Thoughts on this latest cut back to transport.
Is it going to mean cut backs in staffing to Stage Coach staff if some funding is pulled out as in the subsidised bus network?
Cutting back on transport which takes people to work and training may well mean that the people who use this may not be able to afford the bus fares?
Not sure why such as the C/T and Dial a bus can't be made into a business as they are needed, it wouldn't help the individual to pay the proper fare - would it??
Our cabinet has approved plans to ask local people about the council-funded transport services they use.
We need to save £157 million over the next five years up to 2018, including potentially making savings on funding for council-supported bus and community transport services.
But before any decisions are made Derbyshire residents are being urged to take part in a user survey to help us decide on any proposals for change which will then go to a full public consultation, if appropriate.
Around 80% of bus services in Derbyshire are run commercially, carrying 27.5 million passengers a year. The bus operator sets the route, timetables and fares − there is no contract with us to run these services, typically daytime services in towns and main routes between towns.
We can also provide buses where no commercial service would run − called the supported or subsidised bus network − which currently costs us £3.7million a year and provides journeys for 3.8 million passengers.
Bus operators run these services on our behalf under contract. Typically they are rural, early morning, evening and Sunday services and some daytime services on estate roads.
We also support seven community transport schemes to deliver a range of services to people with mobility difficulties or those who live in rural areas and are unable to use mainstream public transport; typically these are pre-booked journeys to health appointments − aCTive travel − and home to town 'shopping' buses called Dial-a-Bus. The budget to provide these services is around £1.4 million.
We also currently contribute £50,000 to the Wheels to Work scheme, run by Rural Action Derbyshire, and which helps people get to work and training opportunities.
Councillor Andy Botham, Deputy Cabinet Member for Jobs, Economy and Transport said:
We're having to think the unthinkable. We do not want to make these unrelenting cuts which will affect services that local people rely on but we have been left with no choice but to consider this and some very difficult decisions will have to be made.
"We will not take any decisions lightly and before we agree anything we need to understand what the impact of cutting or reducing funding for any of these transport services will be."
The survey to find out how well-used the various community transport and council-funded bus services are, is due to be carried out between October and December. Residents will also be asked what kind of services are a priority.
Further consultation, which will include online and paper questionnaires, face-to-face discussions and promotion through social media, will potentially take place in 2015.
Councillor Botham added:
We are urging people to take part in these surveys and consultations so that we can fully understand the impact of any decisions we may make. We want to ensure the funding that we are still able to provide is put to the best possible use so that we can still enable people to get out and about."