Agenda item

To receive a presentation for Aaron Hodgkiss, Stagecoach Operations Manager - Aldershot. The presentation will cover:

• Current Stagecoach services in and around the Borough
• Performance delivery and any challenges
• Summary of recent changes
• Any potential impact of funding changes to services

Members will then have the opportunity to discuss with Mr. Hodgkiss, matters of service delivery and issues for residents.

The Committee welcomed Aaron Hodgkiss, Operations Manager, Aldershot and Sudib Gurung, Assistant Operations Manager, Aldershot, at Stagecoach, who were in attendance to addresses matters raised regarding Stagecoach services, performance delivery and challenges, recent changes and potential impacts from changes to service funding.

In addition, Members had been apprised of a current residents survey, undertaken by the Labour Group, on changes to bus services. The survey deadline was yet to be reached, however preliminary findings had been shared with the Committee prior to the meeting.

County Councillor Bill Withers was also present at the meeting, and had been invited to join the discussions. 

Members received the presentation from Mr Hodgkiss, which covered;

·         Operations – It was noted that the Aldershot depot had been fully staffed with 196 employees, of which, 153 were drivers, this was despite there being a national shortage of drivers. It was also advised that Stagecoach’s fleet of buses, which carried 480,000 passengers per month locally, was expected to be sustainably fuelled or fully electric by 2035.

·         Data on revenue and passenger numbers – it was advised that following the pandemic, concessionary travel had been slowest to recover. Fare paying travel had recovered well on most routes.

·         Current Challenges – Road works and traffic delays were key challenges for the bus services. Understanding post pandemic working pattern and hybrid working, to identify growth areas and effectively serve the community was also noted as a challenge for the operator.

·         Bus Station closure – the closure of the Aldershot Bus Station in early May, 2023, had presented some challenges, including temporary traffic orders in Aldershot Town Centre and roadside parking. However, some positives had emerged from the closure, including timetable improvements and improved reliability, the creation of opportunity for change and the provision of more centrally located stops for shoppers. The team continued to manage customer feedback and concerns and were aware of a number of issues relating to accessibility to the Railway Station.

·         Future Plans – It was noted that Stagecoach had met with and would continue to engage with the Leader of the Council on local issues and would also be meeting with Labour representatives to discuss the full findings of the survey once the deadline had passed. It was also noted that the Santa Bus would be returning in the run up to Christmas with the aim of raising funds for local charities.

The Committee raised a number of queries, as follows:

·         No. 9/10 Service (Voyager House) – it was noted that the current No. 9 only ran till 3pm, causing issues for those attending medical appointments in the afternoon at Voyager House, the No. 10 served the area later in the day but the walk to Voyager House was longer. It was noted that these services would be looked at to see if any changes could be made to improve access to the medical facility.

·         Railway Station – data was requested on the routes servicing Aldershot Railway Station. It was noted that the information came from Stagecoach’s Commercial Office and some work would need to be carried out  to understand the needs and patterns of passengers using the service. Consideration could then be given to improving accessibility to the Railway Station for all users, taking account of road networks, suitable stopping places, accessibility needs etc. County Cllr Withers, advised that he would raise the issues around accessibility links to the Railway Station by bus with Hampshire County Council.

·         Stagecoach App/Realtime Information – cancelled services did not show on the App or Realtime Information boards. It was advised that removal of cancelled services had been reliant on the Control Team. Removal could be delayed if a Controller was engaged in conversation regarding a breakdown or incident causing the delay and subsequent cancellation.

·         Engagement with Ward Members – Mr Hodgkiss encouraged communication and engagement with local ward Members to address issues, it was felt important to build relationships, understand bus  service issues and provide solutions for the community.

·         Aldershot Town Centre Stops – The Committee asked that consideration be given to the distance between stops in Aldershot town centre and encouraged better communications for users such as posters in local venues/publications (i.e. Libraries, The Grub Hub, Arena magazine) Realtime Information boards, ambassadors/volunteers etc. In addition, Mr Hodgkiss advised that the current use of Court Road, Aldershot, had been causing issue for both bus drivers and taxi drivers and consideration was being given to alternative options for this area.

ACTION:

The Chairman thanked Mr Hodgkiss and Mr Gurung for their presentation.