Spring 2014 Bus Service: Confirmation

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A decision made on 4 April 2014:

Decision Reference: MD-T-2014-0032
Decision Summary Title :	Spring 2014 Bus Service Confirmation		Date of Decision Summary:	26 March 2014
Decision Summary Author:	Public Transport Planner		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	Confirmation of Bus Services from 14 April 2014		Date of Written Report:	26 March 2014
Written Report Author:	Public Transport Planner		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Confirmation of bus services to take effect from Monday 14 April 2014
Decision(s): The Minister approved the following: That the revised bus timetable will run from Monday 14 April 2014 until Sunday 25 May 2014; and The changes to bus routes as detailed in the report.
Reason(s) for Decision: Several comments from members of the public were received following advertising in the Jersey Gazette and at Parish Halls. As a result it is considered that the revised timetable will provide an overall improvement in services for the public, representing a further stage in a series of improvements aimed at generating additional public transport patronage which will contribute towards the achievement of Sustainable Transport Policy targets.
Resource Implications: The proposed bus service timetables differ from the provisional timetable included within the HCT Group’s final tender submission, approved by the Minister on 06 July 2012 (MD-T-2012-0052 refers). However there are no additional costs relative to the agreed contract price.
Action required: Inform LibertyBus of the decision and issue Omnibus Service Licences, where relevant, to take effect from the first day of the summer timetable period. Jointly with LibertyBus, prepare a media release outlining the service changes that will take effect from 14 April 2014.
Signature:		Position:
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Spring 2014 Bus Service: Confirmation

TRANSPORT AND TECHNICAL SERVICES

CONFIRMATION OF BUS SERVICES FROM 14 APRIL 2014

Purpose of the Report

To seek the Minister‘s approval of a revised bus timetable from 14 April 2014, to be operated by LibertyBus (the trading name of CT Plus Jersey Ltd).

Background

The Minister approved ‘in principle’ the proposals for the revised bus timetable on 11 March 2014 (MD-T-2014-0024 refers). Under Article 24 of the Motor Traffic (Jersey) Law 1935, the Minister had to consult on the proposals prior to a final decision being made.

Discussion

LibertyBus proposed the following changes.

Adjustments to bus timetables
Re-introduction of seasonal service 28

Adjustments to bus timetables

The detail of the proposals can be summarised as follows:

Service 1 – Minor changes to some peak hour departure times, with one early Saturday morning journey withdrawn
Service 3 – Minor changes to some peak hour departure times and an additional Monday-Friday departure
Service 4 – daytime inbound journeys to call at Durrell after Bouley Bay and operate in this pattern seven days a week
Service 8 – revised timetable with additional departures and daytime buses to call at Living Legend
Service 9 – revised timetable with daytime departures from St Helier moved 35 minutes earlier, Sunday frequency increased to hourly and an extra evening service
Service 12 – revised timetable with hourly daytime frequency seven days a week and extension to Greve de Lecq via St Ouen’s Bay. Minor alterations to late evening services
Service 12A – hourly frequency with additional short workings to Corbiere and minor changes to peak hour departures
Service 15 – minor changes to late afternoon and early evening times from Jersey Airport (Monday-Friday)
Service 16 – minor changes to evening timetable and rationalised service levels on Saturday mornings

Plus some times on a small number of other departures amended (services 19, 21, 25).

Service 28

Reinstated with up to ten journeys per day terminating at either La Mare Wine Estate or Living Legend

2. An advertisement was published in the Gazette section of the Jersey Evening Post on 17 March 2014, with a deadline for comments of Monday 24 March. A press release was issued to coincide, and all Constables and Parish Halls contacted with details.

3. A public meeting took place at lunchtime on Wednesday 12 April at the St Helier Town Hall, with an early version of the proposals available for inspection. Attendance was low, and as with previous meetings discussions tended to focus more on suggestions for future developments than on the specific proposals.

4. LibertyBus received comments from several respondents, summarised in Appendix 1, although some of the issues raised would already be resolved by the proposed changes.

Comments

Further to the consultation, and following the opportunity to review current/past passenger demand, LibertyBus recommend that some further small amendments to the proposed timetables be made as follows:

The first daily journey (except Sundays) on service 4 that was proposed to call at Durrell will not now do so, due to low expected demand at this time of day
Service 8 will not now call at Living Legend, as the additional journey time created by this diversion would inconvenience those travelling to and from St Ouen
To compensate for the above, a modified timetable on service 28 will apply featuring eleven journeys daily (six to Living Legend and five to La Mare Wine Estate)
Some very minor timing adjustments to a small number of journeys on other services, to maximise the punctuality of buses

There is no additional cost to TTS associated with the proposals. The level of service to be provided is equal to the resource levels allowed for within the bus operating contract during the spring 2014 timetable period of operation.

While not heavily-attended, the public meeting held at the Town Hall, which was initiated and promoted by LibertyBus, was considered useful and this is likely to continue to be a regular means of informing the process in advance of future bus timetable change dates.

It is recommended that the Minister approve the proposals for implementation with the incorporation of the additional changes at point 1 above. These revisions represent a further overall improvement to the public transport network. LibertyBus officers are currently working to accommodate these revisions and they will be included within the publicity material that will appear in due course.

Recommendation:-

The Minister is recommended to approve the following:

That the revised bus timetable will run from Monday 14 April 2014 until Sunday 25 May 2014; and
The changes to bus routes as detailed in this report.

Reason(s) for Recommendations

Several comments from members of the public were received following advertising in the Jersey Gazette and at Parish Halls. As a result it is considered that the revised timetable will provide an overall improvement in services for the public, representing a further stage in a series of improvements aimed at generating additional public transport patronage which will contribute towards the achievement of Sustainable Transport Policy targets.

Actions Required

Inform LibertyBus of the decision and issue Omnibus Service Licences, where relevant, to take effect from the first day of the summer timetable period.
Jointly with LibertyBus, prepare a media release outlining the service changes that will take effect from 14 April 2014.

Resource Implications

The proposed bus service timetables differ from the provisional timetable included within the HCT Group’s final tender submission, approved by the Minister on 06 July 2012 (MD-T-2012-0052 refers). However there are no additional costs relative to the agreed contract price.

Written by:	Public Transport Planner

Approved by:	Director of Transport

Appendix 1:	Summary of consultation responses