Residents fear isolation after cuts to Pewsham bus services

[whole diary]

[NickF]

http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/13593544.Residents_fear_isolation_after_cuts_to_Pewsham_bus_services/

[Lee]

http://www.wiltshirecommunitytransport.org.uk/news/864-new-pewsham-bus-service

New Pewsham bus service

Following the withdrawal of the 231 which finished on the 23rd August, local communities charity Community First has been working with the local Pewsham community to identify an alternative provision.

Starting from Monday 24th August Community First will be running a trial service for five weeks. The trial service will provide three round trips each morning, Monday to Saturday. Instead of paying a fare for each trip, users are asked to provide a initial payment (set out below) which will give them unlimited travel on the trial service.

We look forward to seeing you at 9.30am on Monday 24th August as we start this new service.

NEW PEWSHAM (231A) BUS SERVICE - FROM MON 24th AUGUST

(until 30th September initially)

Monday to Saturday - hail and ride along length of route (except Ave. La Fleche or any roundabouts)

 ***NEW FARES***

^15 - if in work

^10 - retired/not in work

^5 - children aged 11 or over (children under 11 go FREE)

BRING CASH OR CHEQUE (payable to Community First) and give to driver on your first journey

I obviously welcome this as being relatively innovative in terms of the fare structure, and of course far better than nothing, as long as it's only a stopgap solution - Otherwise it is likely to set a dangerous precedent that it is ok to replace a comprehensive, multi-purpose all day every day service with one that runs just 3 round trips mornings only, serving just the narrow shopper/into town market, particularly with a Wiltshire Bus Consultation coming up that pretty much openly invites that kind of "solution" in order to justify and enact a ^2.5 million cut to the local authority supported bus budget.

[NickF]

This has also been reported in the Gadzette:

http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/13624534.Community_First_to_run_buses_through_Pewsham_for_trial_period/?ref=mr&lp=13

[grahame]

Thanks for those posts, Nick and Lee.

Some thoughts ...

a) "Retired" fares.   So not accepting senior bus passes.  Saves council money 
b) 5 week trial / up front season tickets only (in effect).  So not effective for casual / occasional user
c) 5 week trial / up front season tickets only (in effect).  So how will they market it after the initial splurge?
d) Presumably non-transferrable tickets.  How are they going to check ID?

I'm sure all of these things have been thought through .... just that I don't know the answers.

[ChrisB]

They have - but run this way, it doesn't need registering with the Bus Commissioners as a route, which takes time/money - so better to run a trial to see the demand & register it if it is to continue