Public transport consultation results
More than 2,300 people responded to Devon County Council’s recent consultation about public transport, with the majority supporting proposals to make budget savings.
Devon County Council’s Public Transport Service has needed to make savings of just over £760,000 during 2014/15. More than £655,000, 86% of savings, had already been achieved mainly through efficiencies in the administration of the Concessionary Bus Travel scheme.
The consultation on proposals to find the remaining savings was carried out during December and January, and consisted of an online survey, postal survey, and face to face focus groups.
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: “Thanks must go to everyone who took part in the consultation. These are not easy decisions to make, but we have to make savings because of the latest Government spending review which is reducing our budget by more than £100 million over the next three years. We are grateful for the feedback and most people supported our proposals. A number of people who responded to the survey suggested the introduction of a nominal fee for a bus pass, making the bus pass means tested, or make a small contribution towards bus fares. However, Devon County is not able to follow any of these suggested changes as, under the legislation, any of them would have to come from central Government.”
The results of the consultation revealed that:
- 75% of respondents agreed that the National Bus Pass should stop being used on services running mostly for tourists. This includes a number of summer services, the Salcombe Park & Ride, 271 Newton Abbot – Widecombe, 82 Exeter-Tavistock “Transmoor Link”, Devon stops on the 187 Gunnislake – Okehampton, and the 54 Plymouth – Bovisand, as well as Devon stops on the year round Service 300 Ilfracombe – Lynmouth and Lynmouth – Minehead.
- 89% agreed that it should not be valid on special bus services 77, 78 and Service C to Exeter Chiefs matches at Sandy Park;
- 71% supported the proposal that that the National Bus pass should not be valid on services that are bookable in advance, such as day trips run by some community buses;
- 83% agreed that free travel should be allowed before 9.30am, only when there is no other bus before 11.30am instead of 11am;
- An overwhelming 96% agreed that the cost of replacing a lost Bus Pass should rise from £8 to £10. The County Council replaces nearly 2,000 lost passes per year;
- 84% of respondents agreed that the cost of travel for students over the age of 16 on County subsidised services in northern Devon should rise from £396 to £500 a year, bringing them in line with charges for all over-16 students across the rest of the county.
All of these proposals will go ahead from 1 April 2014.
83% were against withdrawal of use the National Bus Pass on the Park and Ride service PR3 to the RD&E Hospital. Devon County Council will exclude the service from the scheme so the National Bus Pass will not be valid for free travel on the service. However the bus company has decided to offer a special return fare of £1.20 to national bus pass holders.
For more information on the results click here.
