Update on Moorlands Connect
Message body
Hello
please see the message below relating to the Moorlands Connect
I am so pleased we have kept this service it is one bus but will avoid complete isolation
When we wrote before you suggested community involvement so I hope you do not mind me saying that if there were any volunteers to drive a community mini bus it would help . with this in mind I have been talking to volunteers at Waterhouses ,they have a mini bus which has spare capacity ,it is in the garage two \three afternoons they would willingly loan it to other in return for the fare moniies it generated ,they do not accept bus passes but have a small charge and would expect anyone else to do similar
The county council would help with the setting up as would the convenor at waterhouses . Insurance ,fuel ,maintenance of vehicle
Would be covered
And they would sort CRB etc just need drivers
Regards
Gill
Gill Heath
Cabinet Member for Communities and the Enviroment
Cabinet Office
2 Staffordshire Place, Tipping Street, Stafford,St16 2DH
Tel: 01785 854661
Mob: 07932165472
From: Wright, Paula (CS&Comms)
Sent: 27 March 2018 13:22
To: Heath, Gill (County Cllr)
Subject: FW: Press Release – Moorlands Connect
Here you go
Paula Wright
Media Campaigns Manager
Staffordshire County Council
Office: 01785 895637
From: Wright, Paula (CS&Comms)
Sent: 26 March 2018 14:23
Subject: Press Release – Moorlands Connect
Communications Office, 4th Floor, Staffordshire Place, Stafford, ST16 2LP Tel: 01785 895050 |
Council And Operator On Board With Moorlands Connect Deal
Communities in the Staffordshire Moorlands are to continue to enjoy the benefits of a Moorlands Connect bus service – after new arrangements were agreed between Staffordshire County Council and the bus operator.
The service was due to end on April1 following a review of journeys the county council could continue to subsidise, but now thanks to some third party funding, reducing from a two bus to one bus operation and reshaping of times and fares, a service will continue to be provided by Ashbourne Community Transport.
Mark Deaville Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Commercial, said: “While it was impossible for taxpayers to continue to subsidise bus journeys to the tune of £10 per head in some cases, we know that Moorlands Connect is valued by the local communities and we are pleased that third party funding has been secured for 2018/19.
“After working with Ashbourne Community Transport and exploring other options, I am pleased to say that there will still be a Moorlands Connect bus on our roads to link the villages of Staffordshire Moorlands.
“While there will need to be changes to the timings of the service and to fares to keep it on the road, this is clearly good news for residents and I would like to thank Ashbourne Community Transport for its help in making this work.”
Gill Heath, Staffordshire County Councillor for Leek Rural, said: “It is great news for people in my ward that we will still have one bus on the road and I do hope people will continue to use and support this service.”
Details of the revised services from 1 April 2018 are available directly from Ashbourne Community Transport on the Moorlands Connect on its website at www.ashbournect.org.uk
The county council is currently working with operators and partners to see if any further changes to the network across the county are feasible with the £1.3m subsidy pot.
Information from High peak Bus Service re 442 service
Response from Councillor Gill Heath
Moorlands Connect Service
1st December 2017
Dear Clerk to the Parish Council,
The Staffordshire County Council review of bus services is now complete and the Council plans to implement Option1 set out in their consultation as 47% of responses favoured this Option.
You should know that 53% of those responding therefore voted for Options 2-4 – all of which contain Moorlands Connect
Option 1 does NOT include Moorlands Connect and therefore it is likely that the service will cease on 31 March 2018.
This decision has not yet been confirmed as the opposition group on the County Council has ‘called in‘ the decision for further scrutiny. This will be completed on 5 December but it is thought that the original decision (Option 1) will stand.
You have told us how important this service is to you, so Ashbourne Community Transport (ACT) has been in discussion with the Council to explore ways in which the service can be retained. We have put forward a number of options, but we do not know if any of these will be considered favourably.
Unlike other bus companies, ACT is a charity set up to provide transport for those who do not have access to mainstream public transport services and all our funds are used to provide services to those communities who need them.
If you want to retain the service please contact your local County Councillor, Gill Heath and your District and Parish Councillors again to express your view. You could also contact the Public Transport team at Staffordshire County Council, 1 Staffordshire Place, Stafford, ST16 2LP.
We understand that six local MPs have written to the Council expressing concern about the loss of rural bus services and asking the Council to reconsider. Your view could help strengthen their case.
