Agenda item

Councillor Russell, Task Group Leader Regeneration and Transport submits a report that provides the findings of the Task Group investigation into City Centre Services of January 2009. Cabinet is asked to support the recommendations in the report.

A minute extract from the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 5 March 2009 is attached.

Councillor Russell, Task Group Leader, Regeneration and Transport, submitted a report that provided the findings of the Task Group investigation into City Centre Bus Services.

Councillor Russell highlighted the most important outstanding issue from the report, namely buses serving Gravel Street, as it was felt that buses should pick up as well as drop off to provide a better co-ordinated transport system.

Councillor Kitterick thanked the Task Group for their work, and thanked Julian Heubeck for the work he did in keeping people informed of all changes that took place in public transport. He accepted the recommendations as a good short-term solution, but stated that a long-term solution was required and funding was being sought for a new bus terminal.

RESOLVED:

that Cabinet endorses the recommendations  of the Regeneration & Transport Task Group as follows:

1)     that it be reiterated that any changes to bus services and bus stop locations or functions be accompanied by clear and better co-ordinated publicity released at least one week before any changes.

2)     that clear publicity be displayed on all buses operating into the City at least one week in advance of all planned changes of services and bus stop changes.

3)     the Council website featuring bus routes and stops should also be updated ahead of the planned changes, indicating where applicable that the changes are either bus company led or City Council led. Ward Community meetings to be also used to highlight such changes.

4)     the Gravel Street bus stop function should be amended to allow for the picking up of passengers as well as the current drop-off only facility for bus services using this stop.

5)     introduction of publicity to promote and facilitate the overall connectivity of cross-city travel.

6)     to improve the display of information provided on the bus stop in Churchgate, to include the daytime frequencies of all services using the stop as well as the timings of all evening departures.

7)     that the bus companies operating to/from the City Centre to be urged to ensure that their staff are kept fully informed of all changes to operations.

8)     that operators of taxis and private hire vehicles be strongly advised that their vehicles should not be using the bus bays located in Haymarket.

9)     the former bus stop in Mansfield Street should indicate where the nearest bus stop facilities are located.

10)that bus companies be urged to ensure that their staff are fully briefed on changes to service to ensure a higher quality level of information can be provided to the public.

11) that the 15 bus route be reviewed so that it can be incorporated into the City Centre Loop.

12) that options be explored to reduce the levels of non-bus traffic using Causeway Lane, together with the related issue of traffic volume and throughput in Gravel Street.

13) that discussions on changes/improvements to bus services within the City involve the operators of all commercially provided services.

14) that bus shelters be provided as soon as possible after bus stops are relocated.

15) that the City Centre Star Trak Information boards be reinstated, and that it is felt desirable that information be displayed in chronological order regarding the range of bus routes serving a particular corridor (e.g Narborough Road). Maps and diagrams on bus stops would also be a useful feature.