Report No 8/06 ANGUS COUNCIL INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES COMMITTEE 26 JANUARY 2006 SUBJECT: PUBLIC TRANSPORT UPDATE REPORT BY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND TRANSPORT Abstract: This report updates Members of recent and proposed changes to local bus service provision in Angus and of progress in relation to the introduction of the Scotland-wide Free Bus Travel Concession Scheme and extension of Real Time Information throughout Angus. Details are also given of Bus Route Development Grant funding awarded to the Council and progress on the establishment of the Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership. 1 RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Committee:- 1 note the local bus service changes to be introduced by M W Nicoll from 27 February 2006; 2 note the arrangements put in place for Scottish Citylink services operating between Dundee and Aberdeen to serve Forfar on a two-hourly basis commencing during March 2006; 3 note the acquisition by Stagecoach on 15 December 2005 of the Yorkshire Traction Group which includes Strathtay Scottish Ltd and Meffans Coaches and agree that Members be kept informed at future meetings of this Committee of any material service or operational changes resulting from this change in ownership; 4 welcome the award of Bus Route Development Grant funding by the Scottish Executive over the next three years for service improvements on the Kirriemuir – Forfar – (Arbroath) corridor; 5 note the arrangements put in place for the extension of real time information throughout Angus; 6 agree the potential list of locations for additional roadside real time information signs in Angus identified in Appendix 2 to this report; 7 welcome the agreed settlement in respect of concessionary travel GAE following negotiations between CoSLA and the Scottish Executive in this regard; and 8 note progress on the establishment of the Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership, including the appointment of Councillor Ritchie as Deputy Chairperson of the Partnership. 2 Report No 8/06 2 INTRODUCTION 2.1 This report updates Members of proposed changes to local bus service operation within Angus. Details are given of the sale of the Yorkshire Traction Group (which includes Strathtay Scottish Ltd and Meffans Coaches) to Stagecoach, the award of Bus Route Development Grant funding to Angus Council and Strathtay Scottish Ltd for service improvements on the Kirriemuir – Forfar – (Arbroath) corridor and of progress in relation to the extension of real time information in Angus. Members are also informed of the outcome of the negotiations between CoSLA and the Scottish Executive in respect of the GAE allocation for concessionary travel to remain with local authorities following the introduction of the Scotland-wide free bus travel concession scheme in April 2006. Progress on the establishment of the Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership is also noted. 3 M W NICOLL – SERVICE 8/9 : MONTROSE – CRAIGO - LAURENCEKIRK 3.1 From 27 February 2006, M W Nicoll will retime the 1710 journey from Montrose to Laurencekirk on Saturdays to operate at 1635. Departures from Montrose to Laurencekirk will be at 1605, 1635 and 1730, on this basis there is no requirement for the Council to take any action in relation to this commercial change in service provision. 4 M W NICOLL – SERVICE 29/29A : MONTROSE – CRAIGO – LAURENCEKIRK - EDZELL 4.1 From 27 February 2006, M W Nicoll will cease to operate the 1815 journey on Mondays to Fridays between Edzell and Laurencekirk. Services on this corridor are provided under contract to Aberdeenshire Council. The journey to be withdrawn is not part of the contract but merely operated to return the vehicle to the contractor’s depot at Laurencekirk. Its withdrawal will have no detrimental effects. 5 M W NICOLL – SERVICE 113 : MONTROSE – ST CYRUS – INVERBERVIE – STONEHAVEN 5.1 From 27 February 2006, M W Nicoll will withdraw their commercial 1720 journey on Mondays to Fridays between Montrose and Stonehaven. Members will recall that this is a corridor subject to competition between M W Nicoll and Bluebird Buses, service provision is such that the withdrawal will have no implications as an alternative facility is operated at 1720 by Bluebird Buses over the same route. The 1300 Service 113B journey between Montrose and Stonehaven on Mondays to Fridays will operate at 1325; again an alternative journey already exists provided by Bluebird Buses at 1300 between Montrose and Stonehaven, therefore no action is required. 6 SCOTTISH CITYLINK SERVICE PROVISION IN ANGUS 6.1 Members will recall that at the meeting of this Committee on 13 October 2005, it was reported that Stagecoach had acquired a 35% capital share of Scottish Citylink Limited in return for transferring certain rights to the Motivator and megabus.com operations in Scotland. ComfortDelGro own the remaining 65% of the Citylink share (Report 1176/05 refers). It was reported that this joint venture would see express coach services in Scotland operate under the megabus.com and Scottish Citylink brands. 