Bus service provision

Campaign for Better Transport made this Freedom of Information request to Wiltshire Council This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was successful.

Campaign for Better Transport

Dear Wiltshire Council,

I am writing to you to request the following information:

1. What was the total net spend for supported bus services in the fiscal year 2018/19?*

2. What was the total net spend for supported bus services in the fiscal year 2009/10?*

*Note: These refer 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.

3. How many and which supported routes have had cuts in services in the fiscal year 2018/19 and (for example loss of weekend or evening services)? Please state if these are partial (the numbered service still runs but on fewer times) or total (the numbered service is completely withdrawn) cuts.

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

5a. What was the total net spend on free school transport (11-16yr olds in mainstream education) in 2018/19?

5b. How many pupils was this for?

6a. What was the total net spend on free school transport (11-16yr olds in mainstream education) in 2013/14?

6b. How many pupils was this for?

The information provided will be used as part of a national picture of the effect of changes to central Government funding has had on the provision of local bus services. In each case we are only requesting information related to your local authority.

Our work also seeks to promote examples of local authorities that 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.

Yours faithfully,

Chris Todd

Campaign for Better Transport

FOI, Wiltshire Council

Dear Chris Todd,

Thank you for your request for information dated 23 April 2019.

Your request is being handled under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

Your request will now be considered and you will receive a response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined within the legislation which means you will hear from us on or before 22 May 2019.

Kind regards,

Kyle McCormack
Information Governance Officer

Wiltshire Council | County Hall | Bythesea Road
Trowbridge | BA14 8JN

Email: [email address] | Web: www.wiltshire.gov.uk

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FOI, Wiltshire Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Todd,

Freedom of Information Request – Bus service provision

Thank you for your request for information dated 23 April 2019, in which you asked for the following information:

1. What was the total net spend for supported bus services in the fiscal year 2018/19?*

2. What was the total net spend for supported bus services in the fiscal year 2009/10?*

*Note: These refer 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.

3. How many and which supported routes have had cuts in services in the fiscal year 2018/19 and (for example loss of weekend or evening services)? Please state if these are partial (the numbered service still runs but on fewer times) or total (the numbered service is completely withdrawn) cuts.

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

5a. What was the total net spend on free school transport (11-16yr olds in mainstream education) in 2018/19?

5b. How many pupils was this for?

6a. What was the total net spend on free school transport (11-16yr olds in mainstream education) in 2013/14?

6b. How many pupils was this for?

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 ('the Act') The Council is obliged to:

• Let you know whether we hold the information you have requested
• Provide you with the requested information, if held, (subject to any exemptions under the Act which may apply).

I can confirm that Wiltshire Council holds some of the information you have requested. The available information you requested is attached to the email accompanying this letter.

Information supplied under the Act may be subject to copyright protection under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. You may use the information provided in response to your request under the terms of the Open Government Licence.

If you are dissatisfied with the above response you have a right to request a review of your request for information. Details of the complaints and review procedure are below.

Yours sincerely

Kyle McCormack

Information Governance Officer
Email: [email address]

Freedom of Information Complaints & Review Procedure

Any person who has requested information from Wiltshire Council, which has been dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act is entitled to complain and request an internal review of their request for information if they are dissatisfied with the response they have received.

Requests for review of Freedom of Information requests must be made in writing (includes email) to:

Freedom of Information Lead
County Hall
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8JN

Email [email address]

Please include the reference number, date of your request and details of why the review is being requested. Requests for review should be brought to the attention of the Freedom of Information Lead within 40 calendar days of the response to the original request.

Any request for review will be acknowledged in writing confirming the reasons for the review. The Freedom of Information Lead will allocate the review to someone who is independent of the original decision. The person conducting the review will set a target date for a response with the intention to complete the review within 20 working days. In more complex cases the review may take up to 40 working days.

The reviewer will conduct a full review of the handling of the request for information and of decisions taken, including decisions taken about where the public interest lies in respect of exempt information where applicable. The review enables a re-evaluation of the case, taking into account any matters raised by the requestor.

On completion of the review the reviewer will reply to the requestor with the result of the review. If the requestor is still dissatisfied following the review they should contact the Information Commissioner to appeal the decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted using the following details:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate)
01625 545 745 (national rate)
Email: [email address]

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Campaign for Better Transport

Dear Kyle,

Thanks for the information.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Todd

Campaign for Better Transport