Decision details

RESOLVED: That the Executive:

1) agreed to a further extension of the existing contracts between 1April 2023 and 31 August 2023 for the following services:

a) local bus services for Wokingham Town and the surrounding areas

(Norreys Estate, Mulberry Grove, Woosehill, Emmbrook, Wokingham

Without and Crowthorne, Winnersh, Hurst, Twyford, Charvil, Sonning and Woodley)

b) local bus services for the villages which lie south of the M4 (Shinfield,

Spencerswood, Swallowfield and Riseley)

c) Services on the A327 corridor,

d) the 19a/b/c services between Lower Earley, Maiden Erlegh, Woodley, the Royal Berkshire Hospital and Reading Town Centre

2) agreed to the retender of local bus services and agreed to make the increased budget available for the above services, as detailed in the exempt information in the report.

3) agreed to the release of any appropriate S106 funding to support any such

decision in recommendation 2.

4) noted that S106 funding will only be sufficient to fund the services for a three-year period. A growth bid will need to be submitted if services were to continue beyond September 2026.

5) agreed to delegate the authority to award contracts for the above bus service to the Director of Place & Growth in consultation with the Executive Member for Active Travel, Transport and Highways.

Reason for Decision

Existing local bus contracts came to their natural end on 30June 2022. The contract term was modified until 31March 2023 under procurement Regulation 72 (1)(c) and approved via an Individual Executive Member Decision. The contracts were retendered in Winter 2022 for the same level of service at the same cost. No successful bids were received.

The Executive is now asked to agree to the extension of the services for a further five months until the end of August 2023, and the retender of the services for a further three years. The Executive is also asked to agree to further budget and the release of S106 funding to allow the continuation of the services for a further 5 months until the end of August 2023, and the retender and delivery of the services for a further 3 years.