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STATEMENT MADE BY THE PRESIDENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE ON 18th NOVEMBER 2003
The Environment and Public Services Committee, as regulator, received a presentation from Connex Transport Jersey Limited on 7th November 2003, for proposed revisions to the Island's public bus network following its first year's operation and based on the outcome from its survey of both bus users and the general public carried out during August 2003.
In a statement I made to the Assembly earlier this year, I advised members that we would be moving away from the traditional winter and summer timetables and instead would be prepared to consider proposed changes to the network as they were identified at various times during the year. Any suggested changes would only be implemented following a period of consultation. Members will recall that some small changes were made in September 2003, and the advertisement that will appear in the Jersey Evening Post tonight outlines proposals for implementation in January 2004. They incorporate some of the findings resulting from the year one operation and the survey.
These proposals involve some significant changes to the old network, the overall purpose of which is to provide a better balance of service and use of resources directed to those areas containing the larger proportions of the population. In addition, these changes allow the Committee to implement the first phase of integrating as much of the school bus service into the public service as possible.
The proposals now are for a new core year-round network. The intention remains to provide some service enhancements during the summer. The addition of tourist-focused summer services are currently being planned and will be the subject of consultation with the Tourism industry as soon as it can be arranged, the aim being to introduce a variety of changes at appropriate times in the year.
Meanwhile, as part of the present public consultation process, the advertisement will give a broad view of where proposed service levels increase or reduce or in some cases would be curtailed. Connex will publish more detailed information in due course which will be made available at their weighbridge offices and at all Parish Hall s. The advertisement provides addresses to which written submissions are invited from the public and affected organisations representing certain customer groups. These submissions will need to arrive by 11th December 2003, at the latest.
Before the Environment and Public Services Committee authorises any changes it will take into account all written representations received during the consultation period. When approved, the resulting timetable will be introduced in the New Year at a date to be notified.
The Committee's report on the combined operations of the school bus service and the public bus service is now due to be published early in December 2003 following the next scheduled Committee meeting.