Issue details

Proposed decisions:

(i)    ACCEPT the National Highways Designated Funds grant of £2.262 million towards the MaaS Ebbsfleet pilot and associated sustainable transport package

(ii)  DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, and Corporate Director of Finance, to review and agree the required terms and conditions to enter into the necessary grant arrangements for National Highways Designated Funds

(iii)  ACCEPT  that the grant is paid monthly in arrears of spend by National highways as part of the KCC/National Highways Lower Thames Crossing Designated Fund.

(iv) APPROVE the procurement of a MaaS partner who will be responsible for the delivery of MaaS Multimodal Transport Technology platform and operate the MaaS scheme on KCC’s behalf, subject to CPOB and agreed terms and conditions

(v)   DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport to negotiate, finalise and enter into relevant contracts to implement the required Contract Award including the award of any future contract extension(s), subject to satisfactory performance

(vi)DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport, to take other actions, including but not limited to entering into associated MaaS contracts including MaaS marketing and behavioural change campaign elements. As well as National Highways funded associated sustainable transport procurements and other legal agreements, as required to implement the decision

Further Information:

Under decision 23/00027 the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport agreed to accept the DfT BSIP offer of £18,985,735, for delivery of agreed initiatives, in the year 23/24. To ensure that the MaaS project as one of the 15 originalBSIP initiatives, can progress to time, a further decision is required for approval toprocure services to spend the DFT BSIP funding.

MaaS has also secured National Highways Designated Funds. As the NH grant agreement is over the £1 Million threshold, this requires a key decision with a short timeline for spending.

Background:

MaaS is one of the fifteen initiatives within Kent’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) programme of work.  MaaS and associated projects are four of the nine projects as part of the LTC National Highways Designated Funds Programme. 

The aim of MaaS schemes is to create a platform for sustainable travel to encourage modal shift away from private car ownership to more use of public transport, shared transport and active travel to tackle car dependency, reduce transport CO2 emissions and air pollution.  

MaaS is a new type of service so KCC will need to conduct procurements for a range of new services using a mix of external funding sources. (No KCC funding).  The new service provided to residents and visitors travelling in or out of the MaaS Ebbsfleet zone will enable delivery of benefits aligned with KCC strategy for environment and social outcomes.

This will be achieved through the procurement of a MaaS Partner who will provide the MaaS multimodal transport technology platform and will integrate real time data from transport operators into the digital platform. The MasS partner will also operate the MaaS scheme on a day-to-day basis on KCC's behalf. The other required services also market and promote the MaaS scheme to game behavioural change for travel in or out of the initial MaaS Ebbsfleet pilot area and integrate additional travel modes into the mass technology to enhance customer effectiveness offering a compelling new customer offer

The pilot will focus on the geographical area of MaaS Ebbsfleet zone including Ebbsfleet

Garden City, Dartford and Gravesend town centre areas which will operate from April 2025 to

end March 2028 .

Options (other options considered but discarded):

Option 1 Do nothing :  Discarded as it perpetuates the current state of transport CO2 emissions, air pollution and travel congestion pollution in Ebbsfleet and therefore does not contribute to KCC’s Environment Strategy.

Option 2 Service Solution KCC to tender for MaaS technology platform only, excluding the requirements of a MaaS operator with KCC operating the scheme This option is discarded as currently KCC have no experience of doing this therefore expertise from a MaaS partner operating the scheme is needed.

Option 3 KCC fully or part funding of MaaS. Discarded due to KCC’s financial situation over the last year.   Various external funding grants have been pursued instead to secure 100% funding for the MaaS Ebbsfleet pilot

Option 4 Do maximum and roll out of MaaS across Kent. This option has been discarded pending outcomes of the pilot scheme but the long term ambition continues to be for the roll-out of MaaS across Kent

How the proposed decision supports Framing Kent’s Future 2022-2026: (https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies-and-policies/corporate-policies/our-council-strategy)

MaaS directly supports the commitment to work towards Kent being Net Zero by 2050

We will:

8. Turn the curve on transport emissions and road pollution by developing approaches to road space, parking, public transport and electric vehicle infrastructure with a presumption towards more sustainable and low carbon travel modes.

7.  Support residents and businesses to take action to reduce their carbon footprint.

Additionally MaaS supports commitment to provide Infrastructure for Communities –

We will:

6 Incentivise people to choose alternative travel options to the car by prioritising the maintenance and creation of safe and accessible walking routes and cycle lanes and providing bus priority where appropriate.

8 Work with our partners through the Kent Enhanced Bus Partnership and with Government to explore sustainable and commercially viable options for providing bus transport to meet people’s needs, making the best use of Bus Service Improvement Plan funding.

The proposed decision also supports the following strategies and plans in which MaaS is a named initiative in:

·   Kent’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (Kent’s Bus Strategy)

·   Kent Environment Strategy (K&M ELES Action Plan),

·   H&T Divisional Operating Plan 23/24 and 24/25

·   Emerging Kent’s LTP5

How the proposed decision supports: Securing Kent’s Future:democracy.kent.gov.uk/documents/s121235/Securing Kents Future - Budget Recovery Strategy.pdf

The project does not place any additional financial burden on KCC as it is 100% externally funded.Although some funding support will be needed for cash flow until reimbursementsare made in arrears by National Highways as part of the KCC/National Highways LTC Designated Funds Programme.