DRAFT BUS REGULATION (SCOTLAND) BILL CONSULTATION

SWESTRANS RESPONSE

Q1. Do you support the general aim of the proposed Bill? Please indicate
yes/no/undecided and explain the reasons for your response.

Undecided. SWestrans currently procures and subsidises some 85% of
network in Dumfries and Galloway and has good working relationships with the small
number of bus operators providing services
existing level of control over bus services and the
proposed, may increase this
service provision. With regard to the proposed use of local authority fleets to provide
services where there are gaps in provision, SWestrans works closely with Dumfries
and Galloway Council who use their existing bus fleet to provide a number of socially
necessary local bus services

SWestrans has taken steps in recent years, primarily
Review, implemented in April 2012, to rationalise local bus services. This has
resulted in the cost of overall provision being controlled, and the available budget
being directed to highest priority travel criteria. Commerc
concentrated primarily on routes within and out of Dumfries, as there is insufficient
population or demand in the more rural areas of Dumfries & Galloway.

The main issues in relation to the provision of local bus services in Dumfries &
Galloway relate to the funding available for these, and the willingness or otherwise of
operators to enter and / or remain in a low
populated rural area.

Q2. What would be the main practical advantages of the legislation
What would be the disadvantages?

Practical advantages may be the increase in control
of network design and the ability to seek redress for the cost of tendering.
power for the Traffic Commissioner

Disadvantages are likely to be
the profitability and sustainability of existing commercial
market regulation, such as London
high subsidy levels.


DRAFT BUS REGULATION (SCOTLAND) BILL CONSULTATION
Do you support the general aim of the proposed Bill? Please indicate
yes/no/undecided and explain the reasons for your response.
SWestrans currently procures and subsidises some 85% of
in Dumfries and Galloway and has good working relationships with the small
providing services in the region. SWestrans has a
level of control over bus services and the introduction of regulation, as
increase this level control but not necessarily see improvements in
service provision. With regard to the proposed use of local authority fleets to provide
here there are gaps in provision, SWestrans works closely with Dumfries
and Galloway Council who use their existing bus fleet to provide a number of socially
services in the region.
SWestrans has taken steps in recent years, primarily through the Route and Branch
Review, implemented in April 2012, to rationalise local bus services. This has
resulted in the cost of overall provision being controlled, and the available budget
being directed to highest priority travel criteria. Commercial provisio
concentrated primarily on routes within and out of Dumfries, as there is insufficient
population or demand in the more rural areas of Dumfries & Galloway.
The main issues in relation to the provision of local bus services in Dumfries &
lloway relate to the funding available for these, and the willingness or otherwise of
operators to enter and / or remain in a low-volume market covering a sparsely
What would be the main practical advantages of the legislation
What would be the disadvantages?
be the increase in control, flexibility and inter
and the ability to seek redress for the cost of tendering.
Traffic Commissioner may also be an advantage.
likely to be the unknown consequences of imposing regulation
profitability and sustainability of existing commercial routes. In areas with
such as London, enhanced service provision is associated with

Do you support the general aim of the proposed Bill? Please indicate
yes/no/undecided and explain the reasons for your response.
SWestrans currently procures and subsidises some 85% of the local bus
in Dumfries and Galloway and has good working relationships with the small
SWestrans has an
egulation, as
see improvements in
service provision. With regard to the proposed use of local authority fleets to provide
here there are gaps in provision, SWestrans works closely with Dumfries
and Galloway Council who use their existing bus fleet to provide a number of socially
through the Route and Branch
Review, implemented in April 2012, to rationalise local bus services. This has
resulted in the cost of overall provision being controlled, and the available budget
ial provision is
concentrated primarily on routes within and out of Dumfries, as there is insufficient
population or demand in the more rural areas of Dumfries & Galloway.
The main issues in relation to the provision of local bus services in Dumfries &
lloway relate to the funding available for these, and the willingness or otherwise of
volume market covering a sparsely
What would be the main practical advantages of the legislation proposed?
, flexibility and inter-connectivity
and the ability to seek redress for the cost of tendering. Increased
of imposing regulation on
In areas with existing
is associated with

Q3. In what ways do you envisage reregulation being used to improve bus
services?

As indicated above, SWestrans already exerts a reasonable level of control over
local bus provision and quality, and additional powers to bundle routes may not
provide improvement or sustainability to network design or provision.


Q4. How can community transport be better utilised to serve local
communities and particularly low passenger volume routes?

SWestrans currently seeks, in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Council, to
actively encourage the use of Community Transport to deliver such services.

Q5. Do you agree that the Traffic Commissioner should be able to impose
greater financial penalties on operators who a) fail to meet the terms of the
franchise or b) walk away from the franchise altogether?

Yes, this would appear to be reasonable.

Q6. What is your assessment of the likely financial implications of the
proposed Bill to you or your organisation? What other significant financial
implications are likely to arise?

A large investment has been made by the commercial sector in providing a modern
fleet and regulating the market may lead to these costs becoming the responsibility
of the public sector in the future. There is also the risk that greater control and
longer franchise agreements could impair the flexibility of commissioning bodies to
react to market and industry pressures in terms of both revenue and capital costs.

Q7. Is the proposed Bill likely to have any substantial positive or negative
implications for equality? If it is likely to have a substantial negative
implication, how might this be minimised or avoided?

From the information provided, the Bill would appear to have a neutral impact on
equality.

Q8. Do you have any other comment or suggestion that is relevant to the need
for or detail of this Bill?

There is an existing issue in attracting new operators to the market to provide
additional and sustainable competition. At present, this lack of new blood is being
exacerbated as established small to medium operators leave the industry or cease
trading.