Supported Public Transport Consultation

Wrexham County Borough Councils Transformation Programme is working towards making financial savings and looking towards positive changes to deliver services in the future.

We are now seeking views on how we should prioritise our spending on subsidised bus services and community transport. Demand for transport services is increasing, in a period of strong budgetary pressure. We need to ensure our money is properly targeted, so residents can access important services.

What’s In The Consultation?

Subsidised Local Bus Services – these are socially required services that would not normally be provided by bus operators as the fares collected would not cover the cost of running them. These are typically early morning, Sunday, evening and rural routes. Currently we subsidise 15% of the bus network in Wrexham. They cost the council over £500,000 each year.

School specials – these are  fare paying services to schools for non qualifying pupils where no alternative  is provided. We subsidise 16 of these routes.  They cost the council over £200,000 each year.

Community Transport –this is transport for residents who cannot access conventional public transport, perhaps due to a disability or remote geographical location. This costs the Council over £120,000 each year.

What’s Not In The Consultation

Commercial Bus Services – the Council does not influence or fund  most of the network, which are commercial routes. This means that the bus companies make a profit from fares charged.

What are we consulting on

We are suggesting prioritising our spend to where most need has been identified, and where we can get most value for money. We have ranked our existing services red, amber or green, depending on subsidy per passenger (ie how much the service costs divided by number of users)

Red services  = where the service costs the council more than £2 per passenger and could be withdrawn..
Amber services  = where the service costs the council  between. £1 and £1.99  for every journey. The services would not be withdrawn, but closely monitored.
Green services  = where the service costs the council under £1  for each passenger trip. These services are considered good value for money and would be retained.

Below is a list of the current routes that have been identified as RED. Please note it is not the whole route, but specific journeys as indicated.  

How can you submit your views

We want to  consult with users, residents and a wide variety  of community  groups. Look out for consultation events to be held at the Wrexham Central Library and the Bus Station.

We will also have our staff on the services below, which, under the current proposal, may be withdrawn.

Service  number Journey details
13/13A 0520 and 0620 journeys from Wrexham Town Centre to  Industrial Estate, and 1749 and 1849 from Industrial Estate to Town Centre.
146 1845, 2045, 2245 journeys from Wrexham Bus Station to Whitchurch ( via Marchwiel, Bangor on Dee, Hanmer, Bronington) and 1845, 1945,  2145 journeys back from Whitchurch to Wrexham.
44A 1930 and 2130 circular journeys, Wrexham Bus Station to Borras and back
Town Link 1630, 1700 and 1730 circular journeys, Wrexham Bus Station to Plas Coch Retail Park, Maelor Hospital and back.
146 Whole of Sunday service, Wrexham to Whitchurch and return, via Marchwiel, Bangor on Dee, Hanmer, Bronington. 0945, 1145, 1445, 1645 journeys Wrexham to Whitchurch, 1045, 1245, 1545 and 1745 journeys Whitchurch to Wrexham.
29 0641 Summerhill to Wrexham Bus Station via Gwersyllt and Pendine.
D23 1030, 1130, 1230, 1330. Off peak Monday to Saturday, circular journeys from Wrexham to Coed y Glen
7 0625 circular service from Wrexham to Caia Park and back.

This consultation is running from the 17th of October and will close on 14th of November 2011.

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