Agenda item

KENT COUNTY COUNCIL

RECORD OF CABINET DECISION

DECISION TAKEN ON

Cabinet

8 February 2007

DECISION NO.

06/00943

          Free Travel for 11-16 Year Olds

(Item 4 – Report by Mr Keith Ferrin, Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste and Mr Pete Raine, Manager Director, Environment and Regeneration)

(Mr David Hall, the County Transportation Manager was present for this item)

(1)       Mr Hall said that negotiations were nearly completed with bus service providers across Kent for the establishment of free travel trials in areas covered by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and Canterbury City Council and Tonbridge Town.  Appendix 1 to the report detailed what the pilot scheme would include, Appendix 2 detailed the participating secondary schools and Appendix 3 detailed the costs of introducing a county-wide free scheme.  Mr Hall said that during discussions with bus operators, concern had been expressed that a start date in September 2007 would prove difficult due to the very busy nature of that month.  It was therefore proposed to commence the pilot schemes after the summer half term as that was the quietest time for school travel and would provide a good test of the use of off peak travel for cultural activities during the summer holidays.  Mr Hall said that the operators would be providing additional buses on the routes covered by the pilot scheme to cope with expected increases in demand.  However, the scheme would not affect any private arrangements parents may have for getting their children to and from school.

(2)       Mr Ferrin said that the negotiations around the provision of this scheme had proved to be complex and challenging. The key aspirations were to bring about a reduction in peak hour congestion; improve social inclusion, through improved mobility for young people outside school hours and encourage long term use of public transport by young people.  Mr Ferrin emphasised the pilot scheme would run for two years and there could be no guarantee that after that time it would continue. Therefore parents needed to be aware of that fact and to take decisions around school transport provision for their children accordingly.  He also emphasised that the introduction of the pilot scheme did not affect any existing arrangements that there may be for children to have free transport.  Mr Ferrin said the feasibility of introducing free travel would be fully tested through the introduction of the pilot schemes and further decisions would be taken in two years time in the light of the information arising out of the pilot schemes. 

(3)       Mr Carter concluded discussion on this item by firstly thanking the Select Committee on Home to School Transport for the work it had done on this matter. He also welcomed the co-operation between the County Council and the bus operators and said the scheme would not only meet key policy aspirations of the County Council but would also see a significant increase in investment from the Bus Operators.

4.         Free Travel for 11-16 Year Olds Cont’d

(4)       Cabinet then agreed:-

(i)         to the introduction of pilot free travel schemes for 11-16 year olds as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report for a minimum of two years;

(ii)        that the Director of Environment and Regeneration be given delegated authority, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste to approve detailed elements of the scheme and to enter into any necessary agreements or contracts as appropriate with the transport operators.

.........................................................................

.. …………………….2007

     Signed Peter Gilroy (Chief Executive)

FOR COUNCIL SECRETARIAT USE ONLY

Decision Referred to Cabinet Scrutiny

Cabinet Scrutiny Decision to Refer Back for Reconsideration

Reconsideration Record Sheet Issued

Reconsideration of Decision Published

YES

NO

ü

YES

NO

YES

NO