Uttlesford District Questionnaire for Essex County Council Local Bus Service Network Review Consultation September 2015

Background Essex County Council (ECC) is carrying out a thorough review of its financial support for local bus services across the County. The role of the County Council under the Transport Acts is to look at where market failure occurs in the local road passenger transport network, decide whether a service is needed, and if in the council’s opinion, it is, then to provide one.

Given increased pressure on Local Government grant funding from Central Government and increased calls on statutory services such as education and adult social care, the County Council needs a way to balance the differing potential transport needs of residents when allocating funding. It also needs to manage the network in the light of changes to the commercial bus network, travel demand and changing corporate priorities over time.

This consultation sets out a proposed revised policy for doing this and the proposed revisions to the existing network that will result. The policy is based on responses to previous consultations which asked about people’s priorities.

We will collate all the responses from the survey and summarise them as part of our report. We will not identify individual people, and your name will not be mentioned in any reports that we write for this purpose. You do not have to take part if you do not want to - this is a voluntary activity.

A supporting document explains in more detail the contract changes, how they will affect our customers and how demand responsive transport works. It also lists timetables where a change has been proposed. This document can be viewed at www.essex.gov.uk/busreview. Reference copies can also be found in libraries or at your local parish, town or district council.

Please complete this survey and return to Freepost RTKH-XUBZ-CJZS, Essex County Council, Bus Review (Passenger Transport E1), County Hall, CHELMSFORD, CM1 1QH.

You may wish to complete this survey over the telephone, or may require it in an alternative format. If so, please call 08457 430 430 to arrange this.

Please complete the survey by Wednesday 21st October 2015.

The Proposed New Policy The Council’s proposed new policy approach to managing the supported local bus network is set out in the Local Bus Service Priority Policy 2015 to 2020 and the associated Appendices, which can be found on the Essex County Council website at: www.essex.gov.uk/busreview. A hard copy can be viewed at your local library, district council office or parish council office.

In summary existing services have been prioritised according to the priorities expressed by respondents to our three rounds of consultation carried out between 2013 and 2015, and the key corporate outcomes as set out below:

Essex County Council key corporate outcomes:

• Children in Essex get the best start in life. • People in Essex enjoy good health and wellbeing. • People have aspirations and achieve their ambitions through education, training and lifelong-learning. • People in Essex live in safe communities and are protected from harm. • Sustainable economic growth for Essex communities and businesses. • People in Essex experience a high quality and sustainable environment.

The results of the consultations can be viewed at: www.essex.gov.uk/busreview. The Local Bus Service Assessment and Priority Evaluation The proposed new policy sets out the order of priority in which service categories would be provided. This is set out below. Priority 1 indicates the most important service category:

Service Category Priority Allocated

Monday to Saturday daytime bus services linking rural areas to key service centres 1 (Shopping, Health, Employment, Education)

Monday to Saturday Peak Services, (Access to Employment, Training or Education). 2

Monday to Saturday services connecting to bus interchanges, railways and airports at peak times 3 (Commuter Services)

Infrequent rural ‘lifeline’ services (less than 5 return journeys per week) linking rural areas to 4 key service centres. Non rural services providing access to major health sites (i.e. Hospitals)

Evening Services (after 19:00) 5

Sunday Services 6

Access to tourist/leisure destinations and other services 7

Within each category, services would be prioritised in accordance with its cost per passenger journey figure (annual net cost after all income is deducted, divided by number of passenger journeys carried out over a year, with priority given to the lower costing services). Currently provided services have been assessed according to this system and all new service requests will be considered in the same way. Where funding is insufficient to maintain all services categories, or services within categories services would be withdrawn in line with this priority system

The proposed impact of this process is set out at www.essex.gov.uk/busreview or in the booklet accompanying the hard copy of this questionnaire, viewable at your local library, district or parish council office. Please look through these proposals and comment through the consultation questionnaire below.

Do you agree with these priority categories?

Yes No

If you have ticked no please explain why ECC currently funds 42 bus services that serve the Uttlesford district. These are shown below together with the proposed changes to each service.