Ashbourne Community Transport / Connect Services
Kind regards,
Iris Raile
Operations Business Coordinator
ACT / Connect Services
01335 342951
Dear Colleague,
An eight week public consultation on how best to spend Staffordshire County Council’s £1.3m annual bus subsidy has resulted in the option which safeguards most journeys.
The County Council’s Cabinet has today also agreed to work with bus operators, district and borough councils, parish councils and local community groups to explore options for supporting some of the journeys which will no longer be funded by the authority from April 2018.
While the vast majority of bus journeys in Staffordshire are currently made without any subsidy from the County Council, some journeys are still costing taxpayers more than £10 every time someone gets on board. As the County Council needs to spend a record £300m on care this year alone, we need to make sure that every penny of taxpayers’ money is working its hardest. The option chosen means that most trips can still be made at the lowest average cost to taxpayers.
More than 96 per cent of all bus journeys currently made in Staffordshire will still be able to be made. In cases where journeys will no longer be subsidised, such as the Dial-A-Ride, we want to work with local bus operators, local councils and communities to see which are the most important to them and look at helping them explore other options for funding.
Further details of the approved proposal can be found at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/busreview. This details only journeys which will continue to be subsidised by the county council.
Any changes to bus timetables will be implemented by bus operators from April 2018. The County Council is not able to confirm changes to specific routes which will no longer be subsidised at this stage. Details of any changes will be finalised and published by bus operators once known.
Yours sincerely,
Mark Deaville
Cabinet Member for Commercial
|
Carol May|Executive Support Officer Strategy, Governance & Change Supporting: Mark Winnington, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth Mark Deaville, Cabinet Member for Commercial Helen Fisher, Cabinet Support Member for Highways and Transport Cabinet Office, 2 Staffordshire Place Tipping Street, Stafford, ST16 2DH ‘: (01785) 854661 *:carol.may@staffordshire.gov.uk |
Staffordshire County Council
A Connected Staffordshire where everyone can prosper and be healthy and happy
We reminding people that there is still time to have their say on how the budget for subsidising bus journeys in Staffordshire can be best spent.
Although the county council does not operate bus services, it subsidises just under ten per cent of bus journeys in Staffordshire, largely because not enough people use them or not enough income is generated to make them profitable.
Next year, £1.3m will be spent on these journeys and we are asking people, whether they use the bus or not, for their views on the four options possible with the budget.
The consultation closes on September 17 and we are encouraging people to go online at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/busreview to have their say. Printed copies have also been available in libraries.
If you could help spread the word that would be very helpful.
I have attached a copy of a poster about the consultation in case you would like to share this.
Many thanks
Paula Wright
Media Campaigns Manager
Staffordshire County Council
Office: 01785 895637
Staffordshire County Council
A Connected Staffordshire where everyone can prosper and be healthy and happy
14th July 2017
Dear Parish Clerk,
As I am sure that you will be aware, Staffordshire County Council is launching a public consultation about potential cuts
to bus services across the County. A number of the options they are considering will have a significant impact on public
transport in rural areas as they target the demand responsive bus services such as Moorlands Connect which operates as a
door-to-door service in your area.
While recognising that the Council has financial constraints, as the current operators of Moorlands Connect, we are very
concerned about the serious impact its loss would create for both residents and business. Moorlands Connect provides
school transport and we carry both visitors (customers) and workers to rural businesses. Many residents use the bus for
work; to access shops and services in the neighbouring towns, including for essential healthcare; to maintain contact with
friends and family; and most importantly for older residents to help them maintain independent living in their own homes.
Moorlands Connect is therefore more than a bus service. It has become a lifeline for many people in rural areas who have
no other form of transport. While there is a focus in the press on the per head cost as opposed to those of standard bus
services, this does not take account of the additional social value provided in reducing costs to other public services such
as the NHS, Public Health, Adult Social Care and Education.
It is important that the Council receives as much feedback about the range of transport and services that Moorlands
Connect provides. Therefore, since you are at the heart of the community, would you please ensure that you members
are aware of the consultation and encourage residents to complete a feedback form once they have been issued – this can
be done both online and in written format.
Ashbourne Community Transport is an independent charity and as a contractor to the County Council ensures that all
monies earned are used to provide and enhance the service. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to
contact us or, alternatively, a member of our team would be happy to meet with your members to discuss the service if
that would be helpful.
Yours sincerely,
Iris Raile
Operatons Business Coordinator
ACT / Connect Services
01335 342951