Agenda item

To receive a report by the Cabinet Member for Environment & Transport and the Corporate Director for Growth, Environment and Transport that invites the Cabinet Committee to consider whether to make any recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport in relation to the action taken by the petitioners.

The Chairman invited Ms Debbie Barwick, the petition organiser who represents Canterbury Independent Traders Alliance, to address the committee on the above petition. Ms Barwick presented the petition statement, which had been published with the agenda for the meeting, and gave a speech supporting the statement. The petition asked KCC to ensure Stagecoach ran buses through the Westgate Towers or to get a bus provider that will.

The Chairman then invited the committee to debate the petition. During debate the following concerns were raised and views expressed:

      i.        Mr Caller explained on behalf of a local Canterbury Councillor that he had been contacted by elderly constituents on this subject including a 95 year old resident of Canterbury who feels he no longer has access to the St Dunstans area without this bus service.

    ii.        A view was expressed that the altered bus route favoured the Whitefriars area as opposed to supporting local businesses in the St Dunstans area.

   iii.        A view was expressed that Stagecoach had a monopoly over bus services in Canterbury and that Kent County Council should look into tendering for a bus company that would provide the service the petition requests.

   iv.        A question was raised in regards to what Kent County Council could do to encourage other bus operators. It was also suggested that members of the committee look at West Sussex County Council’s website as a good example of offering alternative bus services.

    v.        A question was raised as to whether a different size of bus would be possible to make using Westgate more feasible.

Phil Lightowler, Head of Public Transport, was in attendance and provided the following information:

1.    That Stagecoach buses that pass through Westgate Towers would be required to stop while passing through the towers and have the driver exit the vehicle to pull its mirrors in to continue.

2.    It was confirmed that Westgate Towers was a Scheduled Listed monument and, as such, damage to the building was a criminal offence. Mr Lightowler stated that Stagecoach had been very firm on their position, continuing to take their buses through Westgate Towers had not passed the appropriate risk assessment. They were unwilling to risk damaging Westgate Towers or to undertake the manoeuvre in passing through.

3.    By the end of 2016 all single decker buses would have to be wide enough to enable wheelchair access to be DDA compliant, as set out in law by the UK Government.  The same would apply to double decker buses by 2017.

Mr Balfour, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, responded to questions raised and comments made by members by confirming the following:

1.    That although he would want more competition, as it stood Kent County Council had no regulatory function over the bus market and was not in a position to break a Stagecoach monopoly in Canterbury.

2.    That he would look into improving Kent County Council’s webpage on bus services to give more comprehensive information to the public.

3.    It was suggested that should the committee wish to reorder the bus network to help particular places they should make recommendations to that effect at the appropriate budget setting meeting.

A recommendation was made by Mr Marsh, and seconded by Mr Baldock, that Kent County Council re-examine the service requirements of the current bus network in Canterbury.

It was RESOLVED that after consideration of the action taken by the petitioners that the recommendation made by Mr Marsh be agreed.