Purpose

Proposed
decision
 
 
(i)   
APPROVE the procurement and subsequent contract
award for Bus Stop Maintenance and Civils
 
(ii) 
To DELEGATE authority to
the Corporate Director of Growth Environment & Transport,
to take relevant actions to facilitate the required procurement
activity.
 
(iii)To DELEGATE
authority to the Corporate Director of Growth Environment &
Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways and
Transport, to take relevant actions, including but not limited to,
awarding, finalising the terms of and entering into the relevant
contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary, to implement the
decision
 
(iv) To DELEGATE authority to the
Corporate Director of Growth Environment and Transport, in
consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, to
award extensions of the contract in accordance with the relevant
clauses within the contract.
 
 

·    
Reason for the decision

 
Kent
County Council (KCC’s) existing Bus Stop Infrastructure &
Information Management contract is due to expire in April 2026. As
this contract covers a statutory duty of the authority, KCC needs
to procure and award a new contract to deliver this
activity.
 
The
new contract will also potentially be utilised to support the
delivery of bus stop related initiatives in KCC’s Bus Service
Improvement Plan (BSIP) should BSIP funding
be
forthcoming beyond the 2025 – 2026 financial year. A key
decision is required as the usage of external funding will mean
potential expenditure of over £1m. However, the value of the
contract without external funding is anticipated to be under
£1m.
 
 
 

·    
Background
 
As the Highway Authority, Kent County Council (KCC)
has a duty to maintain the public highway and to ensure where
reasonably practical that safe passage is available. The provision
and maintenance of bus stop infrastructure is a key part of this
duty, supporting access to Kent’s local bus
network.  Kent has for many years issued
a contract known as Bus Stop Infrastructure and Information
Management (BSIIM) which facilitates the maintenance of its
existing bus stop assets to a suitable standard. This existing
contract covers maintenance work such as the replacement of
timetable cases, flags and clearway plates and also facilitates the
posting of bus timetable information and the placement of temporary
bus stop when this activity falls outside of the responsibility of
commercial operators (e.g. for KCC contracted services).
 
KCC also considers requests for and installs where
and when appropriate new bus stops and undertakes civils repairs
and groundworks. This activity includes works such as the provision
of bus stop poles, bus boarder kerbs and hardstanding areas (as per
the Equalities Act 2010), dropped kerbs and crossing points, and
bus stop clearway markings. This is currently managed and procured
on an individual site basis.
 
Due to an upcoming contract end date for BSIIM (March
2026), an opportunity has been identified to combine the above two
activities, delivering contract management and delivery
efficiencies and best value for the Council for these services, in
line with the Council’s policy of Securing Kent’s
Future. The intention is to deliver a combined contract
providing Lot A - BSIIM and Lot B - Bus Stop Civils to commence
from 1st April 2026.
 
The contract would also provide an improved model for
the delivery of any bus stop infrastructure initiatives related to
Kent’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) should further
funding become available to The Council for this purpose beyond the
2025/2026 financial year.
 

         

Options (other options considered but
discarded)
 
Option 1: To have
standalone contracts for BSIIM and bus stop civils:
Discarded – Whilst this would allow The Council to fulfil
its duties, it is viewed that this model would not deliver best
value or the optimum means of delivering bus stop infrastructure
and contract management.
 
 
Option 2:
Procure only a BSIIM or Civils Contract
Discarded – This would not take advantage of the
opportunity to bring delivery and contract management efficiencies
and to deliver best value for The Council.
 
 
Conclusion:
 
The above options have
been discarded, and therefore we will be proceeding to tender for a
joint contract including both BSIIM and Civils elements.
 
 
How the
proposed decision supports Framing Kent’s Future
2022-2026: (https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies-and-policies/corporate-policies/our-council-strategy)
 
The decision supports the priority to deliver
Infrastructure for communities, ensuring people have access to safe
and efficient travel options and that all communities can benefit
from a strong social infrastructure.
 

Financial Implications
 

The
contract value of the existing BSIIM contract is
£101,710.67 per
annum, running for
three years with a one year extension adjusted for inflation at
£112,618.49. The total value of the contract during
its active period is therefore
£435,411.59.

 

The Council also currently allocated
£60,000 per annum through its Policy & Strategy
budget on bus stop civils works. Of this, approximately
£25,000 per annum is spent on maintaining existing
infrastructure. £35,000 per annum is allocated to
upgrading the network where opportunities arise, including bus
boarder kerbs, bus stop clearways, installation of hard standing
etc.

 

The new contract combining both
activities will utilise the same Policy & Strategy budget
allocation. The cost of the statutory “BSIIM” related
activities and essential repairs is anticipated to increase due to
inflation; these costs will be absorbed by the £35,000
allocated to proactive works. The new contract is therefore not
expected to result in increased costs to the authority.

The new contract value is therefore estimated at
£500,000 for three years, with yearly extensions
individually costing £160,000. The overall cost to the
authority utilising both extensions is anticipated to be
approximately £820,000.

 

 

The value of the contract beyond the
above core work is dependent on opportunities linked to external
funding (e.g. Kent’s Bus Service Improvement Plan) which may
put the value of the contract over £1m during its lifespan of
potentially five years. Any activity that will be subject to a
further key decision as a result of external funding will be taken
through the appropriate governance.
 
Equalities implications
 
An
EQIA has been completed for this proposed contract  Several positive impacts have been identified
regarding accessibility of the Public Transport Network. Procuring
this contract will support the authority with efficiently providing
‘bus boarder’ kerbs and clearways compliant with DfT
and Equalities Act guidelines, along with posting of paper
timetabling information for groups with lower digital
skills.
 
EQIA
categories that stand to benefit the most have been identified
as:
 

· 
 Disability - through
improved accessibility to the Public Transport network via
wheelchair friendly boarding points etc

· 
Carers – as above

· 
 Age – as above,
but older groups are more likely to benefit from posting of paper
timetabling information. Younger groups are less likely to own
their own vehicle and therefore benefit from improved bus stop
infrastructure

· 
Pregnancy & Maternity – benefit from
improved accessibility, particularly those with limited mobility or
pushchairs & prams

· 
Single Parent Families – as above
 
No negative impacts
have been identified as impacting categories protected
through   equalities legislation.
The Public Transport EQIA officer has reviewed & accepted the
proposal and no mitigations have been noted as required.
 
 

Decision

As Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport,
I agree:
 
i.          To
APPROVE the procurement and subsequent contract award for Bus Stop
Maintenance and Civils.
 
ii.         To
DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Growth Environment
& Transport, to take relevant actions to facilitate the
required procurement activity.
 
iii.        To DELEGATE
authority to the Corporate Director of Growth Environment &
Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways and
Transport, to take relevant actions, including but not limited to,
awarding, finalising the terms of and entering into the relevant
contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary, to implement the
decision.
 
iv.        To DELEGATE
authority to the Corporate Director of Growth Environment and
Transport, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways and
Transport, to award extensions of the contract in accordance with
the relevant clauses within the contract.