For each one, please tell us whether the proposal meets your needs.

For the following services there are no proposed changes.

Note: While no requests were received for changes to the route or timetable, following the tender process the fares may be set by the operator and may increase in line with commercial service rates.

Service Current Route Journeys that are supported by number Essex County Council (ECC)

5/6 Bishops Stortford to Saffron Walden The whole Monday to Saturday timetable-

29 Linton to Saffron Walden The whole Tuesday timetable

34 Saffron Walden town service Enhancement of Monday to Saturday timetable

132 Saffron Walden to Cambridge ECC provides partial financial support to the entire Sunday and Public Holidays timetable.

302 Saffron Walden to Bishops Stortford School day only service

306 Wicken Bonhunt to Bishops Stortford School day only service

319 High Roding to Bishops Stortford School day only service

346 Leaden Roding to Great Dunmow One return journey on Thursdays

510 Harlow to Stansted Airport Monday to Saturday journey: Harlow to Stansted Airport from 19.25 and Stansted Airport to Harlow from 20.20 and also 0013 from Stansted to Harlow. All Sunday journeys from 04:30 and 00:13 journey from Stansted Airport.

Do you have any comments to make about this (or these services)? School services to Joyce Frankland Academy (Newport) and Saffron Walden High School

Proposal – The school services listed below may be provided differently. Access to school will be maintained but some or the entire route may be provided commercially from April 2016. Due to this change the cost of a ticket for students not entitled to free transport is likely to increase in line with commercial services. Students entitled to free transport will still travel for free because taxpayers are required meet this cost

Service number Current Route Journeys that are supported by Essex County Council (ECC)

1 Takeley to Saffron Walden School day only

11 Chrishall to Saffron Walden School day only

118 Great Yeldham to Newport School day only

313 Great Dunmow to Saffron Walden School journeys only

417 Rayne to Newport School day only

418 Great Saling to Newport School day only

419 Wethersfield to Newport School day only

444 Barley to Saffron Walden School day only

445 Chrishall to Saffron Walden School day only

446/446B Manuden to Saffron Walden School day only

If you have said that any of these proposals do not meet your needs, please explain why. Proposal - For the following services the proposal is to replace them with a Demand Responsive Transport service on Monday to Saturday, 6am to 8pm (please see notes in supporting document for more detail).

Reason for change - Previous consultations asked for improved access from villages to key services including healthcare centres and shopping. Demand Responsive Transport increases transport opportunities and offers better value for money for the tax payer.

Service Current Route Journeys that are supported by Does the proposal I have no opinion number Essex County Council (ECC) meet your or the on this proposal or I community’s need? do not use this service

Yes No

10 Chrishall to The whole Saturday timetable Bishops Stortford

17 Little Sampford to n The whole Tuesday and Saffron Walde Friday timetable

62 Elmdon to One return journey on a Thursday Bishops Stortford

301 Widdington The whole Monday to section only Saturday timetable

312 Great Dunmow to The whole Monday, Wednesday, Saffron Walden Thursday timetable

313 Great Dunmow to The whole Monday to Saffron Walden Saturday service

314 Great Dunmow One return journey on to Braintree Wednesdays and Saturdays

315 Stebbing Green One return journey on Thursdays to Great Dunmow

SB12 Farnham to Bishops One return journey on Thursdays Stortford

SB13 Clavering to One return journey on Tuesdays Saffron Walden and Fridays

SB14 Berden to Bishops One return journey on Mondays Stortford and Thursdays

SB443 Chrishall to One return journey on Tuesdays Saffron Walden and Fridays

Do you have any comments to make about this (or these services)? The proposed changes and reasons are listed below for the remaining contracts which have Essex County Council support. Service 7/7a: Bishops Stortford to Stansted Airport ECC contracted journeys The whole Monday to Saturday timetable. Proposal There will be minor timetable changes. Reasons These are intended to give more transport opportunities for Stansted Mountfitchet.