Proposed bus service changes
Issued by City of York Council
City of York Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Planning and Sustainability will be asked to consider several changes to local bus services at a decision session this week [Tuesday 15 January].
Subject to consulting with residents, Cllr Dave Merrett will be asked to approve the following recommendations:
- To approve the re-tendering of routes 21 (Colton–Acaster Malbis–Askham Bar–York) and 35 (Holme on Spalding Moor–Wheldrake–York –subject to budget constraints.
- Due to poor usage, consider the withdrawal of council subsidy for evening and Sunday services on route 14 (Beckfield Lane–Boroughbridge Road–York)
- Support the re-tendering for replacement services on revised routes 24/ 26/ 627/ 637
- Procure a Monday to Saturday, hourly daytime service to the South Bank area of York, replacing the existing half hourly service and subject to the resulting tenders being within budgetary constraint.
- To consider what action the council should take in response to four petitions lodged concerning First Group’s commercially operated bus network, including route 5, 12 and 13.
In October 2012, First Group implemented a wide-ranging review of its commercially operated network of services to improve reliability, value for money and customer satisfaction.
Following this review, changes to routes in the South Bank area were implemented. A new route 15 was introduced on a trial basis, with subsidy from the council in place of route 11 which had previously served South Bank. The report proposes that, following analysis of usage levels, route 15 is reduced from a half hourly frequency to hourly.
As part of the review, First also introduced a new daytime route 14. Following public representation, the council agreed on a trial basis to support evening and Sunday services between Beckfield Lane and York. However, following analysis of usage the council proposes to withdrawal the subsidised evening and Sunday journeys.
Following feedback from residents, the Cabinet Member will also be asked to consider issuing new contracts for routes 35 and 21, subject to a consultation.
To ensure that York’s bus service best meets the needs of its passengers, the council works with bus operators through the York Quality Bus Partnership to consult with the general public on any proposals to alter routes, and in the interests of making general improvements to the bus network.
Cllr Dave Merrett, Cabinet Member for Transport, Planning and Sustainability, said: “The council seeks to ensure that quality bus services are delivered for the residents of York. These aims are mainly met though joint working through the Quality Bus Partnership, with over 80 per cent of York’s bus network commercially operated without subsidy form the council.
“The council also provides some subsidised bus services where there is both a transport need that is currently not being met through commercially operated services, and adequate take up without unreasonable subsidy levels.
“Following publication of this report and my decision session, the intention is to present these proposals to the general public for consultation in advance of finalising them and of any significant changes to or withdrawal of services.”
To view the report please visit democracy.york.gov.uk.
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