Bus Routes Consultation Process: Have Your say!
(I was preparing this for the News items when Susie's item (below) appeared! However, as there is additional information here, I've posted this item anyway. There is a thread on the Forum for discussion of the Railbus service, but postings on the Forum are not part of the official consultation process.)
The current subsidy contracts for bus services in the Charlbury area end in December this year, and the County Council is consulting with parish and town councils on the way ahead. They are holding meetings to which all Parish and Town Councils throughout the review area (essentially the entire northern half of West Oxfordshire) are invited to send one or more representatives. They can choose whichever meeting (one in Chippy, one in Charlbury) suits them.
The principle is that local councils seek the views of local people, then the County seeks their view as local representatives. Section 3.6.5 of the Bus Strategy, which is on the County Council's website (roads and transport plans and policies Local Transport Plan other documents, describes how this process works.
If town and parish councils do not "consult", then the system obviously breaks down.
A notice was sent to local councils for them to put up. It says that individuals should contact their local Council or public transport representative (do you know who that person is for Charlbury, and has he or she been seeking opinions?) if they have views on any service under review. Charlbury TC have put the notice on their noticeboard outside the Corner House.
Notices have also been put up on principal bus stops saying the same thing (there is one in Church Street), and the county has also sent bus companies similar notices and asked them to display them in buses. Neither Worth's nor the Railbus company have put up such notices (yet).
Of particular concern is the future of the Railbus. The cost per passenger-journey of the Railbus is very high (over £5: the usual cut-off for subsidy is around £2) so its future in the current format is in doubt for financial reasons. The final decision, to be taken in early October, will take into account consultees' views.
Clearly Charlbury Town Council is not holding a public meeting of its own, at least at this stage, and their meeting with the county council on Thursday June 5 at 2pm in the Memorial Hall will be behind closed doors.
The only way you can gain access is as a representative of one of the town and parish councils being consulted, each of which can send more than one representative.
The deadline for comments to reach the County Council is July 4. You can find a list of town councillors on this website, but no phone numbers or email addresses. The clerk to the Council, Roger Clarke, can be emailed at charlburytc@btinternet.com (phone 01608 810608).
The Worth's 69 service Witney-Chipping Norton also comes up for tender for the subsidised services, and it is widely assumed that the contract will go to Stagecoach, who might then provide an hourly through service Witney-Charlbury-Chipping Norton-Banbury. The future of this (and all other bus routes in this area) are being discussed and consulted on at the same time.
Jon Carpenter · Wed 28 May 2008, 10:17 · Link