Birthday bus scheme benefitting richest people more than poorest

A WECA scheme offers people a free bus pass in their birthday month

A controversial birthday bus scheme is benefitting the richest people in the region significantly more than the poorest, councillors have been told.

The West of England Combined Authority (Weca) and North Somerset Council were given £106m by the government for a bus service improvement plan (BSIP).

But their flagship birthday bus and Westlink schemes are not working as intended, a scrutiny meeting was told.

WECA's Metro Mayor said where the money was spent was restricted by government.

A report by the BSIP task and finish group was presented to Weca's overview and scrutiny committee on Monday.

'Poorly planned'

The paper warned the birthday bus scheme, which offers people a free bus pass in their birthday month, is benefitting the richest 10% of the region more than the poorest 10%.

It suggested a targeted fares scheme based on age, employment or socio-economic status may work better.

Bristol City councillor Ed Plowden, who authored the paper, questioned whether increasing passenger numbers could really be attributed to the scheme.

He also warned WESTlink, which allows residents to book minibuses which follow flexible routes via an app, "appears to have been poorly planned and procured".

The service was introduced in April 2023 with the intent of serving those in remote locations, but the size of the zones people can travel within has led some people to take much longer journeys.

'Messed up'

Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: "I think we have messed up […] on some of the zones. I think the zones have been the wrong shape and size."

Mr Norris added WESTlink services were not always going to hospitals and train stations and that needed to change.

He admitted the service had potential but was "quite a way off where it needs to be".

A review of the WESTlink service is currently underway and the report said the birthday bus scheme also needed to be kept under review.

Dan Norris admitted some of the WESTlink bus routes had been "messed up"

"All of this is against a backdrop of bus cuts, which are causing considerable effects to local communities," the task and finish group said.

Mr Norris told the scrutiny panel: "We are trying to deal with all those challenges, but it is quite difficult because the rules the government give us are quite strict.

He added he "would be doing different things" if he had the freedom to.

Mr Norris said the government money was only to be used for "new and innovative" bus schemes, and said WECA would "keep innovating" as that is what the government has asked for.