Cabinet agrees additional funding for replacement UBUS service

From 1 September, Stratford-on-Avon District Council and Warwickshire County Council's joint UBUS service will be replaced by a new Demand Responsive Transport Service (DRT) solely from Warwickshire County Council (WCC).

As part of this, Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Cabinet yesterday, Monday 22 July, agreed to release further funding of £70k from its Council Plan and Change Programme to ensure the service remains accessible to as many residents across the District as possible.

This funding will be sufficient for WCC to procure an additional vehicle to cover Stratford-upon-Avon town and the Tiddington area and provide a late afternoon and evening service between 4.30pm and 7pm across the whole District, which had originally been proposed to be withdrawn.

Cllr Liz Coles, Housing and Customer Services Portfolio said: "We know how valued our UBUS service has been and we have listened to the consultation with our residents. So we are delighted that, thanks to the hard work of all those involved and with the unlocking of this additional funding, we can deliver a service which provides an overall enhanced public transport offer with a near like-for-like DRT service to replace UBUS."

The new proposals include:

• A Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) offer between 10am and 2.30pm and 4.30pm and 7pm across the whole District, subject to demand.
• A significant increase in Stratford-upon-Avon scheduled bus routes capacity, including enhancements to the existing no.19 route, and introducing a new no.6 route between Old Town and Tiddington.
• A new booking centre, retaining existing telephone bookings and providing a web-booking provision and new booking app.
• Introducing more environmentally friendly vehicles.
• Maintaining minimum of one wheelchair user space per vehicle and potentially expanding this to two (subject to vehicle configuration) and more modern and appropriate vehicles.
• Maintaining current charges (where applicable) of £4 per single and £6 per return journey will be kept for the first 12 months but may change subject to any charging review.
• Retaining eligibility for free travel on the presentation for those with a concessionary bus pass.

Cllr Jan Matecki, Warwickshire County Council's portfolio holder for transport and planning said:  "We're delighted to see this service extended and offer a transport solution that will keep the rural communities of Stratford-on-Avon connected to town centre, shops and other essential services throughout the day and the early evening."

• This additional £70K funding is an increase from the original £50K funding agreed as part of this service, making a total of £120K.
• The District Council's UBUS service original budget was for £130K a year and had been operating for over 10 years in the District.
• UBUS was a community transport service that operates on a dial-a-ride basis.
• The service was for residents of Stratford-on-Avon District, who cannot access public transport because of mobility issues or live in an area with limited or no public transport.