Fresh bid to redesign bus network
A FRESH attempt at designing an affordable bus service that satisfies the needs of the Shetland public is being made after two years of work has failed to deliver a solution.
This week councillors agreed in private that further work be carried out using external consultants from English passenger transport specialists TAS Partnership.
The decision means new five year bus contracts scheduled to begin next March may not be signed until as late as August next year.
Chairman of Shetland transport partnership ZetTrans, Allan Wishart, said it was more important to “get this right rather than rushed”.
It is 12 months since ZetTrans started consulting islanders about the kind of bus service they wanted.
However when the subsequently redesigned bus network was put out to tender earlier this year, the estimates came in around £1 million more than the council and ZetTrans could afford.
Now the public agencies want to speak to the 40 different bus operators in Shetland to ask them to help figure out how to provide a quality bus service at a cheaper price.
At the same time they will examine alternative models, including a council-run network similar to the inter island ferry service, and the introduction of community transport operators.
It is a tough climate to introduce change at a time when the bus budget is being cut from £4 million to £3 million, though there is an additional £500,000 contingency to spend if necessary.
At the same time Shetland bus operators are making the most of a short term commercial bonanza from the oil industry.
With thousands of construction workers needing transport from their digs to the Total and BP sites at Sullom Voe, there is a shortage of drivers to do the regular bus runs.
Wishart said he realised some people would be disappointed the council and ZetTrans were taking a longer look at the problem, but insisted it was the right decision.
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“We are very conscious of the detrimental impact rash decisions could have on the community and I am rather pleased that the council as a whole is taking a harder look at all these things, because we have to get it right,” he said.
Transport development manager Michal Craigie added: “The aim here is to make sure we have the best service for the public and for the operators to be able to provide certainty and the right number of services.
“It would be irresponsible if we were not confident every penny was working as hard as it can.”
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