A report providing the Committee with an update on the current Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), further details on the work undertaken to prepare the updated BSIP in line with Department for Transport (DfT) requirements and seeking approval to submit the Council’s final BSIP 2024 to the DfT.

The Committee considered a report on the current Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and the work that had been undertaken by the Council to prepare an updated version of the BSIP in line with Department for Transport (DfT) requirements. A copy of the BSIP 2024 Executive Summary was attached at Appendix 1 and a copy of the full BSIP 2024 was attached at Appendix 2. The report explained that a draft version of Reading’s BSIP for 2024 had been submitted to the DfT on 12 June 2024 and sought the Committee’s approval to submit the final version to the DfT.

The report stated that Reading’s first BSIP had been published in October 2021 in line with the objectives as set out in the National Bus Strategy that required Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) to produce a BSIP for their area. Reading’s BSIP set out an ambitious programme of measures designed to improve bus services in the town and had been prepared in partnership with all local operators and neighbouring local authorities.

The report explained that, following the publication of Reading’s first BSIP in 2021, the Council had developed Enhanced Partnership (EP) arrangements with local bus operators in line with relevant legislation. The resultant Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme came into effect on 1 April 2022. Following this the Government undertook a review of all BSIPs and EPs submitted by LTAs and discussions were held with selected authorities. On 4 April 2022 the DfT had announced indicative funding allocations for selected authorities, including up to £26.3m for Reading for the three-year period from 2022/23 to 2024/25.

In early 2024, the DfT had requested that all LTAs refresh and update their BSIPs and submit these to the DfT by June 2024. The report explained that, unlike previous versions, the latest BSIP 2024 would not function as a bidding document for specific DfT funds but was required as a condition for the release of the Council’s BSIP funding envelope for the 2024/25 financial year.

The report explained that the updated BSIP 2024 had been written to be comprehensive but also to be concise and accessible to the public, and so the document had been restructured and shortened when compared to the BSIP 2021. The report set out the key themes of Reading’s BSIP 2024 that included an update on the achievements and progress made since 2021. The updated BSIP also set out the improvement programme for the 2024/25 financial year, including how BSIP and other related funding would be spent. The BSIP 2024 also outlined the Council’s ambitions beyond 2025, including the prioritised proposals for the four years 2025/26 to 2028/29, longer-term ambitions and explained how the BSIP would align with the Reading Transport Strategy 2024.

The BSIP 2024 highlighted the significant progress that had been made since 2021 and recognised that many initiatives within the first BSIP had now been implemented. Given that much of the BSIP 2021 had been successfully delivered, the BSIP 2024 provided an opportunity to present a new set of plans for 2025 and allowed the Council to bring forward a number of new and enhanced measures under the following key themes:

·       Service Level and Network Coverage;

·       Bus Priority;

·       Lower and Simpler Fares;

·       Ticketing;

·       Waiting and Interchange Facilities;

·       Bus Information and Network Identity;

·       Bus Passenger Experience;

·       Bus Fleet;

·       Accessibility and Inclusion; and

·       Longer Term Transformation of the Network.

The measures listed above had been identified by transport officers and other members of the Enhanced Partnership and reflected the local priorities needed to improve the public transport network in Reading. The measures also supported the wider objectives of the Local Transport Plan (the Reading Transport Strategy 2040) as well as the Council’s Corporate Plan and other Climate Strategy objectives.

The report explained that although the BSIP 2024 was not a bidding document but that it did report on what had already been achieved and so might be used a factor by Government when determining future levels of funding. The report stated the Council’s positive track record of delivery made a strong case to support future investment and that any funding opportunities that resulted from the published BSIP 2024 would be submitted to the Committee at an appropriate time.

Resolved –

(1)           That the content of the report be noted;

(2)           That the content of the Bus Service Improvement Plan 2024 Executive Summary, as attached at Appendix 1, be noted;

(3)           That the Bus Service Improvement Plan 2024, as attached at Appendix B, be approved for submission to the Department for Transport;

(4)      That the Assistant Director for Planning, Transport & Regulatory Services, in consultation with the Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy & Transport, be authorised to make minor amendments to the Bus Service Improvement Plan 2024 before its submission to the Department for Transport by the Transport Programme Manager.