Agency by William Gibson 
Cheshire East’s proposals for bus services show the council wants to improve public transport “not just for existing users but make it a valid alternative to car use”, a councillor said.
Sandbach councillor Laura Crane was speaking as her colleagues discussed a recent bus service review and consultation.
She told the September meeting of the Highways and Transport Committee: “It’s not just any more a service for those who have to use the bus – what we’re trying to encourage is people to use the bus and see it as a valid alternative to car use,” (ITALICS writes local democracy reporter Belinda Ryan).
The local bus network is made up of 37 services. Cheshire East fully financially supports 21 of these and partially supports eight, such as evening journeys. Only eight services operate on a fully commercial basis.
The council spends £2.8m a year supporting services that are not commercially viable but are deemed important and socially necessary.
The recent bus review, carried out by the council, was praised by committee members but concerns were raised about the sudden withdrawal of the Nantwich rural services at the beginning of this month by operator D&G.
Audlem councillor Rachel Bailey said this had left the village without a commercial service until April, when the new contracts across the whole borough begin.
When the new services are in place, in six months, the Nantwich rural services will be re-configured and improved to provide a direct local bus service linking Nantwich to Leighton Hospital.
At present though the on-demand flexible Go-Too service is acting as a stop gap and Coun Bailey said there had been complaints that it “all too often cancels at the 11th hour”.
Speaking as a visiting member, Coun Bailey told the committee: “I am grateful that there is a retention of service proposed, but that service or re-procurement isn’t due to be in place until 1st April.
“If I read the report, the underlying theme is that nobody uses it in Audlem, nobody needs it in Audlem.
“Actually, by 1st April they will have either given up hope on this council supporting them in any way or they will have lost employment or education, or become isolated.”
She asked the council to “expedite with procurement” of the Audlem services.
Willaston councillor Allen Gage said he was quite optimistic about the future of the buses in the borough but asked to see the cancellation data of the Go-Too service.
Poynton councillor Mike Sewart was enthusiastic about the improvements planned for the Stockport, Poynton and Macclesfield service.
He said access to hospitals was vital and for Poynton that meant access to Stepping Hill Hospital.
Macclesfield councillor Mary Brooks praised the report, saying: “There is a recruitment issue in the NHS, and better buses will actually help the NHS, and help the economy and those people who are on low wages to access work.
“I think this is really positive, and hope that we will be able to get more improvements in the future.”
The several recommendations, which included changes to a number of services and to delegate authority to the highways director to procure the council’s supported bus services, including flexible transport, were approved unanimously.
