Rural Bus Service Pilots

Stirling Council Agenda Item No.17

Date of Environment and Housing Meeting: 11 April 2019 Committee Not Exempt Rural Bus Service Pilots

Purpose & Summary

This report includes the outcome of a review of the performance of three rural bus services, introduced as pilot schemes under a rural transport initiative launched in 2017. This performance review is necessary to make a decision on the future funding of the pilots and their subsequent continued operation. The pilot bus services introduced were: 1. Service C12C Balfron – Stirling (Fridays and Saturdays only) 2. Service C59 Stirling – Callander (Fridays and Saturdays only) 3. Service S60 Tyndrum – Springkerse (1st and 3rd Saturday of each month).

Recommendations

Committee is asked to: 1. note that all the C12C and C59 service are discontinuing as these have not been accommodated in the 2019/20 budget setting, and do not represent best value; 2. agree to the continuation of the S60 bus service, which will be paid through the 2019/20 budget allocated to rural transport pilots; and 3. agree to delegate responsibility to the Senior Manager - Infrastructure, to determine how the remaining rural transport pilot budget 2019/20 will be spent, in conjunction with the Convener and Vice Convener of the Environment & Housing Committee.

Resource Implications

Continuation of Service S60 would incur an annual gross expenditure of £8,376 for two journeys per month based on current contract prices. This will be accommodated through the rural pilot budget 2019/20. Legal & Risk Implications and Mitigation

Council Officer will continue to work with affected communities to consider potential solution to help improve rural transport.

1. Background

1.1. The C12C, C59 and S60 bus services were introduced under rural transport initiatives launched in 2017, following an extensive consultation exercise. The pilot proposals were presented to the Environment & Housing Committee on 16 November 2017 and 8 February 2018. 1.2. Services C12C and C59 were introduced in order to cater for an anticipated need to access Stirling on Friday and Saturday evenings from communities in the Balfron and Callander areas, primarily for leisure purposes. 1.3. Service S60 was introduced in order to cater for an anticipated need for a direct link with Stirling on Saturdays from communities north of Callander, primarily for shopping purposes. 1.4. Service C12C consists of a single journey on Fridays and Saturdays departing Balfron at 18:20 and operating via Buchlyvie, Arnprior, Kippen and Gargunnock, arriving in Stirling at 19:05 to fill a gap in the timetable of over two hours in the existing timetable. 1.5. Service C59 consists of a single journey on Fridays and Saturdays departing Stirling at 23:02 and operating via Deanston and Doune, arriving in Callander at 23:47. Before the service was introduced, the last bus to Callander left Stirling at 19:57, which is still the case on Mondays to Thursdays. 1.6. Service S60 consists of a return journey on the first and third Saturdays of each month, departing Tyndrum at 10:00 and operating via Crianlarich, Killin, Lochearnhead, and Strathyre, arriving in Stirling Bus Station at 11:45 and extending to Springkerse Retail Park at 11:52. The return journey leaves Springkerse Retail Park at 16:00 and Stirling Bus Station at 16:15, arriving in Tyndrum at 18:00. 1.7. The services started operating on 1 December 2017 and were initially contracted until 18 August 2018 and were subsequently extended until 30 March 2019 to allow a review of patronage data for a full year. 1.8. The three bus services are contracted on a ‘minimum cost’ basis, whereby farebox revenue and concessionary reimbursement reverts to the Council.

2. Considerations

2.1. Service patronage data for the rural transport pilots is tabulated below, highlighting performance from 2 February 2018 until 2 February 2019: C12C C59 S60 Fri Sat Fri Sat Outward Return Passengers 109 114 155 217 268 229 Journeys 52 52 52 52 23 23 Ave passenger 2.1 2.2 3.0 4.2 11.7 10.0 per journey Maximum no. 11 8 14 13 45 40 of passengers Net subsidy £ £ £ 35.18 £ 20.00 £ 14.29 £ 10.03 per passenger 33.64 11.74 2.2. From the outset, passenger use of Services C12C and C59 has proved disappointing, with an average passengers per journey as shown below:  Service C12C: Fridays 2.1, Saturdays 2.2.  Service C59: Fridays 3.0, Saturdays 4.2. 2.3. Net subsidy per passenger following deduction of revenue and concessionary reimbursement reverting to the Council on the two services is as follows:  Service C12C: Fridays £35.18, Saturdays £33.64.  Service C59: Fridays £20.00, Saturdays £14.29. 2.4. From the passenger data service S60 has proven more attractive to people accessing shopping and leisure facilities from the council’s north-west rural area. Passenger use has proven to be encouraging, with an average of 11.7 passengers per outward journey and 10.0 passengers per return journey. There have been as many as 45 passengers on the southbound journey and 40 on the northbound journey. 2.5. Net subsidy per passenger on the two journeys is as follows:  Outward from Tyndrum: £10.03.  Return to Tyndrum: £11.74. 2.6. The three pilot services have recently been evaluated alongside other supported services using an, already approved evaluation tool developed in 2008 to assess service viability. This tool is used to evaluate each contract based on the criteria of: Service Usage, Accessibility, Social Inclusion (Employment), Social Inclusion (Age/Disability), Economy and Sustainability. The results of this analysis appear in Appendix 1. 2.7. The three pilot services are the lowest scoring of all the Council’s contracted services. Service C12C and Service C59 scoring 14 points, with Service S60 each scoring 16 points. 2.8. Due to the low score in the evaluation tool, the low patronage and high subsidy per passenger, it was proposed that the C12C and the C59 are withdrawn. Due to the higher score on the evaluation tool and the lower subsidy per passenger it is proposed that the S60 service continues to operate and be funded from the 2019/20 £50k budget for rural transport pilots. 2.9. Officers will work with affected communities looking at promoting DRT services, and to consider if there are any other models of rural transport that could be considered and possibly piloted.

