Meeting documents

To receive any relevant questions from the public.  These must be received by 5:00 pm three clear working days before the meeting.

The Chair advised that four questions had been received from Mr David Redgewell, three of which would be read out along with the responses from Natasha Bates while the fourth would be answered in writing.  The Chair noted that he had advised Mr Redgewell that in future he did not need to submit public questions, given his position as a Board member.

Question 1: 

What discussions are taking place with Stagecoach Group, First Group plc, South West Buses and West of England commercial network in the submission to the DfT on 2^nd of July 2022 and the need to protect the support subsidised network from October 2022 and as the DfT say?  What are the railway alternatives, if any, in Somerset, i.e., Taunton-Bridgwater, Highbridge and Burnham on Sea-Weston Super Mare corridor, to Bristol Temple Meads, Yeovil to Castle Cary, Bruton-Frome-Trowbridge and Bath, Frome-Trowbridge-Melksham-Chippenham, Taunton-Tiverton-Exeter St David’s-Newton Abbot and Plymouth coach station? 

Response:  

Some operators have already been in discussion with SCC around the changes required to the network and have submitted registration forms to the Traffic Commissioner to reflect these changes.  Further discussions will be held with operators over the coming weeks as part of the network review submission required for the DfT. 

Question 2: 

What discussions are taking place with the West of England Mayoral Combined Transport Authority mayor Dan Norris and North Somerset Council about cross-boundary services and the commercial review of First Group West of England bus network, i.e., import link such as the following services: 

-D2 Frome-Salisbury to Bath Spa bus and coach station via Beckington, Rode Norton, St Phillips Midford 

-376 Street-Glastonbury-Wells bus and coach station, Chewton Mendip, Farrington Gurney, Clutton, Pensford Whitchurch, Hengrove Knowle, Bristol Temple Meads Station, and Bristol bus and coach station 

-173/174 Wells bus and coach station, Chilcompton or Shepton Mallet interchanges, Midsomer Norton Westfield, Radstock, Peasdown St John, Bath Spa bus and coach station 

-20 Burnham on Sea, Berrow, Brean, Weston Super Mare hospital, railway station and bus and coach interchanges—these services require evening and Sunday services 

-Falcon Coaches / Stagecoach South West – Plymouth coach station, Newton Abbott, Exeter, Cullompton, Wellington, Taunton, Bridgwater, East Brent-Churchill-Bristol Airport, Bristol Bond Street 

-Devon County Council services: 22 Taunton-Wellington-Tiverton bus station, 25 Taunton to Dulverton via Bampton, 30 Taunton-Chard-Axminster station, 51/53 connections for Lyme Regis, Bridport and Weymouth 

-Dorset Council services:  58 Yeovil bus and coach station to Sherborne and Wincanton bus station via Yeovil Pen Mill station, x12 Yeovil bus and coach station to Blandford Forum via Yeovil Pen Mill station 

-All services operated by First Group plc 

-Wiltshire Council:  x34 Frome-Rode-Trowbridge, Melksham, Chippenham bus station (Faresaver buses) 

And what discussions are taking place with Dorset Council, Wiltshire Council and Devon County Council, the South West Transport Board and Western Gateway Transport Board, the NHS in Somerset and the South West, university campuses, colleges and schools? 

Response: 

We have only very recently received further guidance on the Local Transport Fund and as yet, no conversations with neighbouring authorities have taken place.  Our understanding is that Buses of Somerset have spoken to Devon County Council about the changes they are putting in place. 

Question 3: 

Taunton bus and coach station was a regional transport hub, so what discussions are taking place with National Express coaches, Flexibus, and Megabus?  As First Group plc operates all regional bus services, Taunton needs a regional bus and coach station, and is that the view of passengers?  Taunton also needs a bus-rail interchange and coach station facilities for the Megabus and Falcon Coach services at Riverside or Gateway Park and Ride.  What progress is being made in the Bus Services Improvements Plan bid to the DfT to improve passenger information, real-time information displays, disabled access, shelters and interchanges in Taunton, bus priority measures including bus lanes and removing the private car from part of Taunton town centre?  The government guidelines also call for a parking review. 

Response: 

The second phase of the study by WSP with regard to Taunton Bus Station is still being worked on and we are due to meet with colleagues from Somerset West and Taunton District Council shortly to discuss this piece of work in more detail. Conversations with the long-distance coach operators will take place at the appropriate points. We will also continue to explore options for coaches to utilise the Gateway Park and Ride site. 

A package of bus priority measures for both Taunton and Bridgwater were submitted as part of the submission on 3^rd May. These are all subject to the final funding announcement from the DfT and then further feasibility studies and consultation exercises will be required before these can be progressed further. Car parking and bus shelters are currently the responsibility of the District Councils, but as part of the move to unitary, these elements will all be reviewed under the relevant workstreams. 

A statement was also received from Mike Palmer of Norton Fitzwarren Parish Council that appears to be objecting to the Buses of Somerset proposals for Route 25, which were discussed at the Bus Users and Stakeholders Group meeting on the 17^th of May.