Bus service provision

The request was successful.

Dear North East Combined Authority,

I am gathering information on bus and public transport provision as part of the Save our Buses campaign, which maps cuts to bus services across the country. We know that the Government has made deep cuts to local authority budgets, and that this is having an effect on the provision of local bus services. We would like to gather a national picture of bus cuts, so that we can explain to central Government exactly how their decisions are having an impact across the country.

My questions are as follows (in each case I am only after the information for your authority):

1. What is the agreed total budget for supported bus services in the fiscal year 2018/19

2. What was the total spend for supported bus services in the fiscal year 2017/18?

3. What was the total spend for supported bus services in the fiscal year 2016/17?

Note: This refers to the Department for Transport’s definition of a supported bus service as: “one where a local transport authority has invited tenders for the operation of a service (not e.g. seats on a bus or subsidised tickets etc), and a contract exists as a result of that tender”. Please, exclude extra sources of funding such as Section 106/developer funding, Community Infrastructure Levy, local authority staffing and publicity, RTPI expenditure and revenue, the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), Local Education Authority funding for home to school transport, NHS-funded non-emergency patient transport, social services transport, voluntary transport and other central and national government grants or income streams.

4. How many and which supported routes are likely to have cuts in services in the fiscal year 2018/19 (for example loss of weekend or evening services)?

5. How many and which supported routes have had cuts in services in the fiscal years 2016/17 and 2017/18 (for example loss of weekend or evening services), listed for each year?

6. How many and which supported routes are likely to be completely withdrawn in the fiscal year 2018/19?

7. How many and which supported routes have been completely withdrawn in the fiscal years 2016/17 and 2017/18, listed for each year?

8. How many and which of the previously supported routes have been taken on commercially?

Our campaign also seeks to promote examples of councils which have protected bus services, sometimes in innovative ways. Please do feel free to share any information you feel is relevant on how your council has protected bus services.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Chris Todd

Campaign for Better Transport

NECA FOI, North East Combined Authority

Thank you for your request.

We are dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act
2000. 

We have passed your request to relevant colleagues. 

We will respond to your request within 20 working days starting the
working day after receipt of your request.

 

Regards

 

Freedom of Information Team

 

Freedom Info,

1 Attachment

Dear Chris Todd,

 

Thank you for the Freedom of Information request which has been passed to
me as the person within Nexus who is responsible for responding to
requests.  I will provide a full response within the statutory timescales
of 20 working days.

 

Regards

Michael

 

Michael Hunt

Administration Manager

 

Nexus, Nexus House, St James' Boulevard, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4AX

Telephone 0191 2033243 / Fax 0191 2033181

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Chris Todd <[1][FOI #472765 email]>
Sent: 22 March 2018 09:55
To: NECA FOI
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Bus service provision

 

Dear North East Combined Authority,

I am gathering information on bus and public transport provision as part
of the Save our Buses campaign, which maps cuts to bus services across the
country. We know that the Government has made deep cuts to local authority
budgets, and that this is having an effect on the provision of local bus
services. We would like to gather a national picture of bus cuts, so that
we can explain to central Government exactly how their decisions are
having an impact across the country.

My questions are as follows (in each case I am only after the information
for your authority):

1. What is the agreed total budget for supported bus services in the
fiscal year 2018/19

2. What was the total spend for supported bus services in the fiscal year
2017/18?

3. What was the total spend for supported bus services in the fiscal year
2016/17?

Note: This refers to the Department for Transport’s definition of a
supported bus service as: “one where a local transport authority has
invited tenders for the operation of a service (not e.g. seats on a bus or
subsidised tickets etc), and a contract exists as a result of that
tender”. Please, exclude extra sources of funding such as Section
106/developer funding, Community Infrastructure Levy, local authority
staffing and publicity, RTPI expenditure and revenue, the Bus Service
Operators Grant (BSOG), Local Education Authority funding for home to
school transport, NHS-funded non-emergency patient transport, social
services transport, voluntary transport and other central and national
government grants or income streams.

4. How many and which supported routes are likely to have cuts in services
in the fiscal year 2018/19 (for example loss of weekend or evening
services)?

5. How many and which supported routes have had cuts in services in the
fiscal years 2016/17 and 2017/18 (for example loss of weekend or evening
services), listed for each year?

