ENVIRONMENT SCRUTINY PANEL

Thursday 1 October 2009

PUBLIC TRANSPORT ANNUAL REPORT

Report of the Head of Transportation & Engineering

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that Members note the content of this report.

Summary

This report highlights the changes to public transport services since the last report to this Panel in October 2008.

Statutory Powers

Transport Act 1985, 2000

Introduction

1. This report outlines issues of relevance to the Panel since the last report in October 2008 and in particular changes to transport services within and through the Borough during that period.

2. Of particular note is the competition between bus operators on two routes during the period and the continuing problems in contracting services between and Chandler’s Ford.

Rail Services

3. West Trains operate services to London, Cross Country to the Midlands and Northwest via Reading and Southern operate along the south coast to London Victoria via Brighton. All have recently been subject to refranchising within the last few years. Most recently won the right to maintain operating the Southern Franchise. Arriva took over the Cross Country franchise in 2007 from Virgin Rail.

4. South West Trains have seen an increase in passenger numbers of 2.5% at Airport Parkway and 7% at Eastleigh.

5. Over the last year the Council, as planning authority granted permission for a revised multi-storey car park at Southampton Airport Parkway. As part of that application the Council secured improved bus interchange ability at the station on

Eastleigh Borough Council the Wide Lane side. It is considered important that an interchange facility be part of any development to allow for better future integration between bus, train and air.

Three Rivers Rail Partnership

6. The Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership continues to show progress. Chandler’s Ford station has an active group of volunteers who have adopted the station and do work around the station’s environs on which they should be congratulated. Eastleigh Station is the other station within the Borough covered by the partnership that reflects the Salisbury--Southampton rail service stations.

7. Eastleigh and Chandler’s Ford stations are part of the ATOC Station Travel Planning Pilot. The pilot aims to develop travel plans for surface access to rail stations along the lines of those used for businesses and schools. Whilst Eastleigh Borough Council has not been as involved as was originally hoped future work programmes will concentrate on rolling these travel plans out, working on travel plans for other stations in liaison with Train Operating Companies and also on incorporating the plans into relevant Council policies, such as the Local Development Framework (LDF) and Eastleigh Town Access Plan (ETAP) for example.

8. Eastleigh Borough Council is currently discussing various improvement projects around Eastleigh Station, concentrating primarily on security and disabled users as part of the National Stations Improvement Programme. Members will be updated if there are any firm proposals which fall out of these discussions.

9. Operationally the Borough Council has good working relationships with all the local transport operators – both bus and rail, and this assists in delivering various projects throughout the year.

Commercial Bus Services

10. At the time of the last report to the Panel Black Travel had registered a commercial service between Eastleigh and Southampton with having registered a service in competition. This was short lived and both services were withdrawn in early 2009. The focus of competition then changed to between Eastleigh and Fair Oak with Black Velvet Travel operating the Fair Oak Flyer against Bluestar 2. Again this was short lived and the situation is now very much like it was a year ago before the incursion began.

11. What has fallen out of this are requests from the few users of these services for the Council to fund them. Service B was a similar service to the former Red Rocket B and as such was seen as a commercial operation that failed rather than either Eastleigh Borough Council or County Council considering it a socially necessary service. In terms of some of the roads no longer served existing taxi share schemes were extended although the number of users of the B were few, an alternative to the Fair Oak Flyer, Bluestar 2 has taken up the additional capacity.

Eastleigh Borough Council 12. It was recently announced that the competition commission is to launch an investigation into the supply of local bus services in Britain. This had been prompted by concerns about bus prices, service levels and a perceived lack of competition. The OFT has indicated that £1.2 billion comes from public subsidies, so that restricted competition can have an impact on the tax payer meaning passengers may be paying twice. This has been prompted by several areas of concern, illustrated by the recent competition in Eastleigh.

13. In terms of the commercial network it is useful to note that First have invested in new vehicles on Service 16, which is a quality partnership route. This is due to the former vehicles being over capacity at many times. This shows that the service has been very successful in terms of attracting additional users.

