Connect Villages

Summary

A request was made for booking statistics and driver employment details regarding the Isle of Man's Connect Villages and ConnectPorts services. The Department of Infrastructure disclosed journey counts, passenger numbers, free pass usage, and staffing arrangements, noting that the ConnectPorts service to the sea terminal had not yet launched.

Key Facts

• ConnectVILLAGES recorded 6,697 journeys from its inception in December 2018 to June 2019.
• 622 passengers booked ConnectPORTS to the airport between October 2018 and June 2019.
• ConnectPORTS to the sea terminal had zero bookings as the service had not yet been offered.
• The service is operated by 5 regular staff members and 3 zero-hour contract drivers.
• 3,515 free bus passes were used on the ConnectVILLAGES service during the reporting period.

Data Disclosed

• 6,697
• December last year
• June 2019
• 622
• October
• zero
• 5
• 3
• 3,515
• 866265
• 2019-06-26
• 2019-07-19

Original Request

How many times has the Connect Villages been booked in the north of the island since the service began? How many times has ConnectPorts been booked to firstly the airport? And secondly the sea terminal? How many drivers does Bus Vannin employ on a zero hour contract for the Connect minibuses? How many drivers does Bus Vannin employ on a full time basis who work on the Connect minibuses? How many people using the services have used a free bus pass since Connect services were launched?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas. IM1 2RF

Contact: FOI Response Team Telephone: (01624) 686785 Email: DPO-DOI@gov.im

Our ref: 866265 19 July 2019

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 26 June 2019 and which states:

"How many times has the Connect Villages been booked in the north of the island since the service began? How many times has ConnectPorts been booked to firstly the airport? And secondly the sea terminal? How many drivers does Bus Vannin employ on a zero hour contract for the Connect minibuses? How many drivers does Bus Vannin employ on a full time basis who work on the Connect minibuses? How many people using the services have used a free bus pass since Connect services were launched?" There have been 6,697 journeys taken on our connectVILLAGES service from its inception in December last year up until the end of June 2019. It is possible that multiple journeys are made all under one booking however, we do not have the facility to collate our figures in this way. There have been 622 passengers who have booked connectPORTS to the airport since our service began last October, to the end of June 2019. As above, it is possible that multiple journeys are made under one booking. As our “connectPORTS” service has not yet been offered to the sea terminal, the number of bookings is zero.
We have 5 members of staff that operate our connectVILLAGES and connectPORTS service on a regular basis with a further 3 other zero hour drivers who help out as required. Our staff work across Bus Vannin services so there are no specific staff on full time contracts working on our connectVILLAGES or connectPORTS services only.
3,515 ‘free’ passes have been used on our connectVILLAGES service from its inception in December last year up until the end of June 2019. Please quote the reference number 866265 in any future communications.

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FOI Response Team