(a)  The Board is requested to re-nominate a representative to attend quarterly Dover Quality Bus Partnership co-ordination meetings.  Since the Board’s nomination of Councillors Lymer and Rowbotham at its last meeting, Councillor Lymer has advised that he is unable to undertake this role due to other commitments.

(b)  Mr David Joyner, KCC’s Transport and Safety Policy Manager, will be attending the meeting to update the Board and answer questions about the Dover Quality Bus Partnership.

The Board was requested to nominate a representative to attend quarterly Dover Quality Bus Partnership (QBP) co-ordination meetings.

It was proposed by Councillor M R Eddy and duly seconded that Councillor Bano be nominated.

It was proposed by Councillor T A Bond and duly seconded that Councillor Scales be nominated.

On there being an equality of votes for both candidates, the Chairman used his casting vote for Councillor Scales.    

Mr Joyner referred to the report which had been considered by the Board at its meeting held on 10 July 2014, and responded to queries raised by Members at that meeting.  Good progress had been made with improving the provision and quality of public transport through the QBP, and bus patronage had been increasing as a consequence.  However, regrettably, major infrastructure schemes at Pencester Road, Dover and South Street, Deal had not been progressed as quickly as had been hoped.  The Board’s support would be instrumental in moving the partnership forward as it worked towards a Dover Bus Rapid Transit system akin to Fastrack in Kent Thameside.  

There were eight pre 2000 and thirty post 2000 vehicles in the Dover bus fleet (of which 18 were 2006 and eight were 2013 vehicles).  Older step-floor vehicles tended to be deployed on school services and would be phased out by 2016/17 in accordance with Disability Discrimination legislation.  Stagecoach was currently introducing real-time bus information linked to smart ticketing machines (part-funded by KCC) which would shortly be going live on its website.   Subject to funding, KCC was looking to deploy real-time signs at key termini, for example Pencester Road, later this year.   The number of people allowed to stand on buses was displayed in the bus and services were routinely inspected for overcrowding, particularly at school peak periods.  Despite cuts in Government funding, KCC had prioritised support for rural services which would not otherwise operate.  Spending on the supported network in Dover district amounted to £380,000 which covered predominantly rural areas. 

Councillor Bano raised concerns about the lack of progress on real-time information signs which had been promised by 2013.   Moreover, there appeared to be a move towards the use of Apps which were not widely used by older people.  South Street and Sandwich should be included in any infrastructure schemes.  A report should be brought to the Board outlining which bus-stops were regarded as critical and, therefore, priorities for the installation of real-time information signage.  The use of older buses needed to be monitored as some routes, such as the no 14, were still routinely served by old vehicles.

Councillor J A Cronk stressed the importance of providing new housing developments with good bus facilities in order to ensure that residents had a viable alternative to using cars.  Councillor S C Manion welcomed the use of real-time information and Apps, but foresaw a problem in rural areas where signal coverage could be erratic. Councillor Eddy stressed that real-time bus information must be provided at Buckland Hospital.  When drawing up the programme of priorities for installing signage, the potential impact on customers must be considered.    Once Members had a tentative programme, options for funding it could be explored.  

Mr Joyner advised that, whilst KCC had been able to maintain spending on supported services, it had been forced to find savings from elsewhere, including the deployment of real-time information signs.   In response to Councillor Gardner, who raised queries regarding the withdrawal of two no 12 buses during the school holidays and the changing of the no 12 bus number at Deal station, Mr Joyner undertook to check with Stagecoach.  It was unlikely that Stagecoach would withdraw routes, particularly the no 12 which was now sustainable.   In response to Councillor E D Rowbotham, Mr Joyner clarified that KCC could intervene in or prescribe bus routes only where there was a specific safety concern or where the service was a supported one.   In relation to the Archery Square route, Stagecoach was picking up additional passengers who were benefiting from the new route.  Stagecoach had been asked to look at the overall route and to monitor how buses passed around the network.  Members were advised that bus-stop shelters were provided where possible but funding was an issue.  It was suggested that KCC Members could use their Member Highway Fund for this purpose.   It was confirmed that discussions were routinely held between Planners and Stagecoach to identify how bus routes should be modified to accommodate new developments.

RESOLVED:   (a)    That Councillor F J W Scales be appointed to attend quarterly

                                 Dover Quality Bus Partnership co-ordination meetings.

                        (b)     That a report be brought to the Dover Joint Transportation Board

with a timetable for the installation of real-time information at bus-stops considered critical in the Dover district.