Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Steve Watson.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 15 September 2025, be confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record subject to the following amendment.

Minute number 169 be amended as follows:

It was unanimously agreed that this Area Committee requests a review of the Stokesley community’s banking needs by applying to LINK for a banking hub to enable:

·       Deposit and withdrawal of cash

·       Paying bills

·       Checking balances

·       Speaking to bank representatives

·       Undertaking non-cash bank transactions

Following the meeting it was realised that an assessment of Stokesley’s banking needs had been undertaken in March 2025, when the provision of any new or improved cash access services in Stokesley had not been recommended.

All Members are invited to declare at this point any interests they have in items appearing on this agenda, including the nature of those interests.

There were no declarations of interest.

Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice to Democratic Services (details below) and supplied the text by midday on 5 November 2025, three working days before the day of the meeting. Each speaker should limit themselves to three minutes on any item.

If you are exercising your right to speak at this meeting, but do not wish to be recorded, please inform the Chair who will instruct anyone who may be taking a recording to cease while you speak.

There were three public questions or statements submitted to the committee. Questions 1 and 2 were considered at minute 180 – Discussion session with representatives from Arriva.

Ms Hardie and Ms Hodgson were unable to attend to read their questions, however the questions were considered during the discussion.

1.     From Anne Marie Hardie

I am writing to express my deep concern about the continued poor performance of the Arriva X26 bus service, which operates between Colburn and Richmond. This service is a vital link for residents, including students, workers, older people and those without access to private transport. Unfortunately, its reliability has deteriorated significantly, leaving many residents frustrated and isolated.

Buses frequently fail to turn up without notice and when they do, they are often late or overcrowded. The Arriva app is unreliable and fails to provide accurate real-time information, leaving passengers uncertain about whether a bus is coming at all. For many in Colburn, this has made travel for work, education, and essential appointments increasingly difficult.

I urge the Committee to take this matter up with Arriva and the relevant transport officers to explore urgent solutions, such as:

• Holding Arriva to account for the poor reliability of the X26 service
• Requiring better communication and real-time information for passengers
• Considering whether alternative operators or community-based transport schemes could supplement or replace failing services; and
• Reviewing how North Yorkshire Council can better monitor and enforce service standards.

Reliable public transport is not a luxury — it is a necessity for communities like Colburn and the wider Richmondshire area. I hope the Committee will take this issue seriously and work with Arriva to deliver the improvements our residents urgently need.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your response and to hearing what action will be taken to ensure the X26 route provides the dependable service our community deserves.

2.     From Lorraine Hodgson

Having read the agenda regarding Arriva bus service I would like to add some comments from people who use the service.

My daughter had arranged for transportation to Darlington via the buses and this had to be changed due to the bus app informing her that they were running late. My nephew was unable to take an exam because the bus simply did not turn up. A person in my class was very late due to the service. While chatting about buses one lady said well you cannot rely on them for appointments because they do not turn up and she was paying for taxis.

I have witnessed them broken down and when this happens the people just walk.

Responses to these questions were considered at minute 180.

3.     From Chris Johnson

Stokesley volunteers, businesses and Stokesley Town Council are striving to make Stokesley a more vibrant town. The Town Council has recently received a grant of £50,040 from the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to promote the High Street, aiming to increase footfall all year round, specifically on the non-market days  ...  view the full minutes text for item 176.

The Right Hon Rishi Sunak MP provided a written update which was circulated to Members.

His representative, Malcolm Warne, advised Members to submit any questions on the update to him and he would pass these on to the MP.

Transport to Work and Study report

At the mid cycle briefing, Members asked for an update on the above. This was requested from the mayor’s office, but no reply was received until 30 October, when apologies were sent to the Committee for the non-response. An update has been requested for the next meeting in March.

The Vice Chair was recently advised by the Mayor that he hopes to run pilots of rural bus franchising. The Vice Chair expressed a hope that Richmond area would be considered due to the recent study produced by the Committee and the Mayor acknowledged receipt of the study.

Resolved

That the Mayor be asked to attend the meeting of the Committee to be held on 2 March 2026 to provide a briefing on the pilots of rural bus franchising.

