Agenda item

This Council is concerned at the current state of bus services in Leeds.

Council notes that public transport was hit hard by the pandemic, with passenger numbers not yet fully recovered, and Council welcomes the substantial and continuing government funding that has been paid to operators and local transport authorities to keep services running. Between April and December this year alone, West Yorkshire Combined Authority is expected to receive £3,043,632 to help operators maintain vital routes.

Council regrets that despite this investment the performance of some services has worsened. Passenger satisfaction has declined on key measures such as punctuality, reliability and the provision of information during the journey, whilst concerns have been raised about the accuracy of the real time information system that displays the predicted time of the next bus. Meanwhile many outer areas of the city still suffer from poor public transport connectivity and service reliability issues, with investment largely focused on the city centre.

Council notes that the Combined Authority has been awarded an indicative settlement of £69,974,070 in government funding over three financial years to support delivery of a Bus Service Improvement Plan, and believes the public will expect the Mayor of West Yorkshire to be held accountable for addressing current problems with services now, as well as delivering a longer term step change in performance in Leeds.

Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Mayor of West Yorkshire asking that she outlines her detailed plans to tackle the immediate concerns with the city’s bus services, and inviting her to take questions in an appropriate forum from elected members in Leeds.

It was moved by Councillor Buckley, seconded by Councillor Andrew Carter that this Council is concerned at the current state of bus services in Leeds.

Council notes that public transport was hit hard by the pandemic, with passenger numbers not yet fully recovered, and Council welcomes the substantial and continuing government funding that has been paid to operators and local transport authorities to keep services running. Between April and December this year alone, West Yorkshire Combined Authority is expected to receive £3,043,632 to help operators maintain vital routes.

Council regrets that despite this investment the performance of some services has worsened. Passenger satisfaction has declined on key measures such as punctuality, reliability and the provision of information during the journey, whilst concerns have been raised about the accuracy of the real time information system that displays the predicted time of the next bus. Meanwhile many outer areas of the city still suffer from poor public transport connectivity and service reliability issues, with investment largely focused on the city centre.

Council notes that the Combined Authority has been awarded an indicative settlement of £69,974,070 in government funding over three financial years to support delivery of a Bus Service Improvement Plan, and believes the public will expect the Mayor of West Yorkshire to be held accountable for addressing current problems with services now, as well as delivering a longer term step change in performance in Leeds.

Council requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Mayor of West Yorkshire asking that she outlines her detailed plans to tackle the immediate concerns with the city’s bus services, and inviting her to take questions in an appropriate forum from elected members in Leeds.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Golton, seconded by Councillor Chapman

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"Elected members share the frustration of bus passengers at the unacceptable level of cancelled bus journeys throughout the network, and the reduced frequency imposed on some bus services. This has a significant impact on Leeds workers getting to their place of employment, students attending classes on time, and people accessing hospital appointments. The cancelling or reduction of evening services in particular is having a significant impact on many people's mental health as they are effectively curfewed from social activity after dark.

This Council regrets that the recently extended Covid support funding from government, handed over to private bus companies, contains no binding agreements on customer delivery.

This Council further considers the West Yorkshire Mayor's Enhanced Bus Partnership a failure, as this arrangement has failed to leverage any appreciable improvements for West Yorkshire Bus passengers from private bus companies in exchange for the taxpayer funded subsidy they receive.

Members are dismayed that despite handing over £80 million for cleaner, cheaper new buses, and £35 million to subsidise cheaper 'Mayors Fares', Leeds bus users are experiencing a worsening service under the Mayor's transport stewardship.

This Council believes that the accountability and performance of private bus companies will only be improved when the voluntary Enhanced Bus Partnership is replaced by a franchise arrangement similar to that in Greater Manchester.

This Council therefore instructs the Chief Executive to inform Mayor Brabin that this Council has no confidence in her Enhanced Bus Partnership. It further requests that the West Yorkshire Mayor informs the Minister for Transport of the failure of the current voluntary arrangements, and requests an acceleration of the process to allow the franchising of buses in West Yorkshire."

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Blackburn, seconded by Councillor Forsaith

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“This Council welcomes the continued support from Central Government for our local bus services and the introduction of the £2 minimum fare introduced by the Mayor of West Yorkshire, but recognises that this will not resolve the problems of bus services in Leeds and the rest of West Yorkshire.

Council believes the problems go much deeper and have only been made worse by the Covid pandemic. Council believes the model for delivery of bus services is broken and was already in that position prior to the pandemic.

Council believes these problems can only be resolved by the introduction of franchising across West Yorkshire and the setting up of a publicly owned operator of last resort by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Council, therefore, resolves to write to the Mayor of West Yorkshire expressing these views and to the Prime Minister requesting that the Mayor of West Yorkshire and West Yorkshire Combined Authority be given the appropriate powers to carry this out.”

