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2.11 Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier of the Minister for Transport and Technical Services regarding the publication of an annual report on bus usage: Would the Minister advise Members whether an annual report on bus usage similar to the one published in March in recent years will be published this year, and if so, when?
Deputy G.W.J. de Faye (The Minister for Transport and Technical Services): Although a specific annual report on bus usage has not been published this year, I do believe that the current bus usage figures have been and are in the public domain for anybody interested in obtaining them. In fact, Connex issued their own activity report
for Year 3 in January this year, which included fully detailed information, much of this often accessed through the media. I am sure many Members are well aware that Connex recently carried their 10 millionth passenger, which was widely publicised. It is my current intention to issue a report in the first quarter of 2007, which will provide information on the full 4 years of operations so far, together with usage figures for the school bus service and the summer leisure service. However, in respect of the remainder of 2006, because I do not intend to divert resources from the Integrated Travel Transport Strategy, the short answer to the Deputy is no.
2.11.1 Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier:
Would the Minister not accept that the report was far more than a set of statistics, and it would seem very strange to give the responsibility for that set to the operator, whose purpose in life obviously must be to project a very positive picture of their role?
Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:
I think it is important for both the Deputy and the House to understand that there has been a quite serious and dramatic change in the relationship between the Transport and Technical Services Department, formerly public services, and the bus operator. Significantly, that change is that the relationship is conducted on an open book basis. Members may recall that at the time the original Connex contract was constructed there was basically no serious information about how the local bus schedules and frequencies worked, other than buying a copy of the former Jersey Motor Transport bus timetable. All the other operations were basically of a confidential business nature and useful information known to the operator itself. That has now dramatically changed, and we have a very good working relationship with Connex on an open basis, and the Deputy is very welcome to contact my department any time - which he does - in order to access any information that is not considered commercially sensitive.