Agenda item

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 the background, particularly regarding timetables and reviews of current routes.

 

Arriva’s commercial and engineering teams were looking at methods to improve reliability, including the provision of electric buses to serve the more urban routes, which would enable existing better vehicles will be available for rural routes.

 

Additional questions included:

 

·       Regarding reliability and how improvements may be made to notify passengers of any delays. Arriva acknowledged the issue and asked that Councillors encourage the reporting of any issues/concerns to Arriva, to help inform next steps.

·       The Public and Community Transport Manager reminded the Committee of the imminent installation of real time information displays at bus stops across the county.

·       It was confirmed that Arriva were in receipt of a subsidy

·       Arriva advised that they could reconsider some routes include villages, such as Middleton Tyas

 

Members also considered the issues regarding alternatives to the supermarket stops in Catterick and the demands on the road network, such as the traffic lights at Scotch Corner.

 

The Committee asked whether the local Highways area offices could send similar notifications of road works as they send to parish councils.

 

The Chair thanked Mr Wise and Mr Hutchinson for the information provided and for the opportunity to build a positive working relationship.