Agenda and draft minutes

To welcome attendees and receive any apologies for absence.

No Apologies for absence were received.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2024 as an accurate representation of the meeting.

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 15 October 2024 were approved as a correct record.

To receive any public questions or statements submitted three clear working days in advance of the meeting.

Questions were received from Melanie Goodchild, Lee Fletcher and Linda Snelling. The questions submitted and responses provided are as following:

Question 1

Now that the council has more influence over bus routes since the recent legislative change within the Buses Bill, Oct 1st Are there any plans to reinstate a more regular circular bus that will pass close to Fullands Court, TA1 3DF?  Could the council please consider reinstating this service, even with a less regular timetable of say hourly?

Response 1

The new Better Buses Bill has not come into effect yet and we wait to understand further details and the implications for Local Transport Authorities.

However, we are considering our options for serving Fullands Court and hope to be able to provide more of an update in due course.

Question 2

At an Extraordinary Meeting of Wiltshire Council on devolution on Thursday 9 January 2025 where the vote was overwhelmingly in favour of Wiltshire joining Somerset and Dorset councils to move forward with a new Heart of Wessex Mayoral Combined Authority, Wiltshire Council Leader Richard Clewer publicly backed Bus Franchising for the Heart of Wessex area, saying that "Bus Franchising is a potential significant strength for us, and to have more control over buses would make a great deal of sense."

Richard Clewer was also quoted by the BBC on Friday 10 January 2025 regarding the potential for Heart of Wessex Bus Franchising as "We could see a revolution in bus provision in rural south west England"

The hope and expectation now is that Richard Clewer's comments will prompt similar statements from the leaders of Somerset and Dorset Councils, along with the recently Heart of Wessex committed Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, backing Bus Franchising for the Heart of Wessex area. Therefore, in recognition of this growing momentum towards the introduction of Bus Franchising in our areas, we have put together a Heart of Wessex Bus Franchising Team that so far has 25 representatives from right across the proposed Heart of Wessex area, drawn from passengers, bus user and advocacy groups, stakeholders, businesses, Town and Parish Councils, along with experts with experience in Bus Franchising who are working together to devise and put forward highly credible Bus Franchising proposals for the Heart of Wessex area, with more joining every day.

Therefore, please will Somerset Council, bus operators in Somerset, and other interested members of the Bus Advisory Board agree to meet with the Heart of Wessex Bus Franchising Team at the earliest opportunity to begin work on a shared vision for how to take Heart of Wessex Bus Franchising forward, for the benefit of all concerned?

Response 2

It is too early in the process of establishing the Heart of Wessex authority to comment on its priorities and we await the Government's response to our Expression of Interest.

Question 3

Given that it is recognised that somerset needs to see growth & investment in its public services to build a strong backbone in sustainable transport in its bid to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 79.

To receive a verbal update.

A verbal update was given by the Chair Cllr Richard Wilkins.

The Chair raised that various requests have been received to review the board membership and that the board will take time to consider these requests and review arrangements in neighbouring authorities. The topic will be brought back to the board in due course to ensure the right decisions are made.

To receive a verbal update.

A verbal update was given by Natasha Bates, The Service Commissioning Manager for Passenger Transport with the aid of a Presentation outlined the following points: 

Somerset has been awarded approximately £3.3 million in capital funding and £2.9 million in revenue funding for the 2025-2026 period. This funding replaces the previous BSIP Plus funding, which was used to support services struggling post-COVID and the original BSIP funding awarded for enhancing public transport. Local transport authorities need to submit a delivery plan to the DfT by the 31 March 2025, detailing how they propose to use the funding.

Somerset Council has met with bus operators to discuss the funding allocation and gather proposals, proposals from the Somerset Bus Partnership and feedback from the bus user and stakeholder group have also been considered. The plan will be reviewed by the Planning and Transport Policy Sub-Committee and Scrutiny before final schemes are approved through a Lead Member Key Decision.

Natasha explained the Funding Themes with the following potential packages and initiatives:

Taunton Town Package:

·       Evening Services: Review and potentially continue evening bus services that are currently funded.

·       BSIP Plus Funded Services: Assess the existing services funded under BSIP Plus to determine future support.

·       Park and Ride Fare: Evaluate the park and ride fare scheme, which is separate from the £1.50 fare scheme and has shown good patronage.

·       Transport Hubs: Consider any necessary improvements to transport hubs within Taunton.

Yeovil Town Package:

·       Evening Services: Implement evening bus services like the model used in Taunton, extending commercial daytime services into the evening.

·       BSIP Plus Funded Services: Review current services funded under BSIP Plus for continued support.

·       Service Improvements and Trials: Explore additional service improvements and trials to enhance the bus network.

·       Bus Priority Signal Improvements: Identify and address congestion hotspots with bus priority signals.

·       Feasibility Study for Transport Hub: Conduct a feasibility study for a transport hub in Yeovil, aligning with the regeneration efforts in the Glovers Walk area.

Bridgwater Town Package:

·       Evening Services: Introduce evening bus services in and around Bridgwater.

·       Service Improvements and Trials: Investigate potential service improvements and trials to enhance the network.

·       Bus Priority Signal Improvements: Implement bus priority signals to address congestion.