6. How many and which supported routes are likely to be completely
withdrawn in the fiscal year 2018/19?

7. How many and which supported routes have been completely withdrawn in
the fiscal years 2016/17 and 2017/18, listed for each year?

8. How many and which of the previously supported routes have been taken
on commercially?

Our campaign also seeks to promote examples of councils which have
protected bus services, sometimes in innovative ways. Please do feel free
to share any information you feel is relevant on how your council has
protected bus services.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Chris Todd

Campaign for Better Transport

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show quoted sections

Freedom Info,

1 Attachment

Dear Sir,

 

Michael Hunt is presently on annual leave and I am dealing with your
request in his absence.

 

Please see responses in red below to your questions.

 

Regards

 

 

Colin Whittle

Solicitor

Nexus

St James Boulevard

Newcastle Upon Tyne

Ne1 4ax

Tel 0191-2033239

[1][email address]

 

 

 

From: Freedom Info
Sent: 29 March 2018 17:17
To: 'Chris Todd' <[FOI #472765 email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Bus service provision

 

Dear Chris Todd,

 

Thank you for the Freedom of Information request which has been passed to
me as the person within Nexus who is responsible for responding to
requests.  I will provide a full response within the statutory timescales
of 20 working days.

 

Regards

Michael

 

Michael Hunt

Administration Manager

 

Nexus, Nexus House, St James' Boulevard, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4AX

Telephone 0191 2033243 / Fax 0191 2033181

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Chris Todd <[2][FOI #472765 email]>
Sent: 22 March 2018 09:55
To: NECA FOI
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Bus service provision

 

Dear North East Combined Authority,

I am gathering information on bus and public transport provision as part
of the Save our Buses campaign, which maps cuts to bus services across the
country. We know that the Government has made deep cuts to local authority
budgets, and that this is having an effect on the provision of local bus
services. We would like to gather a national picture of bus cuts, so that
we can explain to central Government exactly how their decisions are
having an impact across the country.

My questions are as follows (in each case I am only after the information
for your authority):

1. What is the agreed total budget for supported bus services in the
fiscal year 2018/19     £9,618.468.00

2. What was the total spend for supported bus services in the fiscal year
2017/18?  £10,024,273.12

3. What was the total spend for supported bus services in the fiscal year
2016/17? £10,574,971.85

Note: This refers to the Department for Transport’s definition of a
supported bus service as: “one where a local transport authority has
invited tenders for the operation of a service (not e.g. seats on a bus or
subsidised tickets etc), and a contract exists as a result of that
tender”. Please, exclude extra sources of funding such as Section
106/developer funding, Community Infrastructure Levy, local authority
staffing and publicity, RTPI expenditure and revenue, the Bus Service
Operators Grant (BSOG), Local Education Authority funding for home to
school transport, NHS-funded non-emergency patient transport, social
services transport, voluntary transport and other central and national
government grants or income streams.

4. How many and which supported routes are likely to have cuts in services
in the fiscal year 2018/19 (for example loss of weekend or evening
services)? There are no plans at the present moment to cut services in
2018/9

5. How many and which supported routes have had cuts in services in the
fiscal years 2016/17 and 2017/18 (for example loss of weekend or evening
services), listed for each year? 2016/17- none            2017/18- one
trip on service 643 Mon-Sat (the last journey)was cut due to low patronage

6. How many and which supported routes are likely to be completely
withdrawn in the fiscal year 2018/19? There are no plans at the present
moment to withdraw services in 2018/9

7. How many and which supported routes have been completely withdrawn in
the fiscal years 2016/17 and 2017/18, listed for each year? 2016/17-None 
2017/18-One service –the TB90 was withdrawn because of low patronage.

8. How many and which of the previously supported routes have been taken
on commercially? None.

Our campaign also seeks to promote examples of councils which have
protected bus services, sometimes in innovative ways. Please do feel free
to share any information you feel is relevant on how your council has
protected bus services.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Chris Todd

Campaign for Better Transport

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[3][FOI #472765 email]

Is [4][North East Combined Authority request email] the wrong address for
Freedom of Information requests to North East Combined Authority? If so,
please contact us using this form:
[5]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...

+----------------------------------------------------------------+
|[6]Image removed by sender.|[7]Ask us to update the email |
| |address for North East Combined |
| |Authority |
| | |
| |[8]www.whatdotheyknow.com |
+----------------------------------------------------------------+

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[9]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the
latest advice from the ICO:
[10]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

show quoted sections