Bus Service: 2013 Summer Timetable Confirmation

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

An accurate record of “Ministerial Decisions” is vital to effective governance, including:

demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision
providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

Ministers are individually accountable to the States Assembly, including for the actions of the departments and agencies which discharge their responsibilities.

The Freedom of Information Law (Jersey) Law 2011 is used as a guide when determining what information is be published. While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

A decision made 10 May 2013:

Decision Reference: MD-T-2013-0049
Decision Summary Title :	Summer 2013 Bus Service Confirmation		Date of Decision Summary:	03 May 2013
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 27 May 2013		Date of Written Report:	3 May 2013
Written Report Author:	Public Transport Planner		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Confirmation of bus services to take effect from Monday 27 May 2013
Decision(s): The Minister approved the following: That the revised bus timetable will run from Monday 27 May 2013 until Sunday 29 September 2013; 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. Additional bus frequency and the continuation of established seasonal links are prominent in these proposals, which represent a further stage in a series of improvements aimed at generating additional public transport patronage which will assist in achieving 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: Advise LibertyBus of the decision and issue Omnibus Service Licences, where relevant, to take effect from the summer timetable period. Jointly with LibertyBus, prepare a media release outlining the service changes that will take effect from 27 May 2013.
Signature:		Position:
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Bus Service: 2013 Summer Timetable Confirmation

TRANSPORT AND TECHNICAL SERVICES

CONFIRMATION OF BUS SERVICES FROM 27 MAY 2013

Purpose of the Report

To seek the Minister‘s approval of a revised bus timetable from 27 May 2013, 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 19 April 2013 (MD-T-2013-0041 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

The proposals included some of the intended changes that were deferred from the Spring timetable that came into effect on 31 March 2013, and can be summarised as follows:
- Service 1 – 20 minute frequency instead of 30 minute (except Sundays which will be 30 minute)
- Service 1A – 60 minute inter-peak frequency (Winter = 120 minute)
- Service 2 – 60 minute inter-peak frequency (Winter = 120 minute) with six Sunday round trips, 09.30 to 17.00
- Service 4 – All post-09.00 journeys to call at Bouley Bay, with four round trips introduced on Sundays
- Service 8 – Inter-peak journeys extended to Plemont. 17.10 journey to Tesson extended to St Ouen’s Village
- Service 9 – Extra 08.21 commuter journey from St Ouen and St Peter’s Villages via Beaumont. Hourly Sunday daytime service to both Greve de Lecq and Plemont
- Service 12/12A – Two buses an hour operating alternately to Corbiere or (12A) L’Etacq. Hourly Sunday daytime service on 12A
- Service 14 – Reintroduced for summer 2013 operating up to every 30 minutes seven days a week
- Service 21 – Revised timetable with eight round trips per day (Winter = five Mon-Fri)
- Services 25/27 – some peak journeys extended to Les Fontaines car park to trial a ‘park-and-ride’ initiative in conjunction with the Parish of St John. Four Sunday departures on both routes
- LibertyLink services (22, 23, 28, 29) – revised timetables, with Lavender Farm served on every 22 journey in each direction, additional departures on 23 and 28, and route extension from Durrell to Gorey Pier on 29 (Appendix 1)

2. An advertisement was published in the Gazette section of the Jersey Evening Post on 23 April 2013, with a deadline for comments of Friday 03 May. A press release was issued by LibertyBus to coincide with the advertisement and all Constables and Parish Halls were subsequently contacted with details to display.

3. Public meetings took place between Monday 22 April and Tuesday 20 April in St Helier, St Martin and St Brelade. Attendance was relatively low and discussions largely focused on past performance rather than the specific proposals or suggestions for future developments. On 02 May 2013, LibertyBus also convened a meeting with residents of the Chestnut Lea / Mont a l’Abbe area in order to resolve continuing difficulties with punctuality on the service 20 route.

4. At the time of writing (03 May 2013), comments had been received by e-mail or post from around twenty respondents. Appendix 2 summarises the issues raised. The most common subjects prompting a representation were:

(a) Buses at saturation level on some corridors, and / or not running to time

(b) Requesting new links not currently offered by the bus netwrok

(d) Co-ordination of different routes to provide more even scheduled gaps between departures

Other than in relation to point (d), there were few comments formally received that concerned the specific proposals.

Comments

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

Increase service 1 inter-peak to 15min frequency (i.e. twice the summer 2012 level)
Increase service 15 inter-peak to 15min frequency (summer 2012 = 20min)
Minor adjustments to service 3/13 at peak times
Revised timetable on service 20 to counter ongoing punctuality issues, provide an arrival at Liberation Station prior to 08:00, and a later 18:00 departure
A change to the first inbound journey on service 1A so that it follows the same route as post-09:00 daytime journeys, calling at Green Road and the Dicq rather than Plat Douet School and Bagot Road which are covered at this time by service 2
Revisions to Monday-Saturday evening departures on service 12, to better reflect those operated in summer 2012

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 Summer timetable period of operation.

In common with consultations for previous timetable alterations taking effect in 2013, the number of comments received concerning bus service change proposals is at a higher level than in previous years. As the public transport network evolves, it will be desirable to review and where necessary revise the consultation process to employ different methods of engaging with customers.

While not heavily attended, the series of public meetings held at Parish Halls and other venues, initiated by LibertyBus, did provide some benefits and this is likely to continue to be a useful means of informing the process in advance of future bus timetable change dates.

It is recommended that the Minister approve the proposals for implementation on 27 May 2013, with the incorporation of the additional changes at point 1 above. These changes represent a considerable 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 27 March 2013 until Sunday 29 September 2013; 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. Additional bus frequency and the continuation of established seasonal links are prominent in these proposals, which represent a further stage in a series of improvements aimed at generating additional public transport patronage which will assist in achieving Sustainable Transport Policy targets.

Actions Required

Advise 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 27 May 2013.

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

Attachments	Appendix 1: Summary of consultation responses Appendix 2: Route map of service 29 extension Appendix 3: Revised service 20 timetable