Agenda item

Report of Strategic Director Communities & Environment.

Stuart Corker provided an update to the Committee on the extension of joint working with Nexus and bus operators to the whole of Gateshead. It was noted that this includes the development of a revised agreement and relaunch for the East Gateshead Quality Partnership as the East Gateshead Bus Alliance and the progress on a parallel agreement for West Gateshead.

The following was highlighted from the report:

·         A StakeholderBoard willcontinue tooversee thedelivery ofthe Allianceand monitorperformance. Therevised compositionof theBoard isthree GatesheadCouncil representatives(reflecting theextended geographicalarea ofthe Partnership), oneNECA TransportNorth EastCommittee (TNEC)Member, oneNexus officerand fiveGo NorthEast Representatives.

·         Service changes willbe madeon agreeddates andsubject toagreed consultationprocedures (involvingthe communityand localCouncillors), althoughthe basicconcept ofthe agreementis tomaintain asstable anetwork aspossible.

·         Changes to farelevels willbe limitedto onlyreflect directincreases incosts andthe StakeholderBoard wouldbe consultedon anyproposals. GoNorth Eastand Nexuswill continueto lookat innovativefares andticketing options.

·         The fleet operatingservices willbe modern,low emission,floor easyaccess buseswith onbus CCTV,audio visualnext stopannouncements andWi-Fi. Thereare alsocommitments onimproving theengine emissionstandards ofthe fleet.

·         Punctualityand reliabilitytargets willcontinue tobe monitoredagainst apenalty regimefor failureto perform.The penaltypayments contributetowards theService ImprovementFund, whichis usedto providebenefits topassengers. TheStakeholder Boardwill continueto overseethe monitoringof performance.

·         A marketing sub-group of the Stakeholder Board will develop and oversee an annual marketing plan for theAlliance.

·         Gateshead Council will, within budget constraints, implement a programme of bus priority, infrastructure works, clearway enforcement and bus lane enforcement.

·         Nexus will maintain and improve shelters, interchanges and information.

Regarding the Extension to West Gateshead, the following was also noted:

·         The draft ofa sisteragreement fora WestGateshead BusAlliance willbe presentedto Cabinetin duecourse. Itis likelythat theagreement willlargely mirrorthe formatand principlesof itsEast Gateshead counterpart,while reflectinglocal detailin relationto services,future infrastructureworks etc.In addition,all partiesare keento ensurethat theseagreements continueto evolve;reflecting bestpractice andnew approaches.

·         As withthe EastGateshead, theagreement willbe betweenthe Council,Go NorthEast andNexus, butother operatorswill havethe opportunityto feedinto thebusiness ofthe Alliance.

·         Officers have metto considerthe potentialscope ofan agreement,and arelooking toprepare aninitial draftof thedocument beforethe endof February,with theAlliance commencing laterthis year.

It was noted that the level of consultation on service changes has been improved and that the experience of joint working has generally been positive.

It was asked what the structure of the new alliance would be; Stuart advised he would send further details of this following the meeting.

RESOLVED:

i) That the information from the report be noted.