This is the notification of the next RELBUS meeting which will be held at 7pm on Wednesday 8th May in the buffet room at Haddington Town House.
Some of you should already have this date in your diaries.
The draft agenda includes the draft passenger charter, Morag’s discussion paper on community bus partnerships, anything arising from the forthcoming Bus Forum and any topical issues raised on the night.
I hope to see you there. Please send me any apologies.
Regards, Barry Turner
Morag Haddow started promoting safer cycling and walking to school while she was a member of the Parent Council at Dunbar Primary. She now works part time for Sustaining Dunbar on green transport issues. She is studying for an MSc in Transport Planning at Napier University.
Last summer the RAC estimated that the average car cost its owner over £6000 a year to keep on the road. It’s hard to believe, and perhaps your own car costs you less than that, but from time to time it’s useful to consider how expensive our car habit really is, and maybe to think again about how we get about. Do we all really need a car sitting on standby 24 hours a day when modern technology makes it easier than ever to work from home and have shopping delivered? East Lothian is leading the way in alternative transport in Scotland with locally run car clubs such as SpareWheels in Dunbar providing an alternative to owning a personal car but sometimes driving and parking is a hassle in itself. Have you considered getting the bus?
Continue reading Opinion Piece: Working together for better rural buses
Thursday, 21st February 2013, 7pm, Town House, Haddington; Apologies to item 1, last.
Item 2 – Presentation by Iain Gray MSP
IG introduced his proposal bring forward a Private Member’s Bill to strengthen regulation of the bus industry.
Timescale/Procedure – The proposed bill is currently at an early stage and is due to be launched next week. The process involves launching a consultation document (12 week period), preparing a response to the consultation and a draft bill, seeking signatures (18 MSP’s have to sign with cross party support). The proposed bill can be stopped by Ministers if they already have planned legislation which deals with the proposals. If Ministers do have planned legislation, it will be subject to consultation and its content can be influenced at this stage.
Continue reading Highlights Of Relbus Meeting: Guest Iain Gray
We’ve just spotted that Prentice Coaches have the ability to provide live bus tracking information for all it’s bus services. Click the links and you’ll get magical popup to the Live Tracking App.
121 Haddington to North Berwick
123 Gifford Circle (Morning school run)
Prentice will be using Pinpointers’ tracking software, which we notice can also be integrated with booking software (at a cost). But why would knowing where a bus is matter to anyone? Pintpointers state:
For example, if a coach operator was carrying children on a school trip, the new system would provide parents and teachers with accurate, real-time updates on exactly where the coach is and therefore when it is going to arrive. This would avoid children having to wait by the roadside, improving safety and comfort.
All of which seems quite nice. Though in this day and age mobile telephony with geo positioning, smart phones and twitter offer low cost ways that can do pretty much the same. Top marks for Prentice all the same for encouraging and leading good practices in rural East Lothian.