A third amendment was moved by Councillor Lewis, seconded by Councillor Carlill

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“……is concerned that, despite action by the West Yorkshire Mayor to push Government to extend the Bus Recovery Grant, private bus operators First and Arriva have still proceeded to implement cuts to some bus services and failed to improve employment conditions for their staff to address their driver recruitment and retention issues.

Council believes this situation where private operators in receipt of Government subsidy can choose to shrink the bus network, including routes crucial for our communities, is unacceptable and confirms that the current deregulated, privatised bus model introduced by the Conservatives has been a resounding failure. Council is concerned by the damage this model has inflicted over many years on the everyday lives of residents across Leeds who rely on buses to access jobs, education, family, crucial services, shops and entertainment.  

Council further believes questions about the delivery of the Bus Recovery Grant directly to private operators by the Government need to be independently investigated by an agency such as the National Audit Office.

Council welcomes action taken by this council and the West Yorkshire Mayor to improve buses for passengers in Leeds, including more bus lanes and Park and Ride sites, as well as cheaper tickets through the £2 Mayors Fares scheme. 

Council calls for legislation that currently prevents the creation of new municipal publicly owned bus companies to be overturned. Council reiterates again its support for the West Yorkshire Mayor’s pledge to bring in franchising of the bus network but notes the Government’s timetable blocks this until at least 2024.  Council also supports the West Yorkshire Mayor’s calls for Government to provide sustainable, long-term funding for buses to enable the bus network to grow.   In the meantime Council will continue to support the West Yorkshire Mayor in holding First and Arriva to account and supports the West Yorkshire Mayor’s calls for the Government to extend the Bus Recovery Grant beyond its current end date of March to prevent any further cuts to services.”

The amendments in the name of Councillor Golton and Councillor Blackburn were declared lost the amendment in the name of Councillor Lewis was carried and upon being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED – That this Council is concerned that, despite action by the West Yorkshire Mayor to push Government to extend the Bus Recovery Grant, private bus operators First and Arriva have still proceeded to implement cuts to some bus services and failed to improve employment conditions for their staff to address their driver recruitment and retention issues.

Council believes this situation where private operators in receipt of Government subsidy can choose to shrink the bus network, including routes crucial for our communities, is unacceptable and confirms that the current deregulated, privatised bus model introduced by the Conservatives has been a resounding failure. Council is concerned by the damage this model has inflicted over many years on the everyday lives of residents across Leeds who rely on buses to access jobs, education, family, crucial services, shops and entertainment.  

Council further believes questions about the delivery of the Bus Recovery Grant directly to private operators by the Government need to be independently investigated by an agency such as the National Audit Office.

Council welcomes action taken by this council and the West Yorkshire Mayor to improve buses for passengers in Leeds, including more bus lanes and Park and Ride sites, as well as cheaper tickets through the £2 Mayors Fares scheme. 

Council calls for legislation that currently prevents the creation of new municipal publicly owned bus companies to be overturned. Council reiterates again its support for the West Yorkshire Mayor’s pledge to bring in franchising of the bus network but notes the Government’s timetable blocks this until at least 2024.  Council also supports the West Yorkshire Mayor’s calls for Government to provide sustainable, long-term funding for buses to enable the bus network to grow.   In the meantime Council will continue to support the West Yorkshire Mayor in holding First and Arriva to account and supports the West Yorkshire Mayor’s calls for the Government to extend the Bus Recovery Grant beyond its current end date of March to prevent any further cuts to services.

On the requisition of Councillor Lennox and Councillor Lewis the voting on the third amendment in the name of Councillor Lewis was recorded as follows;

YES – 57

Akhtar, Almass, Arif, Bithell, Bowden, Bromley, Brooks, Burke, Carlill, Coupar, Dowson, Dye, Farley, Flint, France-Mir, Garthwaite, Garvani, Gibson, Grahame, Gruen, Hamilton, Harland, Hayden, Heselwood, A Hussain, Z Hussain, Illingworth, Iqbal, Jenkins, Khan, Lennox, Lewis, Maloney, Marshall-Katung, Martin, McKenna, Midgley, Mulherin, Pryor, Rafique, Ragan, Renshaw, Ritchie, Scopes, Sewards, Shahzad, Sharpe, Thomson, Truswell, Tudor, Venner, Walshaw, Wilson, Wray, Blackburn, Carlisle and Forsaith.

NO – 19

Alderson, B Anderson, C Anderson, Buckley, Amanda Carter, Andrew Carter, Cohen, Firth, Flynn, Foster, Harrand, Harrington, Richards, Robinson, D Seary, S Seary, Smith, Stephenson and Wadsworth.

ABSTAIN – 10

Kidger, Hutchison, Newton, Senior, Downes, Golton, Campbell, Chapman, Hart-Brooke, and Howley.