DETAILS have emerged this week of a radical overhaul of public and community transport services across the Borders.

The new framework, due to be rolled out next year, will attempt to plug gaps in provision for schoolchildren, students, shoppers, the disabled, hospital attendees and visitors.

Also targeted will be people living in remote areas with limited access to existing passenger transport.

Such shortcomings have been highlighted in successive household surveys and are regularly aired at meetings of the region’s five area forums.

Now the nettle has been grasped by the Scottish Borders Community Planning Partnership (CPP), chaired by council leader David Parker, and comprising all the main service delivering agencies, including NHS Borders, the police, Borders College and major housing associations.

The CPP, which has been reviewing current provision, has just issued a “prior information notice” on Scottish Borders Council’s public contracts website with details of a so-called sustainable transport framework, contracts for which are due to be awarded in January, 2015.

And local taxi firms and bus and coach operators are being urged to buy into the initiative and tender for the work.

A series of information events for potential bidders, including new and existing operators, has been organised for later this month. Those attending will be able to discuss the contracts with CPP representatives and will be handed information packs relating to the new, more flexible and responsive services.

Bus and coach operators will be able to find out about the framework and its commercial opportunities in the education centre of the BGH on August 25 and in Lanark Lodge Day Centre in Duns on August 26. Taxi operators are invited to attend similar sessions at Lanark Lodge on August 27 and at the BGH on August 28. All the events will run from 6 till 7.30pm.

“The information days will discuss the changes to how passenger transport, including local bus and school services, are procured, not just by the council but the other organisations within the region,” said an SBC spokesperson.

According to this week’s notice, the new framework agreement will cover “all passenger transport services” and run for a maximum of four years. For bidding purposes, it will be split into four lots – short notice and urgent transport; mainstream education transport to and from schools and colleges; health, social care and non-emergency patient transport; and supported local bus services.

Potential bidders are advised that the short notice service will involve one-off or short-term regular services for adults and children with health and social care needs. Passenger assistants will be required and bidders – taxi and private hire operators - must meet stringent welfare and safety requirements and offer 24/7 access. The new education service will provide transport for pupils and students between designated pick-up/drop-off points to schools and Borders College campuses. The service, recommended to private hire and bus operators, may also be commissioned to take the youngsters to sports meetings.

Of the health and social care non-emergency service, the CPP states: “The main purpose is to transport pupils with additional needs between home and school/college, and adult passengers to day care or respite facilities, to healthcare sites, including the BGH, and to community facilities where social activities are carried out.” Finally, in terms of supporting local bus services, the CCP wants to procure “networks of mainline and feeder public services, including dial-a-ride, demand responsive travel, shopper and BGH-serving services across the region”.

“Successful suppliers will be able to bid for various grouped or individual routes throughout the Borders,” states the notice.

The CPP has given no indication of the cost to the public agencies of subsidising the framework.

“The information on costs should be available in the coming weeks and councillors are due to be briefed on this at that time,” said the council spokesperson.