3. Implications

Equalities Impact 3.1. The contents of this report were assessed under the Council’s Equality Impact Assessment process. It was determined that an Equality Impact Assessment was not required as an EqIA assessment is not required as the changes to the bus services will not impact on specific groups with protected characteristics as the services are available to the general public. When making decisions on the future viability of bus services an agreed methodology reviewing service use, access to employment and subsidy is used. Fairer Scotland Duty 3.2. The contents of this report were considered in terms of the Fairer Scotland Duty and were determined not to be of strategic importance. Sustainability and Environmental 3.3. None. Other Policy Implications 3.4. None. Consultations 3.5. None.

4. Background Papers

4.1. Subsidised Public Transport Evaluation and Prioritisation report to Executive Committee 21 April 2008. 4.2. Rural Transport in Stirling report to Environment and Housing Committee 16 November 2017 http://minutes.stirling.gov.uk/pdfs/environment%20%26%20housing/Reports/EH201 71116Item09Rural%20Transport.pdf 4.3. Rural Transport in Stirling report to Environment and Housing Committee 8 February 2018 http://minutes.stirling.gov.uk/pdfs/environment%20%26%20housing/Reports/EH201 80208Item15Rural%20Transport%20in%20Stirling.pdf 4.4. EqIA Relevance Check.

5. Appendices

5.1. Appendix 1 - Supported bus evaluation matrix.

Author of Report: Contact Details: Robert Plewes 01786 237514 Sustainable Development Manager – [email protected] Infrastructure 01786 237566 [email protected] David Hopper

Approved by: Signature: Isabel McKnight Chief Officer Strategic Commissioning & Customer Development

On behalf of: Brian Roberts Senior Manager Infrastructure

Date: 3 April 2019

Details of Convener(s), Vice Convener(s), Cllr J Thomson Portfolio Holder and Depute Portfolio Holder Cllr D Gibson consulted on this report:

Wards affected:

Key Priorities: E - We will create & implement environment and infrastructure improvements; deliver new ownership & delivery methods around energy generation, public transport & internet access, ensuring profits & services work to community, not commercial priorities

Key Priority Considerations:

Stirling Plan Priority Outcomes: (Local Outcomes Improvement Plan)

Appendix 1

Evaluation Matrix (age/disability) Service number Service Route Operator subsidy perNet passenger trip Usage Rationale Accessibility Rationale Employment to Access Rationale Inclusion Social Rationale Subsidy Rationale Sustainability Rationale Total 1 or more work journeys to major >40% of pax Subsidy/pass C11 Aberfoyle - Stirling First £1.98 5 >20,000 pax/year 5 No alternative 4 5 4 4 Operates Mon-Sat 27 employment centre concessions <£5 Alternative within 1 or more work journeys to major >40% of pax Subsidy/pass C30 Riverside - Stirling - Causewayhead First £1.38 5 >20,000 pax/year 2 4 5 4 4 Operates Mon-Sat 24 1 hr nearby employment centre concessions <£5 Alternative within 1 or more work journeys to major >40% of pax Subsidy/pass C48 Bannockburn - Stirling - Cromlix First £2.45 5 >20,000 pax/year 2 4 5 4 4 Operates Mon-Sat 24 1 hr nearby employment centre concessions <£5 >40% of pax Subsidy/pass C12A Balfron - Stirling (additional jnys) First £3.67 2 >5,000 pax/year 5 No alternative 1 No work journeys 5 4 4 Operates Mon-Sat 21 concessions <£5 Alternative within >30% of pax Subsidy/pass C10 Balfron - Glasgow First £0.82 5 >20,000 pax/year 1 1 hr at same 1 No work journeys 4 5 4 Operates Mon-Sat 20 concessions <£1 location 1 or more return work journeys to >30% of pax Subsidy/pass C60 Callander - Killin Kingshouse £8.10 2 >5,000 pax/year 5 No alternative 2 4 3 4 Operates Mon-Sat 20 subsiduary employment centre concessions <£10 >20% of pax Subsidy/pass C12 Balfron - Cambusbarron - Stirling First £7.92 2 >5,000 pax/year 5 No alternative 1 No work journeys 3 3 4 Operates Mon-Sat 18 concessions <£10 >40% of pax Subsidy/pass S60 Tyndrum - Stirling - Springkerse First £10.82 1 <5,000 pax/year 5 No alternative 1 No work journeys 5 2 2Operates Sat16 concessions £10-£15 >10% of pax Subsidy/pass C59 Stirling - Callander First £16.67 1 <5,000 pax/year 5 No alternative 1 No work journeys 2 1 4 Operates Mon-Sat 14 concessions >£15 >10% of pax Subsidy/pass C12C Balfron - Stirling First £34.39 1 <5,000 pax/year 5 No alternative 1 No work journeys 2 1 4 Operates Mon-Sat 14 concessions >£15