To enable the Committee to consider and determine the final report of the Task and Finish Working Group into the enquiry undertaken into Mainstream and Community Transport.

The Committee was reminded that a decision was published on 14 August 2023 to agree that the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee would set up a Task and Finish Group to enable enquiries into the range of elements concerning mainstream and community transport provision. This proposal had been approved by Full Council.

The Task and Finish Group wanted to look into:

·         Details of mainstream public transport across the District including bus routes and frequency.

·         Issues being experienced with mainstream public transport as outlined to Councillors.

·         Details of Essex County Council’s subsidised bus services in the District and the associated funding.

·         Details of community transport provision across the District and the funding for them from Councils in Essex.

·         Publicly available data on car ownership in the District and use of public transport.

Partner engagement included:

·         Representatives of the local Bus Operators and of community transport providers. 

·         Representative from Essex County Council in relation to subsidised bus services where there are no commercial services.

·         Representatives of transport users.

·         Corporate Director of Place and Economy.

The inquiry started on the 5 September 2023 and ran to March 2024.

The Task and Finish Group agreed to focus on the provision, the extent to which it supported inter-modal exchanges, provided a meaningful alternative to private car usage for work, leisure and medical journeys.

The inquiry supported the then corporate plan themes of:

·         A Growing and Inclusive Economy - Support existing businesses/More and better jobs;

·         Building Sustainable Communities for the Future;

·         Community Leadership Through Partnerships; and

·         Joined up public services for the benefit of our residents and businesses.

External Participants

Wendy Jackson – Local Bus Network Community Engagement Lead (ECC),

Pauline Mann – Tendring Community Transport

Debbie Hill - Harwich Connexions Transport Cooperative Ltd

Pam Playle - Walton Community Hospital Car Service

Wendy Jackson, Senior Transport Liaison Officer, Essex County Council

Angie Tillet, ESNEFT

Pauline Mann – Tendring Community Transport,

Debbie Hill - Harwich Connexions Transport Cooperative Ltd

Pam Playle - Walton Community Hospital Car Service

Internal Officers

Keith Durran, Committee Services Manager , Tendring District Council

Gary Guiver, Director of Planning, Tendring District Council

Lee Heley, Corporate Director, Place and Economy

The Committee heard that the Leader of the Council, the Corporate Director (Place and Economy) and the Economic Service Manager met Hedingham buses in relation to levelling up in Clacton, rather than as a formal part of the scrutiny process; high level messages to Hedingham from that meeting were included in this report with the agreement of the company. 

The report outlined that the purpose of the review was to consider the network of public transport provision (commercial and subsidised) and invite providers / commissioners to review those with the Council based on evidence identified. To look at community transport provision and where best practice could be shared to extend the network. 

The inquiry found that there was a public transport system across the district that provided a wide range of services as an alternative to the car for the 20 percent of Tendring households without one, although it faced challenges of scale, frequency, and in some cases reliability. The system was mainly designed for travel to and from the coast to Colchester, rather than between towns in the district, with travel to and from Clacton to Harwich slow by public transport.

Transport providers and funders were seeking to offer the best services possible within the commercial and financial constraints they face. While the bus network in Tendring was shrinking and issues of frequency and reliability were raised, providers from Clacton were making efforts to improve the service and seek increased public investment.

The rail services provided a good service from Manningtree on the mainline, and from other stations there were branch line services. There was a new train fleet which had increased reliability to 94% across the network, and 96% on the Clacton line.  The frequency of the off-peak services from Clacton to London was currently just hourly. Rail can be an expensive form of transport for some residents.

Community transport provided a responsive service to people in need from Harwich, Clacton and Walton. The service faced challenges of being oversubscribed, and relying on short term funding and volunteer effort.

The more public services that were based in coastal towns, the less residents have the need to travel for essential services to Colchester such as health and education. The lack of subsidy to post-16 transport puts a strain on budgets for young people looking to carry on in education at Colchester Institute based in the town. And the hospital in Colchester required residents to travel there. The Clacton diagnostic hub was an excellent example of bringing services to people in Clacton, reducing the need to travel.

After an in-depth debated it was moved by Councillor Steady, seconded by Councillor Doyle and agreed to RECOMMEND that Cabinet:-

a)    Hold a summit with local transport providers including Hedingham and Chambers and Greater Anglia, to seek to improve the frequency, reliability and quality of local public transport services;

b)    Support advocacy for an improved rail service from Clacton, moving to a half hourly service;

c)    Take advantage of levelling up funding where available to support improved public transport;

d)    Engage with ECC and providers on the potential for Demand Responsive Transport to supplement the current public transport offer;

e)    Advocate where possible for services to be brought to coastal areas so that there is less need to travel for education and health care;

f)     Ask Hedingham to review the provision of a bus stop to support the new Marks and Spencer’s store at Brook Park West, the Crematorium and the potential for park and ride to Clacton at peak tourist season building on the experience of the Airshow;

g)    Prioritise gaining developer contributions for new bus routes in the delivery of the revised Local Plan; and that

h)    Councils should take these recommendations into account when developing the Tendring Future Transport Strategy (ECC) and the Local Plan (TDC).