Portsmouth City Borough Council Cabinet Member for Traffic & Transportation Meeting

There were no apologies.

There were no declarations of interest.

Peter Shelley, Transport Development Manager, presented his report.  The purpose of the report was to seek approval to maintain essential public transport links for residents whilst allowing a prompt, competitive tender process to ensure value for money for council taxpayers.

The paper also sought approval to use Bus Services Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding to enhance supported services subject to investigation of the options set out in the BSIP.  Following completion of the tender process a paper would be bought back to a Traffic and Transportation meeting in June 2023 to recommend awards and consider any further commercial de-registrations.

Members' questions

In response to Members' questions, Officers clarified:

·       The contract for services will go out for tender in April 2023 and the results will be bought back to a Traffic and Transportation decision meeting in June 2023. 

·       The extra college journeys noted in the report are extra journeys on the 13/14.  The college itself arranges journeys from further afield.  Those routes are unaffected by this change.

·       Portsmouth City Council has no responsibility or funding for post 16 transport other than for students with special needs or for families on low income.  However, PCC would continue to work with the college, to share information and resources in order to ascertain if there are better options available.

·       Portsmouth had fared better than other local authorities in relation to bus withdrawals, but it was an unknown as to whether further services would be withdrawn prior to the outcome of the tender process.  Officers noted that on 17 February it was announced that the Bus Recovery Grant had been extended by 3 months to June 2023.

Member comments

It would be beneficial to encourage more people to use the buses, such as through the current scheme of free travel on Sundays in March and the earlier start times for shift workers, amongst other initiatives.

Members considered it sensible to go out to tender and were happy to endorse the paper and the recommendations.

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation

1.    Approved the tender of the current supported bus service contracts to start 30 July 2023 and delegated authority to the Director of Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation and Section 151 Officer to procure contracts on the above supported bus routes;

2.    Approved the tender of a replacement for the currently commercial bus service 18 to start 30 July 2023 and delegated authority to the Director of Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation and Section 151 Officer to procure contracts on the above bus route:

3.    Approved the funding for the 13/14 and 22 bus services from 2 April 2023 to 29 July 2023 to maintain transport links for residents, the cost to be met firstly from any underspends in the 2023/24 Concessionary fares revenue budget and any balance form the Parking Reserve;

4.    Approved the use of Portsmouth Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) expenditure to enhance services including 13, 14, 18, 22 and 25 subject to investigation of options as detailed in the Portsmouth BSIP. To delegate authority to the Director of Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportations and Section 151 Officer to procure contracts on the above supported bus routes to enhance services;

5.    Approved to procure any necessary local bus services as a result of commercial de-registrations or the cessation of the Bus Recovery Grant in March 2023 to 28 October 2023 with delegated authority to the Director of Regeneration in consultation with Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation and Section 151 Officer;

6.    Noted that a paper will be brought back to a Traffic and Transportation Cabinet meeting in June 2023, following the completion of the procurement process to re-tender the contracts and recommend awards.  This paper would also deal with any short-term procurements as a result of commercial de-registrations or the cessation of the Bus Recovery Grant in March 2023.