Decision details

To seek the Cabinet Member’s approval to spend Additional Capacity Costs (ACC) in 2024-25 related to the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme known in Derbyshire as Gold Card.
 

That the Cabinet Member:

Approves £219,351 in 2024-25 in Additional Capacity Costs (ACC) related to the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme known in Derbyshire as Gold Card. 

The Council has a duty, under the Transport Act 2000 and the Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007, to operate a bus concessionary travel scheme for older people and those with certain disabilities in the County as part of the larger English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS). Making this additional payment will allow the scheme to operate in 2024/25 as normal.   

The ENCTS provides people over 66 and those with specific disabilities with free off-peak local bus travel. Many of these people depend on buses to access key services such as food shopping and health facilities. As such, it is important that the ENCTS continues to operate normally.

Option 1 – Do nothing and make no attempt to resolve the ACC made by Stagecoach. As the formal appeal has been lodged with the DfT, doing nothing is not an option as the DfT would have begun a formal process to hear the claim for ACC after 22 July 2024. The experience of other LTAS across the country is that the appeals process can become very complex to resolve and expensive if specialist representation is required. There is also a risk that the DfT accepts Stagecoach Yorkshire’s full ACC claim of £341,079. This option is therefore not recommended.

Option 2 – Pay the full £341,079 in ACC for 2024-25 claimed by Stagecoach Yorkshire. As the work undertaken has shown some of the services which Stagecoach claimed for ACC failed to meet the three tests used in the review process. As a result, the total amount of ACC payment can be reduced. This option is therefore not recommended.   

Option 3 – Following the review pay a reduced ACC figure of £219,351 to Stagecoach Yorkshire. While this is an additional cost for the Council, this can be contained within the existing local bus concessionary fares budget for 2024-25. Paying this amount will also resolve any potential risks and costs associated with the formal DfT appeals process. This option is recommended.