·       Feasibility Study for Transport Hub: Conduct a feasibility study for a transport hub in Bridgwater.

Other Targeted initiatives:

·       BSIP Plus Funded Services: Review and assess the need for continued support of services funded under BSIP Plus.

·       Digital Demand Responsive Transport (DDRT): Expand the digital element of DDRT to existing services, allowing for more flexible booking options.

·       Service Improvements and Trials: Consider various suggestions for service improvements and trials, including decarbonisation projects.

·       Feasibility Studies for Other Transport Hubs: Conduct feasibility studies for transport hubs outside the main towns.

·       Trial of Carrying Bikes on Buses: Explore the feasibility of carrying bikes on buses, dependent on finding a willing operator and viable route.

County-Wide initiatives:

·       Online Bus Map and Timetable Booklets: Develop an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 81.

Operators to present their proposals.

Operators were invited to present their proposals.

First South West

First South West advised they were not in a position to share detailed changes with the Board just yet, as they were still in discussion with Somerset Council with regard to the services that would require funding.

First West of England:

·       Service D2: No change to the route, but a new 18 minute timetable will be implemented.

·       Service D2X: Will be changed to go through Midford, missing out Beckington Road and Brunel Way, and will run every 80 minutes, providing a combined 40-minute frequency with the D2 service.

·       Service 373: Will use the Old Wells Road at Plaza Hospital and come down Leg of Mutton instead of Above Town, slight change to timetables and quicker journeys.

·       Service 171: On Saturday will finish in Poulton rather than Wells.

·       Service 173: Will leave Bath and Wells 5 minutes earlier at each end.

Hatch Green Coaches:

·       Service 16: Adding a timing point at Broadfield Park, Middlezoy.

·       Service 23: Adding a timing point at Greenway Bishops Lydeard.

·       Service 98: Changing a stop name at CulmHead to reflect the correct one.

South West Coaches:

·       No changes planned for the 6 April.

Somerset Council:

·       Service 126: Out to tender with options to potentially increase service during the summer.

·       Service 99: Re-tendering the service from Chard to Taunton with no changes to the timetable.

At the conclusion of this update, the following comments were made:

The Service Manager, Transporting Somerset confirmed that the 126 service is out to tender with options to increase service during summer, and coordination with North Somerset Council is ongoing.

The Group enquired about the connectivity of the 20 and 21 services in Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge. First West of England confirmed the running times of the 20 & 21 services and ensured their connectivity.

To receive any updates from operators.

The operators were invited to give an update.

First South West confirmed that after the £1.50 fare scheme in Taunton ends, a £2.40 fare will be introduced for single journeys up to 3 miles in Taunton.

South West Coaches updated that it is still too early to tell the full effect of the £3.00 fare cap but they do not feel at this stage that is has significantly impacted passenger numbers. They have experienced a slight decline in patronage but this could mainly be down to the recent weather conditions affecting overall travel. 

At the conclusion of this update, the following comments were made:

The Group sought clarification on the fare structure after the £1.50 scheme ends. First South West confirmed that a £2.40 fare will be introduced for single journeys up to 3 miles in Taunton, also mentioned that an email will be sent to confirm the details.

To receive a verbal update.

Peter Travis, Chair of the Bus User and Stakeholders Group was invited to give a verbal update. 

Peter Travis highlighted that Somerset Council received over £6 million in the 2025 BSIP settlement, creating opportunities for bus service improvements. Welcomed the plans to replicate Taunton's success in Yeovil and Bridgwater, focusing on bus service enhancements and infrastructure.

Highlighted the Better Buses Bill introduced in December gives more power to local authorities for public transport management. Sarah Dyke led a parliamentary debate on rural transport, highlighting Somerset's bus service challenges. The proposal for the Heart of Wessex Combined Authority aims to introduce bus franchising, supported by Wiltshire Council's leader. Mentioned all seven Somerset MPs have been actively involved in bus issues, with notable contributions from Sarah Dyke and Gideon Amos. 

Mentioned the Somerset Bus Partnership plans to organise bus stalls to promote the new timetables, ensuring wider awareness. Acknowledged significant voluntary support in promoting bus services, particularly from Rosa Kell.

To raise any other relevant issues from the Chair or Board members.

This was an opportunity for other relevant issues to be raised by the Chair or Board Members.

The following points were raised:

David Redgewell reminded the Group about the Secretary of State for Transport's integrated transport plan consultation starting on the 31 January, Western Gateway's consultation deadline on the 2 February, emphasising its importance for Somerset's transport services. Suggested to involve Andrew Ardley and the new rail officer at First Great Western for discussions on bus-rail integration. Emphasised the need for information racks at Bath bus station for services into Somerset, cautioned about the early stages of the proposed Heart of Wessex Combined Authority and the importance of focusing on existing frameworks like Western Gateway and Peninsula Transport.

The Chair acknowledged the points raised by David and confirmed the submission to the government for the Heart of Wessex Combined Authority, awaiting the government's response. 

To note that the next meeting is scheduled to be held on Tuesday 29^th April 2025 at 10.00am.

It was noted the next meeting was scheduled to be held on Tuesday, 29 April 2025 at 10.00 am