Martin Dodd, Area Operations Manager and Helen Edwards, Assistant Director of Communications and Community Engagement, presented a report on the performance and services provided by Yorkshire Ambulance Service Trust within the Richmondshire area of North Yorkshire

It was noted that the TS9 Stokesley and Great Ayton postcode area was not included in the information. Mr Dodd confirmed that those areas are part of the service area and that performance figures for the past 12 months aligned with the data previously circulated.

Members raised questions regarding cross-border ambulance provision, particularly in relation to the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS). It was confirmed that Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) did not routinely report on the number of cross-border responses.

Members sought clarification on decision-making for ambulance deployment in border areas. It was explained that the nearest available resource responds to urgent calls, regardless of service boundaries.

Members expressed interest in data on air ambulance usage and investment in new vehicles, particularly for winter conditions and rural access. YAS confirmed:

• Staffing levels were improving due to reduced attrition and ongoing recruitment.
• A fleet replacement programme was in place, including trials of electric ambulances in urban areas. Rural deployment remains under review due to infrastructure challenges.

The new ambulance station at Thirsk was progressing well and it was expected that the building would be watertight before Christmas. Full operational status was anticipated by the end of the financial year.

Handover times at hospitals were discussed. YAS continued to work with acute trusts to reduce delays and improve response times. Demand for 999 and A&E operations had increased by 1.5% over the past 12 months, but response times had improved due to operational efficiencies.

The Chair thanked Mr Dodd and Ms Edwards for the update.

In response to question 1 in minute 176 above Andrew Clarke, Public and Community Transport Manager, NYC gave the following response.

Thank you for your question regarding Service X26/X27. This is a commercial bus route operated by Arriva and not one which is run under contract to the Council. This means that the route and timetable are set by the bus company, and they are responsible for the operation of the route.

North Yorkshire Council doesn’t have regulatory powers over commercial bus services as this is the role of the government appointed Traffic Commissioner and the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency. That said, the council’s public transport team work closely with bus companies and managers from Arriva will be attending the Area Committee meeting on 10 November to discuss the operational challenges with the X26/X27 route and the points you have raised. We will then work together to address issues affecting service reliability.

Regarding Real Time Information, NYC will be installing additional digital displays at bus stops across the county over the next few months and will include X26/X27 in this programme.

Neil Wise, Operations Manager and Gary Hutchinson, Site Manager Darlington and Durham, representatives of Arriva attended the meeting.

Mr Hutchinson thanked the committee for the invitation and hoped that attendance at this meeting would be instrumental in building a better-informed working relationship with the Council.

Members agreed that effective communication between all parties - including bus operators, user groups, and council departments - was critical to delivering reliable services. The committee hoped that council services engaged constructively with Arriva as a key public transport partner.

The Arriva representatives went through the questions submitted by Members and replied as follows:

·       The Arriva bus app could not be updated with breakdowns or delays once the bus journey had started. In addition, there were a number of blackspots where GPS did not work.

·       X26 and X27 was a priority service, and no services were lost due to staffing issues. However, Councillors appreciated that breakdowns or delays could not be planned for in advance.

·       Delays and breakdowns could impact on legally mandated drivers’ hours

There were a number of reasons for delays to the services including:

·       Traffic flow through the Catterick/Colburn corridor and A6136 was worsening, and there were frequent delays on the A1. Arriva were considering reviewing the timetable to improve services across the area.

·       Road closure notification notices sent by NYC Highways may advise of a lengthy period when works may take place, rather than specific dates

Arriva were liaising with Councillor Kevin Foster regarding the issues at Colburn and the A6136.

The length of time it could take to get into and out of a local supermarket in Catterick was causing considerable delays, which could add approx. 15 minutes onto the journey. In addition, there were no raised kerbs at the stops within the car park and other safety concerns, which impacted the service.

Mr Hutchinson assured the Committee that a considerable amount of work was taking place in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 180.

The representative from NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board was unable to attend the meeting.

Resolved

To request an update to be presented to the meeting of the committee to be held on 2 March 2026.

Members requested information on a number of items as follows:

·       An update on workload and resources of the Planning team serving this Committee’s area.

·       A684, Morton Flatts, River Swale flooding update

·       Adherence by contractors to the terms of Streetworks permits

·       An update from Waste and Streetscene Operations with particular reference to litter and dog waste bin emptying, removal of litter bins

Any other items which the Chair agrees should be considered as a matter of urgency because of special circumstances.

There were no urgent items of business.