Agenda item

Motion - Taking back control of our buses

Minutes:

Councillor Stuart Kelly moved and Councillor Alan Brame seconded the following Motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7 –

 

“This Council notes that the decision of Avon Bus Services to cease trading at short notice on 5 October left huge gaps in Wirral’s bus service provision, including school buses.

 

Council places on record its thanks to members of Merseytravel’s Bus Services team for the work they have done to expedite the process for reproviding services and notes the positives that resulted from that exercise, including a reintroduced 91 bus service to Oxton Village and the introduction of replacement bus services, such as the 16/17, from South Wirral to Arrowe Park Hospital.

 

Council expresses its concern that there remain gaps in bus service provision, notably the loss of the 492/495 evening and Sunday service that linked Oxton / Noctorum / Beechwood to Arrowe Park Hospital.

 

Council further notes that bus operator decisions since the tendering exercise have resulted in further routes being withdrawn, notably...

 

1.  The 10A service linking Oxton / Arrowe Park Hospital / Claughton Village (6th Form College) and New Brighton

2.  The 83A from Birkenhead to West Kirby

 

Council considers that Wirral’s bus network has undergone significant detrimental change since the review of services undertaken by Merseytravel in September 2017 and welcomes the current consultation being carried out by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, ‘The Big Bus Debate’.

 

Council further considers that the proposal by the CCG to relocate Minor Injury and Walk-in health services at Arrowe Park Hospital fails to take account of the poor bus connections from many parts of Wirral.

 

Council considers that the privatisation of bus services has failed outside London and that the current model of bus provision on Merseyside, (the so called ‘Bus Alliance’), is failing too many parts of the Wirral.

 

Council therefore calls on Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram to exercise powers devolved under the Bus Services Act 2017 and move towards a fully franchised bus network for LCR and Wirral.”

 

Amendment

 

Councillor Ron Abbey moved and Councillor Steve Foulkes seconded the following amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 12(9) such that the Motion be approved subject to –

 

Deleteall after “…London” and insert…

 

“Council welcomes the new devolved powers of the Buses Act 2017, however Council is frustrated by the very complex nature of the legislation that has meant these powers cannot be used as quickly as is needed. Council also condemns the Tory Government for banning local authorities from setting up new publicly owned companies as this could be a key means to improve local buses services and flies in the face of devolution”.

 

Having applied the guillotine the Council did not debate this matter.

 

The amendment was put and carried (36:21) (One abstention).

 

The substantive motion, as amended, was put and carried (57:0) (One abstention).

 

Resolved (57:0) (One abstention) –

 

This Council notes that the decision of Avon Bus Services to cease trading at short notice on 5 October left huge gaps in Wirral’s bus service provision, including school buses.

 

Council places on record its thanks to members of Merseytravel’s Bus Services team for the work they have done to expedite the process for reproviding services and notes the positives that resulted from that exercise, including a reintroduced 91 bus service to Oxton Village and the introduction of replacement bus services, such as the 16/17, from South Wirral to Arrowe Park Hospital.

 

Council expresses its concern that there remain gaps in bus service provision, notably the loss of the 492/495 evening and Sunday service that linked Oxton / Noctorum / Beechwood to Arrowe Park Hospital.

 

Council further notes that bus operator decisions since the tendering exercise have resulted in further routes being withdrawn, notably...

 

1.  The 10A service linking Oxton / Arrowe Park Hospital / Claughton Village (6th Form College) and New Brighton

3.  The 83A from Birkenhead to West Kirby

 

Council considers that Wirral’s bus network has undergone significant detrimental change since the review of services undertaken by Merseytravel in September 2017 and welcomes the current consultation being carried out by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, ‘The Big Bus Debate’.

 

Council further considers that the proposal by the CCG to relocate Minor Injury and Walk-in health services at Arrowe Park Hospital fails to take account of the poor bus connections from many parts of Wirral.

 

Council considers that the privatisation of bus services has failed outside London.

 

Council welcomes the new devolved powers of the Buses Act 2017, however Council is frustrated by the very complex nature of the legislation that has meant these powers cannot be used as quickly as is needed. Council also condemns the Tory Government for banning local authorities from setting up new publicly owned companies as this could be a key means to improve local buses services and flies in the face of devolution.