Annex 3 - Bus Strategy 2006 - 2011

Community groups are able to provide their own bus services under Section 22 of the 1985 Transport Act. Routes and timetables must be registered with the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA).  Registered services are eligible to claim Bus Services Operators Grant and Concessionary Fares income.  Each service is available for use by members of the general public, and the service must be provided using volunteer drivers.

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Cornwall has a high number of community transport bus schemes, totalling 13 throughout the County and operating 17 bus routes.  These services appear in the All Cornwall Public Transport Guide and on the County Council web pages.  Several have been in existence since bus de-regulation while others have developed in recent years.  Their roles and usage vary considerably.  In one case, the bus is used infrequently for the conveyance of local children to events whereas others play a small but significant part in the rural transport public service routes.  In the east of the County, where by nature of geography, settlements are small and sparsely spread, community buses have flourished, while in the west, the lower number have slowly increased both their scope of operation and patronage.

The expansion and improvement of the community bus network will be actively encouraged. Community Bus Associations will be encouraged to review their routes with a view to integrating further with other service providers. A mechanism is in place whereby high-performing associations may apply for grant funding to assist in the purchase of new vehicles. In return, the association must prove a commitment to maintaining or improving its scope of operations, standards of customer care and training of drivers.  In previous years, successful Rural Bus Challenge bids have enabled associations to update their vehicles to DDA accessibility standards. Part funding for training for volunteer drivers will also be available.

Subsidies available to conventional bus operators are also made available to community buses if they can operate within subsidy levels in areas where it is uneconomic to run mainstream services.

Community groups are able to provide demand-responsive, door-to-door transport services on a not-for-profit basis under Section 19 of the 1985 Transport Act. These services are suited to rural areas where small numbers of dispersed residents wish to travel to shared destinations as opposed to where there is a concentration of passenger demand along defined route corridors.

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There are three Dial-A-Ride schemes operating in the west of the County, two of which were the subject of joint County Council, Job Centre Plus and Countryside Agency funding.  In addition, Gorran and District Community Bus operates with a Section 19 permit in part of its area.  These schemes can cater for a diverse range of needs, including those of older people, people with disabilities, school children, workers, shoppers and patients.

The development of Dial-A-Ride services is supported in a number of ways: grant aid for vehicles, direct revenue support, funding for driver training, etc.  Concessionary Fares are accepted on qualifying routes, thus enabling half-price (until April 2006) travel for retired and other eligible groups. With the ability to pay drivers and the Government revision of Section 19 qualification criteria, associations will be encouraged through judicious use of local bus subsidies, to increase their operations to fulfil the accessibility needs of people without access to their own or public transport.  We will continue to work through the RTPs to further develop Dial-A-Rides in the County and will, where necessary, support their operation as part of the subsidised bus network.