Issue - meetings

To consider a report on the Bus Service Review 2024 – Results and Recommendations.

The Committee considered a report which presented the findings of a strategic review of the Council’s financial support for local bus services. The review was undertaken to ensure that spending provided value for money and best met the needs of passengers within prevailing budget constraints.

The Council’s existing supported bus contracts were due to expire at the end of March 2025. The process to re-procure services was scheduled to begin in October, with new contracts due to start in April 2025. The outcomes from the bus service review and associated consultation had informed the service specifications and the proposed changes to the supported bus network were outlined in the report.

Councillor R Bailey attended to speak as a visiting member. Cllr Bailey was grateful for the Go Too service but shared her concerns that it was in operation without full testing of those who rely on it.

There was no commercial bus service in Audlem and following a residents meeting it was found that a lot more people relied on the regular commercial bus service for a number of reasons.

40 residents met with the local MP, who wrote to Cheshire East raising concerns. The report has been shared as though there are services in place, when it was the Go Too service in place, along with the retention of the commercial service not being re-procured until 1st April.

The report gave an underlying feeling that no one used the bus service in Audlem, and by 1^st April next year they would have given up hope of a bus service, lost employment, or education, or will have become isolated.

In relation to the recommendations on Page 71, specifically 2a – Councillor Bailey asked that Cheshire East Council as a matter of urgency expedite the re procurement of services 72 and 73 to ensure there was a service in place for Audlem and surrounding areas.

In addition, that the performance of the Go Too bus was carefully scrutinised, which all too often was cancelled at late notice.

Councillor Bailey emphasised the priorities outlined in Cheshire East’s Corporate Plan specifically inclusivity and access to education, and without transport support, the council would fail on those priorities.

The Committee welcomed the report and asked questions and sought assurance in relation to:

-       Flexible transport – concerns around qualification, and that it would be open to travellers who have no viable public transport service available. Would those residents who are elderly or disabled continue to have access to the Flexi Link service.

-       Concerns around the reliability of the Go Too Service in the south of the borough

-       If monthly performance data on failure rates and usage in the area could be shared with members

-       Is the concessionary bus pass travel still valid on the Flexi bus?

-       Are pets allowed on the service?

In response officers reported that

-       The Flexi link service would continue for those with limited mobility/ and the elderly.

-       Officers would look to investigate  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27