14. Bluestar have also invested in new vehicles. Service 1 which passes through Chandler’s Ford en route to either Southampton or has seen a new fleet of double deck vehicles as well as a specifically targeted marketing initiative which is one of the nominees in the marketing category of these years National Bus Awards. Vehicle standards on the Bluestar 2 have also improved recently with low floor vehicles used on the majority of services. Black Velvet is regularly congratulated on their high levels of customer service.

15. Generally the commercial network has been relatively settled over the last twelve months with only minor timetable changes. One piece of work undertaken by over the last year has been video surveys identifying where peak time Bluestar 1 services get delayed in traffic. This should further improve reliability.

Eastleigh Borough Council Service Support

16. Eastleigh Borough Council is one of two districts within Hampshire that assist in funding bus services. Services subsidised/part subsidised by Eastleigh Borough Council are illustrated at Table 1.

Table 1 – Bus Services Subsidised by Eastleigh Borough Council (as at September 2009)

Service Operator

EBC Contracts C1 Eastleigh – Chandler’s Ford (Evenings) Black Velvet Travel E8 Eastleigh – Boyatt Wood Circular (Evenings) First Hants & Dorset C1 Eastleigh – Chandler’s Ford (Sundays) Stagecoach+ E2 Eastleigh – Winchester (Sundays) Stagecoach+ Bluestar 2 Southampton- Eastleigh – Fair Oak (Sunday Bluestar Evenings) Service 16 Southampton – Netley – Hamble (All Evenings) $ First Hants & Dorset 56 Windhover – Eastleigh (Thursday Market Bus) First Hants & Dorset 501 Thornden School Service Bluestar EBC Contributions to HCC Contracts A Eastleigh – (Daytime & Evenings) Black Velvet Travel (daytime) First Hants & Dorset

Eastleigh Borough Council Service Operator

(eves) C1/C2 Eastleigh – Chandler’s Ford – Hiltingbury- Valley Park Black Velvet Travel (Daytime Fryern Hill – Asda extension) 16A Hedge End- Hamble (Daytime & Evenings) First Hants & Dorset $- Joint funded with , + operator change likely November 2009.

17. Eastleigh Borough Council jointly funds some services with other partners – including Hampshire County Council and Southampton City Council and over the year has reprofiled its funding to ensure its expenditure is spent on accordance with the Strategic Bus Network Policy adopted by the Council in 2008.

18. Services provided over the last year have remained constant, which indicates that the network may be settling down to a degree. The main changes over the last year have been withdrawal of funding of the Butlocks Heath diversion on service 16 and the withdrawal of service 25.

19. In terms of the Butlocks Heath diversion this diversion was initially funded 1/3 each by First/Hampshire County Council/Eastleigh Borough Council. Hampshire County Council withdrew funding in 2007 and First agreed to take on the diversion commercially from April 2009. This indicates a good “kick-start” to the service being pump primed initially by local authorities but now able to be operated commercially. This has returned cash to providing other bus service support.

20. In terms of service 25, this irregular service did not meet the needs of users and was costly. In discussion with the operator of Service A, this service was extended to Boorley Green on an hourly basis from Botley. This has given an improved hourly service between Boorley Green, Botley, Hedge End, West End and Eastleigh. The cost of this enhanced service is considerably less than the cost of the former service 25.

21. At the meeting last year the new evening network – comprising additional services between Boyatt Wood, Velmore, Hiltingbury and Chandler’s Ford to Eastleigh were funded on a one year trial basis as the information at that time suggested that the leisure development would be on line before Christmas. However, with the delayed opening the service take up has been slow although it is planned that these routes, which add to the existing supported services to Hedge End and West End and commercial services to Fair Oak, Bishopstoke and Eastleigh shall continue for the foreseeable future, subject to funding.

22. Service C has been retendered due to the commercial elements of the service being withdrawn by Bluestar in February 2009. An emergency contract was awarded to Black Velvet Travel. The new contract will commence in November 2009 and it is expected Black Velvet will remain as the operator. This service links Eastleigh with Velmore, Chandler’s Ford and Hiltingbury supported by Hampshire County Council and Eastleigh Borough Council during daytimes, with Eastleigh Borough Council funding the whole Saturday C2 service and C1 on evenings and Sundays. The new contract shall last approximately 18 months to

Eastleigh Borough Council coincide with the retender of the Eastleigh area network by Hampshire County Council in 2011.

