Issue - meetings

Cllr Philip Robinson updated Cabinet on progress to date on developing the Gloucestershire Bus Enhanced Partnership (EP) document, and updated Cabinet with the initial results of the public consultation process.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and

RESOLVED to:

Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment and Infrastructure to:

(a) further develop and finalise the Enhanced Partnership in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economy, Education and Skills

(b) submit a draft Enhanced Partnership document to the Department for Transport (DfT) by 30/04/22, and subsequently submit the agreed final document by a date yet to be advised, and

(c) enter into the Enhanced Partnership agreement with transport operators later in the year once the date for final EP submission referred to in (b) is confirmed by the DfT.

Cllr Philip Robinson updated Cabinet on progress to date on developing the Gloucestershire Bus Enhanced Partnership (EP) document, and updated Cabinet with the initial results of the public consultation process.

The Government’s recent ‘Bus Back Better’ strategy mandated each Local Transport Authority to produce a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), setting out its plans to improve bus-based public transport in each area and to establish an Enhanced Partnership agreement with all operators providing public bus services in their area.

Gloucestershire’s BSIP document was submitted to the Department for Transport at the end of October 2021.A draft Enhanced Partnership agreement document was now required by the end of April 2022.

The Enhanced Partnership document was a legal framework between the Council and bus operators. It contained a Plan (a summary of the BSIP), and a Scheme (an agreed programme of improvements by the Council and bus operators to provide better bus services and facilities).

The governance of the Enhanced Partnership would be exercised through a Board with three Members – one from the County Council, one from Stagecoach (the major bus operator) and one Member representing the other bus operators and community transport provider. The third Member would be elected at an Enhanced Partnership Forum meeting, to which all operators and community transport providers would be invited.

The main challenge of the Enhanced Partnership would be to establish an attractive sustainable and successful bus network as the basis for future growth of the public transport network as passengers return to the bus after the pandemic. The aim would be to meet the travel needs of residents moving into new developments and to connect Gloucestershire’s residents to employment, education, retail, leisure and social opportunities, whilst meeting the Council’s ambitious carbon reduction targets.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and

RESOLVED to:

Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Economy, Environment and Infrastructure to:

a) further develop and finalise the Enhanced Partnership in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economy, Education and Skills

b) submit a draft Enhanced Partnership document to the Department for Transport (DfT) by 30/04/22, and subsequently submit the agreed final document by a date yet to be advised, and

c) enter into the Enhanced Partnership agreement with transport operators later in the year once the date for final EP submission referred to in (b) is confirmed by the DfT