Minute / Minute
Minute / Minute

Stewartry area committee

(COMMUNITY)

Meeting of Monday, 28November2011

at 6.00pm in Kirkcudbright Primary School, St Mary’s Wynd, Kirkcudbright..

Present

Members

Patsy Gilroy
(Chairman)
Thomas Jacques
(Vice Chairman) / -
- / Dee Ward
Dee Ward
Rob Davidson
Jane Maitland / -
-
- / Abbey Ward
Dee Ward
David Stitt / -
- / Abbey Ward

Officials

Richard Grieveson / - / Head of Resource Planning and Community Services
John Enos
Douglas Kirkpatrick
Pat Riley
Alistair Speedie
Harry Thomson / -
-
-
-
- / Service Manager Area Framework Stewartry
Team Leader Sustainable Transport
Principal Officer Partnership Support Stewartry
Director Planning and Environment Services
Head of Integrated Transport and Commissioning

Apologies

Ian Blake
Thomas McAughtrie
George N Prentice / -
- / Abbey Ward
Abbey Ward
Castle Douglas and Glenkens Ward
Brian Collins
Peter Duncan / - / Castle Douglas and Glenkens Ward
Castle Douglas and Glenkens Ward

Alex Haswell

Director of Chief Executive Service

1.SEDERUNT AND APOLOGIES.

3Members present,5apologies.

2.DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST.

NONE declared.

MEMBERS – Rob Davidson and Jane Maitland entered the meeting during the consideration of the following item – 5 Members present.

3.LOCAL BUS TENDERS 2012 –Report by Director Planning and Environment Services.

Decision

3.1AGREEDto consider the SWestrans Board’s response to the recent tendering exercise, and NOTED that the main issues highlighted for the Stewartry area were as follows:

  • That service provision on route 372 Dumfries to Southerness to Dalbeattie would be returned to a similar level of provision to that provided before recent unavoidable restrictions were implemented, including weekend journeys;
  • That an identified new linkage, the 518 Laurieston to Kirkcudbright would not be recommended for development due to the potential costs involved;
  • That any additional connectivity links would not be recommended for development due to the potential costs involved;
  • That one submission, the 503 Springholm to Castle Douglas with minor variation on the existing route, would offer a much improved level of service for a relatively small increase in annual subsidy, however, given the budget restrictions this was not recommended for development;
  • That an operator has indicated that the two services, 501 Dumfries – Dalbeattie –Castle Douglas and 502 Dumfries – Springholm – Castle Douglas would be provided on a commercial basis from 1 April 2012. The Transport Act 1985 requires local authorities not to inhibit or complete against commercial provision with its supported network. Therefore, it would result in a requirement for all Monday to Saturday daytime journeys to and from Kirkcudbright interchanging at Castle Douglas; and

3.2AGREEDthat the following recommendations be referred for consideration by Full Council at its meeting of 15 December 2011, which would formulate a subsequent corporate response to the SWestrans consultation, and which have taken into account comments which were generated by open discussion at the Stewartry Area Committee Community Meeting:

  • That one submission, the 503 Springholm to Castle Douglas with minor variation on the existing route, would offer a much improved level of service for a relatively small increase in annual subsidy, however, given the budget restrictions this was not recommended for development;
  • That an operator has indicated that the two services, 501 Dumfries – Dalbeattie – Castle Douglas and 502 Dumfries – Springholm – Castle Douglas would be provided on a commercial basis from 1 April 2012. The Transport Act 1985 requires local authorities not to inhibit or complete against commercial provision with its supported network. Therefore, it would result in a requirement for all Monday to Saturday daytime journeys to and from Kirkcudbright interchanging at Castle Douglas.

3.3AGREED to remit to the Service Manager Area Framework Stewartry to collate a response on behalf of the Stewartry Area Committee and based on the feedback received from members of public at the public consultation held as part of the Stewartry Area Committee Community Meeting on 28 November 2011 as at Appendix 1.

4.PUBLIC FORUM

Decision

NOTED that there were no matters arising as part of the public forum.

APPENDIX 1

A Public Consultation – Swestrans Local Bus Network

Stewartry Area Committee - 28 November 2011

Is the level of service indicated by SWestrans to remain within its current budget acceptable?

