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| Fife Bus scheme costs under scrutiny http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8113 |
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| Author: | JD [ Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:59 am ] |
| Post subject: | Fife Bus scheme costs under scrutiny |
Fife Free Press February 29, 2008 Bus scheme costs under scrutiny A FREE bus scheme for those who have difficulty using public transport is costing six times more than the taxi-card vouchers it could replace. Dial-A-Ride, where trained staff provide a door-to-door advance booking service, is averaging out at an incredible £13 per single trip. And, as Fife Council pushes for a regional rollout of the transport buses, the scheme is now under criticism. Fife's Labour leader Cllr Alex Rowley said: "Dial-a-Ride might have been well intentioned but, in cost terms, it is out of control. "There has to be more effective and efficient ways of delivering for those who cannot access public transport. "We want to see a major review of passenger transport." From 2006/07 Dial-a-Ride made almost 54,000 journeys in four Fife areas costing £720,000 - an average of £13.31 per trip. But Fife Council's head of transportation, Dr Bob McLelland, said overall costs were not an accurate reflection of actual service delivery costs. He said: "The total of £720,000 includes the costs of arranging new minibuses and training additional drivers so that the service, which has been greatly valued in the Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth areas, can be expanded into other parts of Fife. "If you compare this to the previous year you're not looking at like-for-like figures. "An independent review of the service that we have commissioned is already under way." That should go before councillors in April and then Dial-a-Ride will be rolled out across the region. Over the last 15 years the taxi-voucher scheme has proved popular with the public - over 10,000 taxi books are sent out to Fifers each year. However, for the last 11 years the voucher's discount value has sat at a mere £2. Fife Council announced last year it would half the allocation of taxi-card vouchers, then scrap them altogether. Councillors forced a review but next month's allocation will still be halved from 80 vouchers to 40. A survey has also shown that users, while pro-taxi on the basis of flexibility, would like the option to use both forms of transport. But the council's decision has also been questioned on the taxi ranks. Operator Pete Meldrum blasted: "In January my firm made 900 taxi voucher trips and I'm only one company in Levenmouth. How can one bus possibly fill that gap? "The council wants to be seen to be doing the right thing, but at what cost to the taxpayer? "Local charity Mobus provides a door-to-door bus service for disabled people already. Why didn't the council think of subsidising an existing service and upping the value of people's taxi vouchers instead of cutting the volume in half?" __________________________ |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:56 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Fife Bus scheme costs under scrutiny |
JD wrote: "There has to be more effective and efficient ways of delivering for those who cannot access public transport.
Yes there is, and the council licenses them as taxis and private hire vehicles. |
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