If you’ve noticed something wrong at your local bus stop, or anywhere else for that matter, you might be wondering how to report it.
Responsibility for bus shelters and bus stop maintenance varies from region to region. Some councils contract the work out to private firms, and in other places the bus stops are the responsibility of the bus companies. Here in East Lothian it is the Council.
I got an email yesterday complaining that Firstbus timetables had changed suddenly. Passengers were not given any forewarning it seems, and neither had Relbus. While there were rumours that changes were afoot, we assumed that we’d find out through the usual channels.
It turns out the usual channels means “a disgruntled passenger” complaint letter.
It seems to us that better regulation of the buses should include a wider public consultation stage, which could be added to the currently statutory consultation with the Local Authority, so that there are no surprises. And, whilst we are at it, the travelling public has a chance to put in their twopenceworth.
Continue reading New Firstbus Timetables
RELBUS MEETING
May 8th 2013, 7pm in the Town House, Haddington.
AGENDA
1. Apologies
2. Minutes of last meeting ( 21st February 2013)
3. Matters arising
4. Passenger Charter – establishment of short-life working group
5. Issues from Bus Forum, including Bus Investment Fund
6. Iain Gray’s Bill – consultation
7. Community Bus Partnerships – Morag Haddow
8. Current bus issues
9. ELC staffing issues
10. Any other business
11. Date of next meeting
Good public transport – effective, reliable, safe, and affordable – is a hallmark of a modern, forward-looking society. It liberates people who cannot drive and provides a practical alternative to those who choose not to.
This week Iain Gray MSP published his proposals for a Bill to provide transport authorities with greater powers to among other things:
While legislation exists that allows local authorities to influence the provision of bus services in their area, Iain Gray asserts these powers are scarcely used, so ineffective. So much so, that the body that oversees public transport issues, Transport Scotland is interested in the proposals for change that are going to help improve bus services.
Here at Relbus we’re pretty interested too, and it will be a topic for discussion over the weeks and months ahead.
Continue reading Good public transport is a hallmark of a modern forward-looking society
