Agenda item - Bus Franchising Feasibility Study

Report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture

1)             That the committee notes the conclusions and recommendations of the independent consultant’s report on franchising.

2)             That the Committee agrees not to pursue franchising further at this stage but recognises that franchising may prove valuable in the future should circumstances change and commits to review this position at least annually coinciding with the monitoring of the Bus Service Improvement Plan.

55.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture that set out the results of the independent study commissioned to review the advantages and disadvantages of bus franchising and whether it would be feasible to introduce it in Brighton & Hove.

55.2      In response to questions from Councillor Platts, the Senior Project Manager explained that franchising could address the problem of areas lacking a regular bus service however, that would come at a cost and a similar arrangement to the supported bus network programme currently in place. The Senior Project Manager supplemented that the main cost to the bus companies was the vehicle requirement at peak times. Reducing costs and therefore fares would need political support for giving buses priority working in conjunction with greater co-operation between providers that an enhanced partnership could deliver.

55.3      RESOLVED-

1)             That the committee notes the conclusions and recommendations of the independent consultant’s report on franchising.

2)             That the Committee agrees not to pursue franchising further at this stage but recognises that franchising may prove valuable in the future should circumstances change and commits to review this position at least annually coinciding with the monitoring of the Bus Service Improvement Plan.