Issue - decisions

PROJECT INITIATION DOCUMENTS (PIDS)

14/02/2014 - PARK AND RIDE BUS SERVICES REVIEW SCRUTINY REPORT

Councillor Murphy (Chair of the Working Plymouth Co-operative Review Scrutiny Group) attended the meeting and presented the recommendations in the scrutiny report on the Park and Ride Bus Services Review. She also referred to the work of the group on concessionary bus passes and reported that a recommendation had not been made to amend the current scheme following legal advice.

Philip Heseltine (Head of Integrated Transport), Gill Peele (Business Manager) and Andy Sharp (Public Transport Manager) also attended the meeting for this item.

Anthony Payne (Strategic Director for Place) submitted a report on the recommendations which came from the review and Councillor Coker (Cabinet Member for Transport) proposed Cabinet’s response together with the reasons for his recommendations.

Councillor Evans (Chair) joined with Councillor Coker to thank Councillor Murphy for her work, together with the scrutiny group members and all those who supported the review. He also indicated that work had already started to provide improved journey planning and timetable information at each of the park and ride sites and that the work should be complete by the end of March 2014.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed that –

(1)	Scrutiny Recommendation (1) to investigate the feasibility of charging for parking at all three Park and Ride sites, with the intention of covering the operating costs of the site, is rejected for the following reasons -
		(a)	the consequences of charging to park could put off current users of the service and lead them to seek alternatives which may be harmful to the city. These alternatives may include driving into the City Centre which would increase congestion and carbon emissions, or visitors to Plymouth could decide to travel elsewhere which would impact negatively on the local economy;
		(b)	to give a clear message to current and potential users of the park and ride services that the Council is committed to encouraging people to use them through keeping it as straightforward as possible;
(2)	Scrutiny Recommendation (2) is accepted as amended and the park and ride departure charges, charges made to the bus operator, will be renegotiated with the intention of possible increases. The Council’s ambition is that any increase will not be passed onto passengers;
(3)	Scrutiny Recommendation (3) is accepted as amended and officers will investigate the feasibility for a new park and ride bus service to be introduced between Milehouse and Derriford Hospital;
(4)	Scrutiny Recommendation (4) is accepted as amended and the potential for increased operating hours will be explored on all park and ride bus services in order to accommodate the users of the service who take advantage of the late night shopping in the City Centre or for those who use the park and ride to visit patients at Derriford Hospital, bearing in mind that visiting hours are up to 8pm. If a subsidy is required for an enhancement to the PR3, the service for Derriford Hospital, the Council will approach the NHS Trust to require a financial contribution;
(5)	Scrutiny Recommendation (5) is accepted and improved journey planning and timetable information will be provided at each of the park and ride sites.