Agenda item

- Report for consideration by the Combined Authority Committee and the Joint Committee.

The West of England Joint Committee RESOLVED:

1. To agree the West of England Bus Strategy for adoption.

2. To note the summary of feedback from public consultation.

3. To note linkages with the programme of bus infrastructure (as per the separate report on the agenda).

 4. To note linkages with, and impacts of, the COVID-19 lockdown on bus operations and strategy delivery and alignment to the bus recovery report (as per the separate report on the agenda).

5. To delegate the agreement of any subsequent minor changes to the adopted Bus Strategy to the WECA Director of Infrastructure.

The West of England Combined Authority Committee RESOLVED:

- To note the report.

The Joint Committee and the Combined Authority Committee considered a report setting out the West of England Bus Strategy for adoption (agenda item 17).

The Chair highlighted the following aspects of the report and commented as follows:

·       The Bus Strategy was a key document that built on public transport delivery options to meet the aims of the Joint Local Transport Plan 4.  The Bus Strategy work-stream had been in progress over the last 18 months and had been the subject of public consultation between February and March 2020.

·       Covid-19 had created a fundamental change in the landscape associated with bus and public transport operations nationally, and this was recognised in the report.

·       Bus patronage recovery back to pre-lockdown levels would not happen realistically in the short term. This was in part due to the ongoing need for social distancing and staff and passenger protection.  As demand rose, more vehicles and drivers would be required against the backdrop of social distancing constraining network capacity, requiring a carefully managed approach to ensure that network capacity was aligned with passenger demand.

·       Given the changing landscape within which bus services operated at present and in the foreseeable future, in considering the Bus Strategy for approval at today’s meeting, it was proposed to review the adopted strategy within 18 months in order to ensure its continued alignment with the future operating landscape.

The recommendations as set out in the published report were then moved by the Chair and seconded by Cllr Dudd.

Cllr Dudd welcomed the strategy, noting that it had been discussed by the Bristol One City Transport Board and supported the proposal that the strategy should be reviewed within 18 months given the Covid-19 circumstances.  He also highlighted though the need to resolve the M32 Park & Ride situation in Bristol as quickly as possible.

Cllr Romero also broadly welcomed the strategy and the proposal to review it within 18 months. It was essential to do everything possible to encourage the use of means of transport other than the private car.

Cllr Savage welcomed the strategy, drawing attention also to the high level of engagement / consultation responses, which also showed strong support for the key themes within the strategy around an interchange-based network and reallocation of road space, opportunities for a more flexible approach to the provision of rural services, and the need for high quality vehicles and availability of integrated ticketing.  The long term aims of the strategy were the right aims.

Cllr Davies welcomed the strategy and commented that he hoped the funding regime around bus services would change in the post-Covid period.  All possible action needed to be taken to encourage public transport use, especially use of buses rather than reverting to private car use; in his view, political leaders should use and be seen to use public transport, including buses, wherever possible.

Professor West welcomed the strategy as a starting point in setting a direction for the region to move in. Moving forwards, the use of buses was one component of the mass transit infrastructure that the region needed.  He emphasised the need to discourage private car use and promote the use of public transport.

The Chair then moved to the voting on the recommendations. Voting took place as per constitutional requirements.

The West of England Joint Committee RESOLVED:

1. To agree the West of England Bus Strategy for adoption.

2. To note the summary of feedback from public consultation.

3. To note linkages with the programme of bus infrastructure (as per the separate report on the agenda).

 4. To note linkages with, and impacts of, the COVID-19 lockdown on bus operations and strategy delivery and alignment to the bus recovery report (as per the separate report on the agenda).

5. To delegate the agreement of any subsequent minor changes to the adopted Bus Strategy to the WECA Director of Infrastructure.

The West of England Combined Authority Committee RESOLVED:

- To note the report.