Agenda item

Bus Fares/Sheffield Bus Partnership

It was moved by Councillor Sue Alston, seconded by Councillor Penny Baker, that this Council:-

(a)       notes the latest announcement by First buses that fares will rise in the city by as much as 13%;

(b)       highlights that these changes come in the context of average profit margins for bus operators in South Yorkshire which are double those in London;

(c)        believes these hikes are unnecessary and unfair on many local residents, particularly hard working people who continue to struggle with finances;

(d)       holds this up as another example of the failure of the Sheffield Bus Partnership, which has delivered worse services for higher charges; and

(e)       believes the Administration should call time on their disastrous Bus Partnership and begin immediate work on developing Quality Contracts which will finally restore power to local people.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Leigh Bramall, seconded by Councillor Mick Rooney, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council” and the substitution of the following words therefor:-

(a)       agrees with comments from Liberal Democrat Minister, Norman Baker MP, "The Sheffield Bus Agreement is good news for the city and shows what can be achieved when local councils, bus operators and transport authorities work together for the benefit of passengers. This partnership will transform passengers’ experience by making bus travel easier and cheaper";

(b)       confirms that since its launch in October 2012, the Partnership has seen:

(i)         3.99 million more fare-paying passengers on Sheffield’s buses;

(ii)        over 60% of adult fare paying customers benefitting from cheaper fares;

(iii)       improvements in customer satisfaction by up to 45%;

(iv)       50,000 bus users benefitting from new links and better frequencies;

(v)        significantly improved reliability month on month to 98.6%;

(vi)       80 new buses provided in 2013/14 together with £4.7m of improved infrastructure; and

(vii)      two UK Bus Awards won;

(c)        confirms that many prices are still below what they were before the Bus Partnership Agreement was introduced and in particular welcomes the new reductions in prices for children and young people;

(d)       confirms that if the bus partnership agreement were to be scrapped, fares could go back up to their higher levels making passengers pay more and the millions of investment secured would be put at risk; and

(e)       believes that the main opposition group should put the interests of passengers before their own narrow political interest and support the Partnership which has been described by a senior Liberal Democrat as “good news for the city”.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

It was then moved by Councillor Robert Frost, seconded by Councillor Colin Ross, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.         the insertion of the words “and Stagecoach” after the word “First” in paragraph (a); and

2.         the re-lettering of paragraph (e) as a new paragraph (f) and the addition of a new paragraph (e) as follows:-

(e)       furthermore regrets the collapse of the Optio ticket range, which was introduced with a fanfare just two years ago, and believes it was a half-hearted attempt at cross-ticketing, which failed to simplify the ticketing system;

On being put to the vote the amendment was negatived.

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED:  That this Council:-

(a)       agrees with comments from Liberal Democrat Minister, Norman Baker MP, "The Sheffield Bus Agreement is good news for the city and shows what can be achieved when local councils, bus operators and transport authorities work together for the benefit of passengers. This partnership will transform passengers’ experience by making bus travel easier and cheaper";

(b)       confirms that since its launch in October 2012, the Partnership has seen:

(i)         3.99 million more fare-paying passengers on Sheffield’s buses;

(ii)        over 60% of adult fare paying customers benefitting from cheaper fares;

(iii)       improvements in customer satisfaction by up to 45%;

(iv)       50,000 bus users benefitting from new links and better frequencies;

(v)        significantly improved reliability month on month to 98.6%;

(vi)       80 new buses provided in 2013/14 together with £4.7m of improved infrastructure; and

(vii)      two UK Bus Awards won;

(c)        confirms that many prices are still below what they were before the Bus Partnership Agreement was introduced and in particular welcomes the new reductions in prices for children and young people;

(d)       confirms that if the bus partnership agreement were to be scrapped, fares could go back up to their higher levels making passengers pay more and the millions of investment secured would be put at risk; and

(e)       believes that the main opposition group should put the interests of passengers before their own narrow political interest and support the Partnership which has been described by a senior Liberal Democrat as “good news for the city”.

(Note: Councillors Jillian Creasy and Robert Murphy voted against Paragraphs (a), (d) and (e) and abstained on Paragraphs (b) and (c) and asked for this to be recorded.)