TRANSPORT AND TECHNICAL SERVICES
CONFIRMATION OF 2010 ISLAND EXPLORER BUS SERVICES
Purpose of the Report
To seek the Minister‘s approval of the 2010 Island Explorer bus services.
Background
The Minister approved ‘in principle’ the proposals for the 2010 Island Explorer services on 2 February 2010 under MD-T-2010-0013. As this represents changes in an omnibus licence, 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
1. The proposals can be summarised as follows:
(a) Bouley Bay is included on the Yellow Route to provide this location with bus services over a greater part of the year.
(b) To allow the above change to be made, the Yellow Route will operate via Les Platons in the return direction only.
(c) The Green Route will return from Durrell via Rozel Bay, providing additional departures to this location.
(d) Some minor timing changes have been made to the schedules for operational reasons.
(e) The last departure listed for each of the four routes will operate only during the summer schedule period from 30 May 2010.
(f) The Island Explorer network will run daily from the start of the school Easter holidays (Thursday 01 April) up until Sunday 10 October. It will also operate on the three following weekends with the final day being Sunday 31 October.
2. An advertisement was placed in the Gazette Section of the Jersey Evening Post on 4 February 2010. In addition, all Constables and Parish Halls were contacted with details to display.
3. The department received comments from three people:
(a) A gentleman who supplied general comments of a supportive nature while raising some concerns about the timings and connectivity with other services at interchange points and a note of caution that stabilisation work on the proposed Rozel section of Green Route may not be complete in time for the start of operations on 01 April.
(b) A business owner who praised the extended season of operation to and from Bouley Bay.
(c) A business owner requesting that consideration be given to including Bonne Nuit on the Island Explorer network, but later accepting that this location was included in 2008 and found to be not viable.
Additionally a letter was printed in the Jersey Evening Post, also in praise of the response to requests for a longer season of operation to Bouley Bay.
Comments
1. The cost of the 2010 proposals equate as follows:
£
Savings due to fewer daily journeys
outwith the summer schedule period
and alteration to Green Route (16,417)
Inclusion of Bouley Bay 7,362
Additional Cost £9,055
This is unchanged from the costs quoted in the ‘in principle’ decision, in which it was stated that the savings could be redirected to enhancements elsewhere on the bus network such as improvements to morning peak hour services introduced on 01 February 2010.
2. Given the fact that there have only been three comments concerning these proposals, it is recommended that the Minister approve them without alteration for implementation on 01 April 2010.
Recommendation:-
The Minister is recommended to approve the following:
1. That the Island Explorer will run from Thursday 01 April 2010 through to Sunday 10 October 2010 and the three weekends following finishing on Sunday 31 October;
2. That the last departure from Liberation Station on each route will run only during the summer timetable period of 30 May 2010 to 26 September 2010; and
3. The minor changes to the Yellow and Green Routes as detailed in the report.
Reason(s) for Recommendations
Although four comments from members of the public were received following advertising in the JEP, it is considered that the 2010 proposals as planned will provide the best leisure service for the public. The proposals represent an improvement in coverage of the leisure network to the benefit of the travelling public, visitors and tourist destinations and show an enhancement from 2009 with the inclusion of Bouley Bay and Rozel Bay.
Actions Required
1. Advise Connex of the decision.
2. Draft a media release advising of the Minister’s decision.
3. Advise the members of the public who submitted comments of the Minister’s decision.
Resource Implications
These proposals represent a net saving to the bus budget of £9,055.
Written by: | Transport Logistics Manager |
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Approved by: | Acting Director of Transport |