Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Transport

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/183

Contact: John Disley, Strategic Manager, Policy & Strategy Tel: (01865) 810460

Report by Deputy Director for Environment & Economy – Highways & Transport (CA8).

On 1 April 2011 Oxfordshire County Council had taken on the responsibility for administering the National Concessionary Fares scheme from the five Oxfordshire District Councils.

In January 2011 Cabinet had agreed the proposals for the 2011/2012 financial year and asked that a further report was submitted in time for decisions to be made for the 2012/2013 financial year and to report back on experience in running the scheme in the current year.

This report deals with the reimbursement of bus companies and the formal conditions of concessionary pass usage from the start of the 2012/2013 financial year. 

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

a)                  Retain the 09.00 start time for the use of Concessionary Passes on Monday to Friday.

b)                 Introduce a later cut off time of 24.00 Monday to Friday for the acceptance of Concessionary Passes.

c)                  Retain the use of Concessionary Passes on Dial-a-Ride services for 2012/13, for review once the new Community Transport Strategy has been adopted.

d)                  Give the Deputy Director, Highways and Transport, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, delegated authority to:

i           negotiate the most cost effective reimbursement scheme with the operators of commercial bus services;

ii          negotiate the most appropriate solution for reimbursement with operators of subsidised services, including Dial-a-Ride and Community Transport services, including considering the effect of the Council issuing tenders for subsidised bus services without any separate concessionary fare reimbursement

On 1 April 2011 Oxfordshire County Council took on the responsibility for administering the National Concessionary Fares scheme from the five Oxfordshire District Councils. In January 2011 Cabinet agreed the proposals for the 2011/2012 financial year and asked that a further report be submitted in time for decisions to be made for the 2012/2013 financial year and to report back on experience in running the scheme in the current year. Cabinet considered a report that dealt with the reimbursement of bus companies and the formal conditions of concessionary pass usage from the start of the 2012/2013 financial year.

Councillor David Turner, Shadow Cabinet Member for Transport, raised a number of detailed queries on the information contained in the report which were dealt with during the discussion.

During discussion Cabinet welcomed the report and in particular the retention of the 9.00 am start time for the use of the concessionary pass.

RESOLVED: to:

(a)       Retain the 09.00 start time for the use of Concessionary Passes on Monday to Friday.

(b)       Introduce a later cut off time of 24.00 Monday to Friday for the acceptance of Concessionary Passes.

(c)        retain the use of Concessionary Passes on Dial-a-Ride services for 2012/13, for review once the new Community Transport Strategy has been adopted.

(d)       Give the Deputy Director, Highways and Transport, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, delegated authority to:

i           negotiate the most cost effective reimbursement scheme with the operators of commercial bus services;

ii          negotiate the most appropriate solution for reimbursement with operators of subsidised services, including Dial-a-Ride and Community Transport services, including considering the effect of the Council issuing tenders for subsidised bus services without any separate concessionary fare reimbursement.