30 January 2015

Devon Cutbacks Part 3

Devon County Council Bus Cutbacks

Devon County Council have looked at their supported bus network to try and come up with some substantial savings. Over a series of posts we look at some of the individual routes which will be affected, focusing on those which come into the greater Plymothian Transit area.

To help meet the £50 million budget reduction required by Government spending cuts next year, we now face making savings of £1.7m from our annual public transport budget. It will be the first time that we have proposed making service reductions for four years. Most bus services in Devon are run commercially by bus companies at no cost to the Council. However, we spend £5.376m a year to support nearly 200 public bus services, carrying around 4.5m passengers every year. These services would not run without this support. We also manage the National Bus Pass Scheme for 175,000 pass holders in Devon. This costs us more than £9m every year. Efficiencies have already been achieved across the wider Transport Coordination Service to meet previous savings.

We need your help

We would like to find out what you think about our proposals to reduce services. Please let us know what their impact might be on you. The proposals would start to come into effect during the second half of 2015.

This consultation closes on Monday 20 April 2015. We want to hear what you think about our proposals. To give us your comments use the online feedback form below. Important: Before completing the questions read the proposal/s for the public transport service/s relevant to you. If you begin to complete the questions and leave the page before submitting your feedback, your answers will not be saved.

DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL FEEDBACK FORM

Service 49

Heybrook Bay - Down Thomas - Wembury Point - Plymstock - Plymouth

Proposal

Reduced from 3 journeys to 2. Revised service will provide a return shopping trip into Plymouth, operating approximately 90 minutes later than at present.

Maintains daily shopping-time service which would not otherwise be sustainable due to low usage. Achieved by combining with Service 94 operation

Estimated no.of passengers journeys per year (ie one way trips) no longer catered for on this or alternative services: 1,300

Annual Saving: £19,994, including savings from service 94

Current Map

Citybus 49

Links


Service 82

Exeter - Longdown - Dunsford - Moretonhampstead - Postbridge - Princetown - Yelverton - Tavistock

Proposal

Complete withdrawal

Retains service to Shaugh Prior School for entitled pupils. Otherwise retains work and shopping-time services to Plymouth but with reduced options.

Estimated no.of passengers journeys per year (ie one way trips) no longer catered for on this or alternative services: 1,396

Annual Saving: £10,282


Service 59

Plymouth - Plympton - Sparkwell - Lutton - Cornwood - Lee Moor - Wotter - Shaugh Prior - Bickleigh - Roborough

Proposal

Service reduced from 7 journeys per day to 4. The revised service will still provide a peak time journey to and from Plymouth and a choice of shopping journeys.

Retains service to Shaugh Prior School for entitled pupils. Otherwise retains work and shopping-time services to Plymouth but with reduced options.

Estimated no.of passengers journeys per year (ie one way trips) no longer catered for on this or alternative services: 5,000

Annual Saving: £47,474

Target Travel VU51AXR

Current Map

Target59

Links

Recommended Reading

1 comment:

  1. With service 59 it is basically reducing a 2 vehicle operated service with just the one vehicle. This is my local bus service and I must admit that the figure of 5000 affected seems low to me. I use the bus infrequently but at very different times of day and on different days and there always seem to be at least 8 to 10 passengers on board. At certain times of the day there are often considerably more.Target have done quite well since they took over from Citybus and when I use it the bus is on time and the drivers friendly. I wonder what effect such a cut may have on Dartmoor Zoo which this route serves.

    ReplyDelete

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