Agenda item

Breakout Room discussions may include questions such as:

• What are the barriers to active travel in Eildon?
• How do we encourage greater usage of public transport?

6.1       The Chair welcomed Mr Gordon Grant, Scottish Borders Council’s Principal Transport Officer to the meeting.  Mr Grant explained that the preceding years had seen significant changes to the bus network in the region, with some areas more negatively impacted than others.  Following the unprecedented disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, operations were now more stable.  The Council was undertaking a transport network review in order to assess how it could improve what it has in place.  The local bus network had operated on a series of fixed routes for approximately 30 years, with very little change.  The use of technology, in the form of Demand Responsive Transport, such as that seen in the pilot PINGO project in the Berwickshire locality, had the potential to greatly alter the way in which transport services were delivered across the region.  Work needed to take place to engage with key employers, such as NHS Borders, to try and ensure that bus services were fit for purpose, and enabled workers and service users to confidently rely on the bus network to meet their needs.  Usage of the bus network was estimated at 78% of pre-covid levels.  Mr Grant explained that a considerable part of the patronage of buses was made up of older people travelling on concessionary cards, and those individuals had not returned to using the service in the levels seen prior to the pandemic.  Operating costs had increased considerably due to the inflationary environment seen in the UK as a whole, with costs up approximately 33%.  Minor adjustments to the network, such as certain buses arriving or departing slightly later had the potential to make a big difference to user numbers and the wider networks’ effectiveness.   Mr Grant explained that, with reference to paragraph 3, where it had been suggested to use electronic travel boards to disseminate information to the public, it was possible to use those screens to put messages out.  Work was ongoing to assess the practicalities and effectiveness of that.  A marketing campaign was being developed which would encourage users to return to the bus network, and would focus on what changes were happening, and how families could travel at very cost effective prices. 

6.2       Mr Grant encouraged attendees to provide their honest feedback on the network, and invited questions.  Regarding how improvement and success would be measured, Mr Grant explained that the overall effectiveness of the network, and user numbers ultimately defined how successful the bus network was.  The number of young people using the service was seen as key, and whilst the numbers of people aged between 11 and 17 was generally good, following that there was a dramatic drop off. Attracting tourists and visitors to use the public transport network was also hugely important.  In response to a question regarding the lack of printed timetables at bus stops, and the need for passengers to use a smart phone application, the cost of printing and updating timetables regularly was highlighted as an issue.  Whilst using a smart phone to check the bus time was not suitable for everyone, it was nonetheless considered effective taking into account resource challenges.  Regarding cancellations and alterations to the X95 service, Mr Grant suggested that whilst the service could appear to very busy at certain times, a certain level of usage across the whole day was required to ensure viability.  In response to a question regarding the 51 Service reverting to the bus station in Edinburgh from Waterloo Place, Mr Grant undertook to discuss the issue with the operator, but suggested that the current arrangement could be in place to ensure that traffic congestion in Edinburgh did not impact upon the 51’s ability to connect with the 67. The importance of bus reliability was highlighted, as breakdowns had the potential to corrode user confidence.  Attendees suggested that SBC consider its potential to generate considerable energy from renewable sources, and to use that energy to power buses, with convenient charging points located throughout the region providing a hop on, hop off service.  Mr Grant thanked attendees for their suggestions and emphasised that partnership working would be key to ensuring that the region had a travel network that was modern, green, and fit for purpose.   

6.3       Attendees were placed into breakout room discussions to discuss what the barriers to active travel were in Eildon, and how greater usage of public transport could be encouraged.  Following those discussions, the Chair explained that the key theme which had arisen appeared to be the need to provide 21^st century solutions to 21^st century problems. Attendees were encouraged to continue to provide their ideas or solutions, as the link to the discussion record would remain open.  Mr Grant thanked attendees for their feedback.  Mr Harrow suggested that a special forum could be set up to allow the Area Partnership to continue to feed its ideas and opinions on transport back to SBC.  Regarding the work of the other Area Partnerships on specific issues, Mr Harrow explained that the Chair of the Eildon Area Partnership had been keen to provide the breakout room function, with a specific theme and a more focused agenda.  Feedback on the way the Eildon Area Partnership had operated would be shared.