Postbag
Bus passengers demand improvement in service
I SYMPATHISE with the frustrations of bus users in the area detailed in the article titled "We are being taken for a ride" which appeared in the Journal on September 27.
Public transport is a key aspect of the Salisbury Transport Plan, which has a stated aim to "reduce car dependency and encourage the use of other means of travel."
With the linked issues of congestion and deteriorating air quality impacting the city centre, it is important that transport modes other than the private car are used.
If people do not have confidence in their local bus services then the desired migration of people from cars to public transport will be difficult to achieve.
The bus industry in the UK operates in a commercial environment. It was hoped by the Conservative Government of the 1980s that the creation of such an environment would engender competition among bus operators, with passengers being the winners.
The reality has been somewhat contrary, with there being a tendency for a single operator to dominate in an area, resulting in monopolistic characteristics. In
recognition of the operating environment, local
authorities try to work with commercial operators to make improvements to the bus network of an area.
Locally, public transport issues are a service which is dealt with by the passenger transport unit of the county council.
I have asked the passenger transport unit to respond to the Journal article. Further pressure from dissatisfied customers is best exerted by contacting the Traffic Commissioner in Bristol, whose role is to ensure those who register local bus services run those service on time.
The article emphasised the complexities of bus
provision, with Stagecoach and Wilts and Dorset
mentioned, along with services that operate through two separate passenger transport authority areas - Wiltshire and Hampshire. Clearly there is a need for joint working to resolve the issues that have been raised.
I was encouraged to hear that Wilts & Dorset now has a full complement of drivers to service their network. This is particularly pleasing considering that there is a shortage of bus drivers nationally. It would appear that Wilts and Dorset were caught out by the number of scholars using the bus at the commencement of the autumn term, including my own son. It is hoped that things will now settle down, with no more of the
disappointing but isolated frustrations such as those mentioned in the article.
The district council and county council will continue building relationships and working with local bus
operators to resolve the problems that are experienced by passengers. The council's are also aware that they too have a responsibility to operators to provide them with bus priority and tackle illegal on-street parking to assist the smooth running of bus services.
The district council hosts a Bus User Forum three times per year, in which bus users can speak directly with bus operators and a representative from the
passenger transport unit of Wiltshire County Council.
CLLR. DR. HELENA MCKEOWN, Salisbury District Council's portfolio holder for transport
Yet more horror stories from disgruntled travellers...
FOR the second week in a row now, I went to catch the 8.20 evening bus from Bemerton Heath to the city centre and it failed to arrive.
This is not the first time I have highlighted this issue. I thought from reading the comments from Chris Harris (Journal September 27) that there was a "full" complement of drivers. So why have Wilts and Dorset failed to send a bus at this time for the past two weeks?
It was usually less consistent than this, every third week or so the bus would not arrive. So at least they are now consistent - I can now rely on the bus not to arrive at all!
I think Wilts and Dorset should change its timetables to reflect all these missing buses, so the public can plan their journeys around buses that will be sent out as opposed to the pretend timetables that Chris Harris would have us all believe is a reality.
People are sick and tired of all the lame excuses by Wilts and Dorset. It is about time the tenure for this
contract was given to someone that can actually provide a proper bus service for the area.
ALWYN LOVELL, Bemerton Heath
ON September 20, some friends and I were
returning to Salisbury from Bradford-on-Avon, hoping to catch the 14.52 X4 Bath bus from Bradford.
The bus did not appear, nor did the 15.52.
We waited nearly one and a half hours, during which time one of us phoned Salisbury bus station, but they were not able to tell us the cause of the delay or when a bus would come.
We were about to catch the train when at about 16.15 an X4 bus came along.
The bus driver said that there had been an accident at Warminster which had caused the delay.
In this day of mobile phones, why could the driver not have contacted Salisbury bus station to tell them of the cause of the delay and when a bus would come? I don't mean he should have phoned while driving but he could have phoned from Bath surely.
The whole incident caused us all (elderly ladies) a lot of inconvenience and stress.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED
FURTHER to the recent horror stories about Salisbury's buses, can anyone tell me why the Wilts and Dorset number three bus connecting Shrewton, Stonehenge and Amesbury with the Salisbury Rail Station has completely disappeared from the bus timetables?
This was our only luggage easy, direct link with the train station and it was removed without any
consultation,or warning.
Meanwhile, our local politicians continue to bang-on about a "joined-up green transportation plan" for the area and visitors to Stonehenge are denied a stop-off to patronise historic Amesbury.
TIM HUGHES, Amesbury
11:56am Thursday 11th October 2007
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