23. A comprehensive consultation exercise was undertaken in partnership with Hampshire County Council in advance of the retender of this service.

Nitebus

24. Eastleigh Borough Council currently fund Nitebus N6 and N16 from Southampton to West End, Hedge End (North), Botley, Bursledon, Netley and Hamble. The N16 closely follows daytime service 16.

25. This contract was relet commencing June 2009 on different terms with the operator keeping the farebox revenue which was not previously the case, shifting both risk and reward to the operator and reflecting the other contracts Eastleigh Borough Council hold with operators. This has seen an overall decrease in the level of subsidy required and has seen Bluestar being the only operator of both commercial and contracted Nitebus services.

Eastleigh Bus Station

26. Eastleigh Borough Council is the owner of the bus station infrastructure in Eastleigh Town Centre although there are highway designations over much of the land. No one operator had a “right” to use it being open to all operators providing local bus services as well as National Express.

27. There is potential in the future to consider relocating the bus station further towards the rail station and this should be considered through the longer term planning process. However, it is considered that there is an ongoing need for a bus station within the town centre due to the need to locate transport modes together as well as there being inadequate highway space which buses could conveniently use.

Tackling Climate Change

28. Each of the main three operators in the Borough (Bluestar, First & Black Velvet) is contributing 1p from every ticket on a Thursday during 2009 on their services operated within the Borough. Monies from this initiative will go towards the Eastleigh CarbonFREE initiative which aims to provide better insulation to community buildings. This is the only example of operators working together with a local authority on such an initiative in the UK. This was one of the initiatives as part of Beacon Council for Climate Change year.

Publicity & Promotion

29. Eastleigh Borough Council fund the Bus Timetable and Guide for Eastleigh through Hampshire County Council’s contract with Hampshire County Council providing project management. This is still evolving with the next edition due out in November 2009.

Eastleigh Borough Council 30. Eastleigh Borough Council is expecting to undertake specific marketing over the next twelve months with First now that the new rolling stock is in place. Specific targeted marketing of Nitebus services (including those operated under contract to Eastleigh Borough Council) is expected to take place during the autumn of 2009.

31. During early 2009 Eastleigh Borough Council undertook an audit of bus stops and shelters on the town network and worked with Hampshire County Council and operators to ensure stops had flags, timetable cases and correct timetable information at each location.

Financial Implications

32. Resources from the Public Transport Budget are allocated according to funding available and consistency with the Strategic Bus Network Policy. The overall budget for local bus service provision is £220,000 with a further £50,000 allocated towards Nitebus.

Risk Assessment

33. There is a risk of services failing due to contracts not being honoured. Contracts are handed out in accordance with the provision of the Transport Act 1985 and current contracts cover most local operators.

Equality and Diversity Implications

34. Where possible new contracts encourage operators to use low floor vehicles although influence is limited considering the financial contribution from Eastleigh Borough Council on specific contracts. In the case of Nitebus low floor vehicles are guaranteed to enable use by vulnerable users. In 2007 the routes of Nitebuses N6 & N16 were amended to include LGBT venues within Southampton to increase outreach to these groups. An assessment has not been carried out as service delivery is not affected by the report.

Conclusion

35. Partnership working remains essential to allow for involvement by Eastleigh Borough Council that yields results. Good relationships exist with both bus and rail operators.

36. Overall the bus network is more settled at present although concerns remain about flurries of competition which are short-lived and the need to ensure socially necessary services remain funded. The Three Rivers Rail Partnership remains a good news story in terms of success and project delivery.

DUNCAN MCVEY Head of Transportation & Engineering

Eastleigh Borough Council Date: 17 September 2008 Contact Officer: Paul Walker Tel No: 023 8068 8278 E-mail: [email protected] Appendices Attached: None Report No: EN1118

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 – SECTION 100D

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report or an important part of it is based and have been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report:

Eastleigh Borough Council