Issue - meetings

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director of Environment seeking approval to submit the Bus Service Improvement Plan 2024 to the Department for Transport (DfT).

Councillor Keane Duncan, Executive Member for Highways and Transportation, presented the report noting that last December the council received notification of an indicative allocation of £3.5m for 2024/25 of Network North: Phase 3 Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. The council’s proposals to use this revenue funding were approved by DfT in April and would comprise the delivery programme for 2024/25 as set out in the Bus Service Improvement Plan 2024. Payment of the grant was contingent on submission of a revised BSIP document to DfT.  The 2024 BSIP refresh provided an opportunity to provide a light touch update, revising the data baseline, setting out the delivery plan for 2024/2025 and the council’s vison for the following five years.

In the ensuing discussion, it was noted that whilst the actions in the BSIP set out service enhancements, bus fare reductions and customer improvements to encourage greater usage of local bus services, if there was not a growth in passenger numbers, there was still a risk that bus services could be lost.

Resolved (unanimously) – that the Executive approves submission of the Bus Service Improvement Plan 2024 document to the Department for Transport.