Agenda item

( Report by Mr Keith Ferrin, Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste and Mr Adam Wilkinson, Director of Environment and Regeneration)

Mr David Hall of the Environment and Regeneration Directorate was present for this item together with Mr Oliver Rowlinson of the Kent Youth County Council)

(1)       This report set out the progress to date in the introduction of freedom travel for 11 to 16 year olds and suggested a programme of additional implementation in 2008.  Mr Ferrin said that the two free travel pilot schemes called the Kent Freedom scheme were introduced in Tonbridge/Tunbridge Wells and Canterbury in June 2007.  These pilot areas were chosen on the basis of complexity of the transport arrangements to the secondary school catchment areas and the high levels of congestion which was evident at peak times.  The scheme had proved very popular in the pilot areas and survey results showed that 27% of users previously travelling to school by car now used the bus which was most encouraging.  Impact studies on congestion were being measured and would be reported when meaningful results were be available. There was also, evidence that students were using Freedom passes for travel at weekends and evenings which was a key aspiration of the Kent Youth County Council.  Additional bus capacity had also been provided by bus operators in the pilot areas to cope with the extra demand and doubts expressed at the outset about child behaviour had not materialised.  Therefore, the key aspirations of the scheme had been met in that there had been reductions in peak hour congestion, there has been improved social inclusion through improved mobility of young people outside schools hours and there were encouraging signs that young people were making longer term use of public transport.  The Scheme had there been successful and well received and this success was underpinned by the partnership working which had been between the bus operators and the County Council.  Mr Ferrin said that the County Council had been asked to consider extending the scheme to cover 16-18 year olds but there was not sufficient funding to do that so a pathfinder bid had been submitted to Government.

(2)       Mr Oliver Rowlinson said that the Kent Youth Council very much welcomed this project which since its inception in the pilot areas had proved to be a considerable success.  On behalf of the Youth Council he paid thanks to Kent County Council and Kent Highways Services for taking this initiative forward and said the Youth County Council was pleased to note that a bid had been submitted for Pathfinder funding.  Mr Hall said that the pilot schemes had proved very successful and were both being run to budget. 

(3)       Mr Carter said he looked forward to the expansion of the scheme to other pilot areas and said that as a direct result of its work in this area Kent County Council had been awarded the prestigious Transport Authority of the Year Award.  He therefore placed on record his congratulations on behalf of Cabinet to all who had been involved in this achievement.

Cabinet agreed:-

(a)       an extension to the pilot scheme in June 2008;

(b)       to the principle of pump-priming the introduction of smart cards;

(c)        officers be asked to consider how efficiencies could be gained once the Freedom scheme was rolled out countywide; and

(d)       rail be not included in the additional 2008 scheme.