Issue - meetings

Background:

This report set out Medway Council’s proposed response to the publication of the Government’s National Bus Strategy, including the development of a Bus Service Improvement Plan for Medway.

The National Bus Strategy expects all Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) to set up an Enhanced Partnership (EP). By the end of October 2021, Government expected all LTAs to publish a local Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). This must set out how LTAs will use their EP to deliver an ambitious vision for bus travel, meeting the overarching goal of the National Bus Strategy to grow back patronage after the pandemic and then to increase it and raise the mode share of the bus.

Local authorities were required to report the views of passengers and third parties during the establishment and development of the BSIP. This would initially be achieved through a review of existing evidence and data.  Further engagement with key stakeholders on the Council’s emerging proposals would then take place later in the summer.

It was proposed that the developed BSIP would be reported to Cabinet ahead of the Government’s publication deadline of 31 October 2021. A Diversity Impact Assessment would be undertaken as part of that work.

Reasons:

To ensure Medway Council demonstrates its commitment to the principles outlined in the National Bus Strategy, securing existing funding allocations, and putting the Council in a position where it can bid for future funding to improve public transport in Medway.