Final proposals for East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s supported bus services are due to be considered by senior councillors next week.
The report, due to go before Cabinet members on Tuesday, 13 December, will include a number of amended proposals following an extensive transport needs assessment and formal public consultation.
These amended proposals will see 12 bus services or parts of bus services retained rather than withdrawn from April 2017, while nine services or parts of services will be remodelled or replaced by new demand-responsive alternatives.
The public consultation, which took the form of online and telephone surveys, was one of the most extensive reviews of bus and passenger services carried out in the East Riding as the council looks at ways to make savings of £60million over the next four years due to reduced funding from the Government.
While bus services that are currently funded by the council have been reviewed and tested to ensure they meet travel needs in local communities, the consultation provided effective analysis of key strategic transport needs for local communities.
Feedback from the telephone survey showed that 88 per cent said the proposals would have no impact on them and 52.2 per cent of people surveyed overall supported the council’s preferred option of withdrawing low-priority supported bus services.
Following the changes to the proposals, 96 per cent of bus services, including those provided commercially, should remain.
Passengers will be able to travel on a bus at a different time or a different day, or make alternative arrangements, while some services may be retained by commercial operators without costing the public purse.
Some of the amended proposals include:
• retaining 124 from Ruston Parva to Bridlington, Boynton and Driffield
• retaining some of the key journeys on the 45/46 service to York and Bridlington
• retaining two key journeys on the 78/277 service between Hull, Hedon and Paull
• retaining the Saturday extension on the 124 service between Middleton and Beverley
• retaining the 486/488 service from Pollington to Goole
• retaining the 196 service from Aughton to York – but it may operate on a different day
If the proposals are approved, they would save the council £565,000 per year but there will still be around £4million of investment to support transport services in the East Riding. Paul Bellotti, head of housing, transport and public protection at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:
“A great deal of work has gone into finding out what people’s transport needs are and we have listened to what they have to say and amended the proposals, where necessary.”
The East Riding benefits from an extensive network of demand responsive travel options and the council, as part of its future plan, will continue to support the three community transport groups that run them.
Community transport operators offer door-to-door services using wheelchair accessible buses and voluntary car schemes to assist people living in rural isolation and for those needing specialised vehicle transport.
These services offer travel options for all passengers throughout the day and serve local hospitals and town centres.
In addition, the council will offer personal journey planning within the resources available to those residents who request it.