Public feedback indicated that the level of service proposed by SWestrans was acceptable but concern was expressed about the fact that bus travellers from Dumfries to Kirkcudbright will now have to change buses at Castle Douglas. The other area of concern was the interconnection of the buses with other public transport (see below under Transport).

What impact will this level of service have on local communities and their need for travel for employment, education, health, retail, transport links and personal activity?

Employment

Examples were given of how the current and proposed timing and frequency of the bus service from the Stewartry made it difficult for employees working in Dumfries. For example some staff at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary (DGRI) who not only have to change buses in Castle Douglas but also at the Whitesands. This was even more of a problem for shift workers. This equally applies to volunteer workers.

Education

The need for students to be able to access ‘all’educational establishments serving the region, and beyond, was highlighted including the BaronyCollege, D & GCollege, AyrCollege and the CrichtonUniversity campus.

Health

Restrictions on medical appointment times were mentioned due to bus availability either in the form of a lack of service to the DGRI or people missing appointments due to the unreliable nature of the buses.

Retail

Users liked the twice weekly service that permits “four hours in Tescos” and were curious whether a similar service for Morrisons could be introduced. Concerns were expressed about the lack of a link between Dalry and Carsphairn and Ayr, which is the main shopping town for this part of the Stewartry. Lastly, there were also some concerns about buses leaving Dumfries from the Whitesands rather than from the Burns Statue area, which would be much easier for shoppers.

Transport

There was concern that buses did not always link-up with trains, the cross-country buses to destinations such as Glasgow and express buses. Poor links were also identified to local airports.with trains to and from Dumfries and Lockerbie and express bus to Edinburgh and the connections between Castle Douglas and Newton Stewart.

Are there any groups within the local community you consider this level of service will particularly affect?

  • A particularly important group in the Stewartry - Older people as they more likely not to drive for health reasons.
  • People with Disabilities
  • Holiday-makers arriving at Stranraer/Cairnryan
  • Students with no other means of transport andyoung people going to central locations in Dumfries such as DGOne
  • People who don’t/don’t want to drive and low income families.
  • Workers who may be restricted to certain working hours including shift-workers.
  • People in isolated communities.
  • People who rely on buses in order to socialise.

Can you suggest ways in which any gap in services could be provided?

Respondents wanted timetables to give details of intermediate stops as well as final destinations and also wanted a local travel information service.

Several other innovations were suggested including:

  • improved communication between drivers;
  • publicity about school buses which can be used by the general public too
  • sponsorship of local bus routes by local superstores
  • a system of issuing carers with “companion bus-passes”; and
  • improved weekend and evening services.

It was suggested that gaps in the provision of buses might be addressed by reinstating the Post Bus Service and “Ring and Ride” services. The Community Transport Initiative run by GCAT in New Galloway was considered very good at plugging gaps in local mainstream bus services.

Other Issues raised at the Community Meeting unrelated to the 4 questions set out in the report by Director Planning and Environment Services - LOCAL BUS TENDERS 2012

  • Some buses are very old (e.g. doors don’t shut properly).
  • Certain large buses with few passengers on them.e.g. the Kirkcudbright to Mossdale and the Kirkcudbright to Dalbeattie services..
  • Bus availability will influence where people will move to in the Stewartry.
  • Bus driver behaviour e.g. passing passengers at bus stop
  • Importance of a reliable service to motivate people to use buses more.
  • Pleased that the Dumfries to Stranraer service was staying the same.
  • Bus timetables are not amended often enough to meet changing needs.
  • The lighted information on the front of the bus should be left on until the bus arrives.
  • It would be good if information was available about delayed services in real time – on the buses and / or at the stops and ‘On-line’ time-tabling information did not mention that road works had moved the stops from Whitesands to the Burns Statue area.
  • Bus companies to be encouraged to invest more in the smart use of IT
  • Information about forthcoming changes to services should be put on buses the week before they are implemented.
  • There should be improved links between bus companies.
  • The buses serving Stranraer are a struggle to get onto because of their steps.
  • Choosing to use a taxi-card should not mean that a person is unable to use a bus-pass; both should be available.

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