MinutesGoNorthEast/NCC Meeting Tuesday 10th January 2017, Heddon Library 11.00am
Attendees
Neil Eastern - NCC Supported Transport Services
Mark Ellis – GoNorthEast Development Manager
Alisoun Gardner-Medwin – Chair Heddon Parish Council
Hazel Thompson – Councillor Heddon Parish Council
Louise Pringle – Clerk
The meeting was called to discuss why the X84 was not stopping within the village, the fact that notice had not been given and what could be done to return the stop to the village.
The X84 service is run by GoNorthEast and supported by Northumberland County council. There have recently been two changes of route the Heddon Village Bus Stop and a change of route between Corbridge and Hexham. These were put in place to fix reliability issues becausethe bus was often late and people were having to wait throughout the route.
The County Council accepted responsibility for not having informed or consulted the Parish Council or the residents of Heddon before the change took place.
It was stated that Heddon is very well served by buses in comparison with many other places in Northumberland where the County is having to cut services from once a day to once a week and that the buses to and from Heddon were well used. The County Council would not be able to spend money on extra services. It was mentioned that two buses came at more or less the same time but as these are run by two separate companies the competition laws preclude them being able to talk to one another without County Council facilitation.
The bus company suggested that if the Town Gate was made one way past The Swan then they might consider stopping in the centre of the village again but could not commit to that.
An idea was broached regarding coming up the motorway from Throckley but discarded as many people visit Throckley for the supermarket, doctors etc. so would be detrimental to the residents and the bus company.
The meeting closed at 11.35