Agenda item

1)    First Group

2)    Stagecoach

3)    South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive

4)    Rotherham Community Transport

5)    Northern Rail

6)    Robin Hood Airport - Consultative Committee meeting - minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2015 (pages 5 to 11)

(1) First Group – relevant items are included at section (3) below.

(2) Stagecoach – Services at Conisbrough are still being delayed because the maintenance works within the highway are continuing and are expected to be completed soon.  Service delays continue to occur at Parkgate and the difficulties of improving traffic flows in that area are widely acknowledged.

(3) South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE)

(i) The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) between Rotherham and Sheffield – a new link road is due to be opened in June 2016; the new BRT service is scheduled to start operating no later than September 2016.

(ii) The Tram-Train project, to extend the Supertram via the heavy rail route to Rotherham and Parkgate - engineering work is to start imminently and vehicle testing should start in 2016; currently, the planned start date for the operation of services is early 2017.

Members asked for clarification of the date and place on the highway when engineering works will begin.  It was clarified that, at present, there will be no impact on the highway network, nor on existing rail services.

(iii) Rotherham Central Railway Station

New ticket machines are to be installed in the next few months. The SYPTE has been approached by Gallery Town to place some artwork at the Rotherham Central railway station.  Discussions have been held with Northern Rail and the Gallery Town about the arrangements for installation of this artwork. This artwork will be unveiled on Friday 23rd October 2015.

(iv) Bus network updates

There have been no significant changes in September.

Rotherham 19B - service rerouted in Dinnington to operate a one-way loop.  The change is to improve the punctuality of the 19, 19A and 19B service group.  All passengers can still use the service, but some will have to travel via the Interchange first.

Rotherham/Sheffield 71 - Service 71 rerouted via Centretainment and the Meadowhall retail park, following customer requests.

Rotherham 108/109 – the Summer frequency timetable will remain in place and will not alter from September 2015, due to the extra resource required in the Dearne Valley for major electrical replacement works causing delays.

Rotherham X7 –  the 0700 journey will no longer operate. Alternative journeys are available earlier (X7, Powells) or later (X13).

The January, 2016, service changes will be known in late November 2015.  Councillors will be briefed on all changes by the SYPTE communication team.

The ‘RConnect’ ticket prices will reduce from Sunday 1st November 2015, as detailed below:-

The new ‘RConnect’ prices come with a commitment of no price review until April 2017.  Councillors will receive confirmation of these details shortly.

Members asked about the SYPTE survey and consultation process and the arrangements were confirmed. The SYPTE communications team will issue material about the process both to Borough Councillors and to Parish Councils.

(4) Rotherham Community Transport – the organisation has achieved accreditation from the Dementia Action Alliance, a county-wide scheme in which community transport vehicles will be eligible to display the dementia friendly logo and employees are trained to provide appropriate assistance to dementia sufferers.  The ‘shopper bus’ is being promoted, throughout the Rotherham Borough area, for people who have difficulty accessing the standard bus services; the service is suitable for people who may have a long term injury or illness and there is additional support from Rotherham Intermediate Care.

Members noted that the Sheffield City Region organisation is preparing a bid for funding from the latest round of the Government’s Green Bus Fund, although the intended scheme is likely to centre upon the Sheffield City Council area.

(5) Northern Rail - no report.

(6) Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport - Consideration was given to the minutes of the most recent meeting of the Robin Hood Airport Consultative Committee held on 16th July, 2015. The contents of these minutes were noted. Members were informed that the new link road, from Junction 3 of the M18 motorway to Parrott’s Corner, Rossington, Doncaster is due to be opened in early February, 2016.