Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received by Councillor Andy McGuinness.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Environment and Economy Select Committee meeting held on Wednesday 14 June 2023.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Environment and Economy Select Committee held on 14 June 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive the written response to questions and data requests and to carry out interviews with the HCC Director of Transport Unit and the Executive Portfolio Holder for Transport and Highways.

The Chair welcomed to the meeting Herts County Council Officers Simon Aries Director of Transport, Waste and Environment and Dan Tancock, Transport Unit along with Councillor Phil Bibby in his role as HCC Executive Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport.

The Chair opened the debate by expressing concern regarding the situation with the poor bus service in Stevenage, the ZEBRA Scheme not going ahead, inaccurate timing information, falling passenger numbers and the tired and worn-out bus fleet.

In response to several questions the following answers/comments were given by the representatives from HCC:

·       The unreliability issues of the bus services were a concern.  HCC were trying to encourage sustainability for the service but the combination of the issues of low passenger numbers/enhanced costs/lack of drivers and an ageing fleet were obstacles to this;

·       It was agreed that the concerns were not limited to Stevenage as nationally bus services were struggling, with passenger numbers not recovering post covid and combined with driver recruitment difficulties;

·       The real time information displayed at bus stops around the Town was in the process of being upgraded.  Members were of the view, however, that the extent of investment in screens to carry the information to do this by HCC was inadequate;

·       The Committee was informed that if the bus operators were of the view that a route was not commercial there was nothing that the County Council could do to change their stance due to the funding model adopted;

·       Franchising had been considered by HCC but the high costs involved had ruled it out and the partnership model was adopted instead.  HCC advised that they might look at Franchising again to assess the viability;

·       £18million had been invested by HCC across the County, much of this for concessionary travel;

·       In relation to the failure of the Zero Emissions Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA), it was noted that the funding would only have been available if a willing partner had been in place and HCC advised that Arriva had declined for commercial reasons.  ZEBRA Part 2 would be announced at some point but again a willing partner would be necessary for this to be applied for and Arriva had ruled themselves out for commercial reasons;

·       The concern regarding the condition of some bus stops in the Town had been noted. HCC advised that a programme of improvements was in place and several had been completed but it was accepted that more work was needed on others, including the installation of real time information for bus times and which routes were running;

·       A new 907 route had been launched between Stevenage and Cheshunt and the SB6 would be replaced by a more frequent SB7 route;

·       The Committee was advised that unfortunately the County Council had no influence on Arriva running the bus service in Stevenage as it was a commercial operation although they were willing to work with Arriva and to support them in any way;

·       Cllr Bibby would be attending an East of England Forum to discuss bus  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To consider a mapping exercise document for the Bus scrutiny review.

The Scrutiny Officer presented the mapping exercise for the Bus Services Scrutiny Review.

The Committee noted that at the next meeting a representative from Arriva Buses would be attending to be interviewed by Members along with a member of the Stevenage Bus Users Group.

Members also asked that the use of the new bus interchange particularly for people with disabilities be considered.  It was agreed that a representative from one of the Disability Groups in the Town be asked to attend a meeting of the Committee.

Cllr Lloyd Briscoe Portfolio Holder for Economy and Transport would be at the October meeting along with Zayd Al Jawad, Assistant Director Planning and Regulatory and other SBC officers.

It was RESOLVED that the Mapping Document be noted.

To consider the Action Tracker for the Environment & Economy Select Committee.

The Scrutiny Officer presented the Action Tracker for the Committee.

It was noted that reports on the Climate Emergency would be brough back to Committee in November 2023 and March 2024 to update on where the Council was on this issue.

In response to a question regarding recycling rates and the cost of recycling, the Assistant Director Stevenage Direct Services confirmed that the Council received a substantial income from recycling and was continuously working on ways to increase the rates of recycling.

A Member raised the recent statement regarding Southern Rail’s 21-day consultation on the closure of the ticket office at Stevenage Railway station.

The Committee were concerned about the possible loss of the ticket office citing the issues that this would raise for the disabled, visually impaired, people with learning difficulties and dyslexia to use ticket machines and for the digitally excluded to book tickets remotely online.

The Committee asked that the matter be raised with appropriate officers and also Cllr Briscoe, as Portfolio Holder for Environment and Transport as a matter of urgency to ask what representation and response to the consultation was being made corporately from SBC?

The Chair then suggested that current workload allowing, the Committee receive a presentation/update from officers regarding the current position with the Council’s garage stock around the Town as far too many were not fit for purpose.

It was RESOLVED that with the suggestions raised above, the Action Tracker for the Committee be noted.

To consider any Part I business accepted by the Chair as urgent.

None.

To consider the following motions –

1.  That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2.  That Members consider the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Not required.

To consider any Part II business accepted by the Chair as urgent.

None.