3 Report No 8/06 6.2 Following on from the announcement regarding the new Company, registrations were submitted to the Traffic Commissioner to vary the Citylink service provision with effect from 28 November 2005. From 28 November 2005, the only two journeys to remain which pick-up/set-down in Angus were:- • 06:35 Dundee (Discovery Pt), Muirdrum, Arbroath, Montrose, St Cyrus, Stonehaven, Aberdeen (Mon-Sat) • 17:40 Aberdeen, Stonehaven, St Cyrus, Montrose, Arbroath, Muirdrum, Dundee (Bus Station) (Daily) 6.3 Officers from Planning & Transport met with representatives from the new Scottish Citylink company to express their disappointment and concern at the withdrawal of virtually all coach services which pick-up/set-down within Angus and to discuss possible options available. In response to suggestions from officers, the company confirmed they would be happy to consider bus/coach interchange provision if this could be suitably located close to the A90. 6.4 At the 24 November 2005 meeting of this Committee (Report 1381/05 refers) Members authorised investigation and if possible implementation at an early date of bus/coach interchange points close to the A90 in order to enable coach services to pick-up/set-down at locations which could be connected to local bus service routes serving Forfar and Brechin. 6.5 Discussions have been on-going in this regard and a suitable site for a bus stop has been identified in Forfar at the A929 (Glamis Road)/A90 interchange adjacent to Orchardbank (see Appendix 1 for details). Strathtay Scottish have agreed to re-route the Orchardbank buses on the Forfar Town service to operate from Orchardbank via the A90 underpass to the A94 roundabout for the Glamis turnoff then back under the underpass to serve a new stop close to the roundabout at Orchardbank. Scottish Citylink have agreed to serve this stop on a two-hourly basis with its Dundee – Aberdeen service. A start date has yet to be agreed however it is anticipated that this will be during March 2006. 7 SALE OF STRATHTAY SCOTTISH LTD AND MEFFANS COACHES 7.1 On 15 December 2005, the Yorkshire Traction Group which includes Strathtay Scottish Ltd and Meffans Coaches was acquired by Stagecoach. Strathtay currently employ over 300 staff and have 160 vehicles at its five depots in Tayside which include Arbroath, Blairgowrie, Dundee, Forfar and Montrose. The impact of this change of ownership is currently unknown. It is possible that the Office of Fair Trading will consider the acquisition of the Tayside operations, this being the case no material change to the existing operation of the companies is expected for the next few months. 7.2 The Scottish Executive are aware of the sale of Strathtay Scottish Ltd and have stated that they have no concerns regarding the recent partnership awards of Bus Route Development Grant funding to Angus Council and Strathtay Scottish Ltd. and anticipate these services to be continued by the new owners. 7.3 Members will be kept informed of any material changes to services and operations arising from the sale of the Company. 4 Report No 8/06 8 AWARD OF BUS ROUTE DEVELOPMENT GRANT FUNDING 8.1 Members will recall that at the meeting of this Committee on 28 April 2005 it was reported that two bids had been submitted to the Scottish Executive for Bus Route Development Grant funding, one for service enhancements within Forfar Town and the other for service enhancements on the Kirriemuir - Forfar – (Arbroath) corridor (Report 511/05 refers). The bid for Forfar Town Service improvements was successful however the Kirriemuir – Forfar – (Arbroath) bid was turned down as it was considered to be marginal in terms of financial viability. The Scottish Executive however invited the Council to undertake some further work on the bid and re-submit it, this was reported to this Committee on 13 October 2005 (Report 1176/05 refers). 8.2 Further work was undertaken on the bid in partnership with Strathtay Scottish Ltd and the Council was informed on 12 December 2005 that the bid had been approved by the Scottish Executive. The Council has been awarded funding over 3 years to subsidise service improvements on the Kirriemuir – Forfar – (Arbroath) corridor. This grant will increase service provision from hourly to half-hourly and provide through operation to Arbroath rather than via the current connecting services which require waits of over 30 minutes in Forfar. 8.3 The award of this funding is welcomed and it is anticipated that the grant awarded will meet the full operational costs of the service. However, should there be any shortfall then this will, as with previous Bus Route Development Grant funding, be met on a 50:50 basis by the Strathtay Scottish Ltd and Angus Council in years 1 to 3 and any shortfall in year 4 (which is anticipated may amount to £7351) will be covered by a revenue based contract with the Council.