Purpose

To update the Cabinet Member on the new Bus Service Improvement Plan guidance recently published by the Department for Transport.

To seek the Cabinet Member’s approval to undertake the work to meet the objectives set down in new guidance which will require the use of external consultants.

Decision

The Cabinet Member:

1) made note of the new Bus Service Improvement Plan guidance recently published by the Department for Transport. 

2) approved the work required to meet the objectives set down in the new guidance and the use of external consultants already under contract to the Council to support BSIP related work. 

Reasons for the decision

The new guidance required the Council to produce a refreshed BSIP by 12 June 2024 to ensure the DfT releases the funding for 2024-25 programme of schemes.

The work required to produce the refreshed BSIP will require support from external consultants to be completed within the timescale set by the DfT.

Alternative options considered

Option 1: Do nothing and not produce a refresh of the BSIP by 12 June 2024. The DfT has made it clear that the production of the 2024 BSIP refresh is a condition of any future funding being made available in 2024-25. The programme of BSIP schemes to be implemented in 2024-25 is dependent on this funding being available. This option is therefore not recommended.

Option 2: Use the Council’s own BSIP staff team alone to produce the refreshed BSIP by 12 June 2024 without any consultancy support. The Councils own BSIP team is currently committed to implementing the various schemes in the programme. For this team to produce the refresh would require some programmes to be slowed or halted altogether for a number of months to create the time needed to complete the work required. This option is therefore not recommended.    

Option 3: To include the BSIP 2024 refresh work as part of a wider update of BSIP documentation covered by the contract with SCP consultants. This work would be supported by the Council’s own BSIP Team capacity permitting. This option is recommended.