Service 55 future

On 26th July Holloways Coaches are handing back their contract for weekday service 55 between Scunthorpe, Appleby, Winterton and Burton upon Stather to North Lincolnshire Council - it had been due to run until August 2015.

In a report to the responsible cabinet member, officers write that Holloways bid for the 55 back in 2011 was £39,000 cheaper than the next lower tender, and that continuing with the current timetable "would likely prove very expensive for a relatively small number of users". Apparently the service has "few users" outside of school times, and some of these could use service 60 instead between Scunthorpe and Burton Upon Stather.

Instead the recommended option is that the 55 becomes a school/college time service, with a council owned minibus providing three weekday daytime journeys under community bus rules with a D1 licenced driver. This is expected to cost £10,500 more than the current higher level of service, but crucially maintains current links and is better than the pre-2011 level of service.

Finally officers also make the following warning:

"5.2 The public transport budget is currently under pressure. We also face the uncertainty around changes planned for Bus Operator Service Grant in October.

5.3 In view of this and other commitments, it might be necessary to consider additional funding for public transport."

 

The full report including proposed draft timetable can be accessed from this page.