Have Your Say On New Bus Network
Written by adminChris on May 19, 2011
The consultation questionnaire has nos gone LIVE! The questionnaire can either be completed on-line OR printed out to be filled in by going here:– http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=104189
Bus users across Gloucestershire are being urged have their say on plans to fundamentally redesign the county’s subsidised bus network.
From Monday 16th May, Gloucestershire County Council will be asking people to tell us what they think about possible changes to the bus services they use.
Details of the services being reviewed and the options being considered are available now online at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/busreview.
From Monday 16th May, bus users can use the online form to comment and questionnaires will also be available in libraries and council offices.
Roadshows will be taking place at 23 locations across the county and details are available online.
Dates, Times & Location of roadshows and information evenings can be found here–> http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=104414
People will have until 9am on 27th June to give us their views on what is being proposed.
Responses will then be considered by Cabinet when it makes its final decision on the new network in July.
Changes will be introduced in September and October 2011.
At the moment, the council completely subsidises around 140 bus services and part subsidises another 30 to help people get around.
This costs the council £5million every year and in many cases the services are not well used and are very expensive to provide – one service is so highly subsidised it costs up to £46 for a return journey.
In fact, the average cost of the 20 highest subsidised journeys is £15 return – this is not sustainable and cannot continue.
Redesigning the network and creating a ‘hub and spoke’ system will help meet the savings target and will save up to £1million in itself.
The new system will focus on community transport and other rural bus services becoming the ‘spokes’ that feed into the ‘hub’ market towns and popular services which ensure people can get to where they need to go, in particular to school, to work or to the doctors.
