BOROUGH OF POOLE

TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP – THURSDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2006

REPORT OF HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

IN RESPONSE TO A PETITION REGARDING BUS SERVICES FROM WATERLOO ESTATE

1.Purpose and Policy Context

1.1To consider a petition to reinstate the bus service between Waterloo Estate and Bournemouth and to reinstate the diversion of Services 132/133 into Tesco at Fleetsbridge.

1.2Local bus services contribute to the Council’s priorities of improving the Health and Well-Being of its residents and promoting a Clean, Green and Safe environment.

2. recommendations

2.1It is recommended that:

(a)should Wilts & Dorset Bus Company not be able to meet the request from Waterloo Estate residents, that the provision of a direct service between Waterloo Estate and Bournemouth be considered by the “Route & Branch” review of the network to be undertaken by a Working Party of Members later in the spring.

(b)that Wilts & Dorset be asked to reroute Service 131 to operate from Hillbourne Road via Kitchener Crescent and Milne Road to reinstate the service Tesco at Fleetsbridge.

3. Information

3.1A 263 signature petition has been received via Mrs Annette Brook MP from a Mrs Anne Smillie of Roberts Road, Waterloo Estate following the bus service revisions introduced by Wilts & Dorset Bus Company on 28 August 2005. There are two elements to the petition. The first of these is regarding Service 108 which replaced Services 109 and 110. The second is regarding Services 132/133 which no longer call at Tesco, Fleetsbridge.

4. Service 108 Corfe Mullen-Broadstone-Canford Heath-Bournemouth

4.1Service 108 replaced Services 109 and 110 from 28 August 2005. Service 109 operated between Corfe Mullen and Bournemouth via Waterloo Estate. The replacement Service 108 provided a much requested link between Broadstone and Canford Heath but missed Waterloo Estate. As a result, residents can now only access the Bournemouth Service by walking to Lower Blandford Road which is between ¼ and ½ of a mile away from the estate.

4.2The alternative is to catch Service 131 (every half hour) which operates via Hillbourne Road and Kitchener Crescent to Sopers Lane or Services 132/133 (every half hour) which operate via Chetwode Way, Kitchener Crescent, Milne Road and back onto Kitchener Crescent, into Poole, and change onto a Bournemouth service (approximately every 5 minutes in the daytime and every 15 minutes in the evenings and on Sundays).

4.3The petition was sent to Wilts & Dorset Bus Company on 19 December 2005 and the bus company was asked to consider a diversion of Service 108 via Waterloo Estate. The response from Wilts & Dorset was that they are reviewing all the routes in Poole at the moment and they will naturally consider the needs of Waterloo Estate residents when planning their commercial network.

4.4The Council could consider subsidising a direct service between Waterloo Estate and Bournemouth. However, this would be a very expensive solution and would have to be designed in such a way that it did not abstract revenue from other commercially operated services. Members are likely to consider that bus subsidies should be targeted to parts of the Borough where no alternatives are available.

4.5It is suggested that should Wilts & Dorset not be able to meet the request from Waterloo Estate residents that the matter be considered by the “Route & Branch” review of the network to be undertaken by a Working Party of Members later in the spring.

5. Services 132/133 – loss of Tesco Fleetsbridge Diversion

5.1The Wilts & Dorset revisions in August 2005 also included changes to the Poole to Wimborne Services 132/133 which were simplified to improve reliability. Both services previously operated via Tesco at Fleetsbridge but this diversion was removed. The alternative for passengers has been to alight southbound services at the Fleetsbridge Public House and walk under the subways to the supermarket and then board the return journey on Waterloo Road at the stop by the waterworks facility. This is not easy for people with mobility problems, particularly if they are carrying shopping.

5.2The majority of Waterloo Estate residents do have the alternative of Service 131 which operates every half an hour and diverts into Tesco at Fleetsbridge. This does not, however, serve Milne Road where there are a number of older persons’ residences. It is suggested that Wilts & Dorset be asked to reroute Service 131 to operate from Hillbourne Road via Kitchener Crescent and Milne Road to resolve this.

JAMES T BRIGHT

Head of Transportation Services

Background Information

None

Name and Telephone Number of Officer Contact

John McVey (01202) 262221

1 February 2006

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