Memorandum submitted by Runnymede Borough
Council (ST 20)
The Borough Council, together with its partners
on the Runnymede Business Partnership (RBP) (which includes schools,
Police and the County Council), has been involved in a number
of projects over the past few years that offer safe, reliable
and realistic alternatives to the journey to school by car.
The early emphasis of the Runnymede (School)
Travel Initiative (RTI) was upon promoting "walking buses"
and cycling. The latter was based upon the provision of good quality
and secure cycle shelters. Following the success of these early
schemes, the RBP resolved to initially introduce four American
Style Yellow Buses. The project started in February 2002 for a
two year trial period and has recently been extended for a further
three years and eventually providing six buses. At present there
are five 60-seater buses currently carrying almost 400 students
from three secondary schools. The sixth bus to be introduced in
September 2004 will serve a fourth school. The RTI is achieving
significant modal shift with 20% now using the bus (15% previously)
and a high number cycling and walking (42%) at the targeted Secondary
Schools.
Funding for the service is derived from fares
(-1 per child per day), sponsorship and Section 106 monies. This
should support the service for the additional three years, but
to grow and extend the service additional sources of funding are
required. The School Transport Bill objectives provide a potential
opportunity for funding. However, there are some detailed issues
in the Bill Prospectus that give rise to some concern.
Of particular concern is the proposed mechanism
for establishing new transport initiatives designed to achieve
modal shift. For example, the RTI that has been promoted by the
RBP, would encounter some difficulties with the draft arrangements.
The RTI has involved close co-operation between local schools,
businesses and the Borough Council. The mechanism proposed in
the Bill would now require LEA effectively to sanction the individual
schemes. Whilst this recognises the involvement of the LEA, in
that they are key funding stakeholders, it does potentially limit
the opportunity for innovative schemes. If the LEA is minded not
to endorse a scheme the Council would wish to see in the Bill
the potential for the schools, acting in concert, to become in
this situation the de facto LEA for the purpose of specific schemes.
Funding could then be devolved to the Schools and their Governors
to allocate to bespoke transport projects seeking to achieve modal
shift. This approach would be particularly relevant if the RTI
were expanded throughout the Borough, with schools, potentially
acting in concert, on such matters or start and finish times to
make the maximum use of the Yellow Buses, etc.
I attach details of the Yellow Bus Scheme.
RUNNYMEDETRAVEL INITIATIVE YELLOW BUS PROJECT—ANNUAL
REPORT
The Yellow Bus service was successfully launched
on 25 February 2002 at Magna Carta School, Egham, and Fullbrook
School, Woodham. The objectives of the service were to reduce
the need to travel to school by car, to encourage children to
use public transport, and to improve accessibility for students
living in the outlying settlements poorly served by public transport.
The service was designed to operate along the
same lines as the yellow buses in America. The bus routes were
designed to operate around the needs of the students electing
to use the service. The target was to ensure that students were
picked up from within 300 metres of their home and delivered to
school. A similar service operated at the end of the day, with
a late bus provided to meet the needs of "after school"
activities.
At the outset two buses operated from each school,
with each bus providing 60 places. At the start of the project
each bus was to operate two am and two pm journeys to maximise
the take up of seat availability. When the service started in
February 2002, 110 students from Magna Carta and 90+ students
from Fullbrook used the buses. By September 2002 the number of
students regularly using the service was up to 130+ at each school.
In April 2003 the service was extended to Jubilee
High School, Addlestone, using one of the existing buses. This
has enabled another 30+ students to be accommodated on the yellow
bus service.
For the new school year (September 2003) the
service was oversubscribed. The options were explored and an additional
bus was introduced to meet most of the demand. This resulted in
the total numbers using the buses, at three schools, to about
400 students. There is still a small waiting list. The routeing
of the buses is being examined to achieve more capacity. From
February 2004 the number of buses will be expanded to six for
three years to 2007 and this may involve more schools in the project.
The feedback from schools, students and parents
has been very positive and has encouraged the Runnymede Business
Partnership to continue with the project.
Funding for the project is also secured from;
student fares, business sponsorship and development related funding.
It is now intended to extend the project to 2007. The Partnership
is seeking to draw in other funding to support and expand the
service.
April 2004
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