.

6.    Notes that passenger numbers are only at around 75% of pre covid levels in Wiltshire.

7.    Receive a further update, at a date to be determined, about progressing the Bus Service Improvement Plan and the Enhanced Partnership.