SSRTP Update December 2013 - South Staffordshire Partnership

South Staffordshire Rural
Transport Partnership
Update Report
December 2013
Seisdon Peninsula Locality
South East Staffordshire and Seisdon Peninsula CCG
South Staffordshire
Connect Update
Update Report - December 2013
What’s been happening this month?
During the week commencing 21st October 2013,
the Connect service has recorded the highest number of both passengers
using the service and the number of individual journeys the buses have made
during a single week (393 passengers and 308 journeys).
Since the week commencing the 3rd June 2013, the number of passengers
using the service has not dropped below 300 while the number of journeys
has not dropped below 230 (this figure does not include the numbers using
the service to access County Council day centre provision).
Seisdon Peninsula Locality
South East Staffordshire and Seisdon Peninsula CCG
Key data on the Connect Service
During recording periods 17 and 18 we have seen an additional 81 registrations to the Connect
service which now takes the total number of registered users up to 1,914.
There were 1,407 passengers who used the service during period 17 and 1,442 passengers used the
service during period 18. This takes the number of passengers who have used the service up to
18,389 since it began.
There were 1,095 journeys made during period 17 and 1,102 journeys during period 18 which was
the highest number of journeys completed over a 4 week period since the service began.
Wider Transport Partnership Update
Following on from the update in November, the review looking at the current transport links to
the hospitals which our residents access is still on-going. A survey has been circulated both on the
Council website and in local parishes to receive as many responses as possible.
The survey asked residents which hospital they used for appointments, what transport they used
and whether they have any difficulties in reaching hospital. The responses are being reviewed with
the initial findings due to be circulated in the New Year.
We will keep you updated on progress over the coming months.
Bus Service Changes – January 2014
Please see below a number of changes which will be taking place to bus services which operate
across the district from January 2014.
From 6th January 2014
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Service 10 / 10A / 10B (Arriva, Wolverhampton - Perton) - Revised route and
timetable. 10A will extend to Pattingham and 10B will extend to Codsall.
Service 68 (Arriva, Cannock - Wolverhampton) - Revised route and timetable
Service 74 / 75 (Arriva, Stafford - Cannock) - Revised route and timetable.
Cannock Hospital will no longer be served.
Service 125 (Whittle Bus, Stourbridge - Bridgnorth) - Revised route and
timetable.
Service 516 / 517 (Arriva, Wolverhampton - Pattingham) will be cancelled, to
be replaced by 10A.
Bus Service Changes – January 2014
From 7th January 2014
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Service 76 (Arriva, Stafford – Wolverhampton) – Revised route and timetable,
including an extension to serve Wolgarston School.
From 20th January 2014
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Service 535 (Banga Bus, Codsall – Wolverhampton) – Revised route and timetable
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Service 634 (Banga Bus, Codsall – Wolverhampton) will be cancelled.
Revised timetables should be available on Traveline (0871 2002233 www.traveline.info) two
weeks before the amendment date or email publictransport@staffordshire.gov.uk for paper
copies of timetables.
Challenges Faced/what are we doing about it?
The number of registered passengers on the South Staffordshire Connect Service is now almost
2000. The four buses that cover the area are regularly transporting over 300 passengers every week,
which is far greater than we originally anticipated.
The general feedback we receive is that the service is a lifeline to most of our passengers, who
would be unable to get out and about without it.
This is all fabulous news, however due to the number of bookings we are receiving every week it
does mean that occasionally we are unable to fulfil a booking request.
We have looked at the current journeys and the buses availability and have found that on Mondays
and Saturdays the buses are much quieter. This means that if you can be flexible on the day that you
travel there is a greater chance that we will be able to fulfil a booking on these days.
We have also found that where possible if a journey is booked 7 days in advance then we can
usually make a specific booking. The closer the booking is made to the day of travel, because of the
demand for the service, it may be more difficult to accommodate
Positive feedback and good new stories
Through extensive work around the bus schedules, we have been able to
allocate more time to dial-a-ride.
The amount of time the buses are available for the dial-a-ride scheme
has now increased to an average of 75% availability across the 4
buses. Two of the buses have been operating for dial-a-ride for 58 and
a half hours a week while the other two buses operate for 56 hours a
week.