A number of contracts for bus services supported by the Council are due to expire in August/September 2010. In advance of inviting tenders for replacement services, the Council is inviting views of Councillors, operators, and other stakeholders affected by these services, before the contract specifications are finalised. These contracts include the 20A/C Bath Circular service.

The Council wants to make people aware of the following issues in considering your response to this consultation:

20A/C Service
The service provides a Monday to Saturday daytime service on an hourly basis with some peak services operating University – Ralph Allen School – Twerton. The current contract expires at the end of September 2010.

It is anticipated that Section 106 development funding may be available to support the introduction of low floor vehicles on this service, and to provide an increased frequency of service on that section of route between Twerton and Combe Down. A long term contract of up to 8 years may be let for this service.

In addition to this we will be looking at:
? Opportunities to extend the hours of operation of the service into the early evening.
? Retiming of some early morning journeys to improve reliability.
? The routing of the service via Hawthorn Grove.
? The routing of the service at St Martins Hospital

Please let us know your views on the 20A/C Bath Circular service including timetabling, routing, frequency, or any other issues. Comments and suggestions as to service alternatives would be welcomed. We need these by the 18th Feb, so that we can respond to the Council by Friday 25th Feb 2010.

The Council anticipates that formal invitations to tender will be sent out by the 19th March, with contract awarded notifications in June 2010.