It may be that buses are thin on the ground next Monday with a Sunday service running (which is no service at all in many places), but a Somerset team is putting together a "Buses Back Better" Zoom meeting for the community ...
I will edit in the invite email later this afternoon. Done!
Topic: Somerset / BSIP meeting
Time: Apr 5, 2021 02:30 PM London
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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83773784157?pwd=aEFDaENzR0FqZmpwVzk1anJWSUNLQT09Meeting ID: 837 7378 4157
Passcode: 163402
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Meeting ID: 837 7378 4157
Passcode: 163402
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https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdwCGL1O47Edit to add ... a little more about the meeting
“Bus Back Better” heralds the biggest change to buses since 1986 - and it could be so much a change for the better. It brings in the community into partnership with councils (Somerset in our case) and bus operators - a culture change for many, but with positive outcomes for passengers, local government and bus industry professionals … and for the environment.
Please join our meeting on Monday at 2.30pm, by Zoom.
We will hear a little about “Bus Back Better” and look at how some community representative are already planning to work with councils and operators not just during the period of implementation, but permanently too to promote and support the services.
I believe it has within it the opportunity to generate a bus service for the county which meets the needs of the climate emergency and the aspirations of those who would like to see a viable alternative to the use of cars.
The
CPRE▸ has seen this as an opportunity to build a service where every village of over 300 people has an hourly service from 6.30 t midnight 7 days a week (including Bank Holidays)
I also see it as an opportunity to make sure that all our towns have a service that does not need passengers to learn a timetable - which means a 6-minute headway on all town routes.
I see it as an opportunity to introduce interurban services similar to the Falcon service to connect our towns.
I see it as an opportunity to introduce tourist services connecting all our towns to coastal resorts in Somerset, Devon and Dorset.
The National Bus Strategy offers money to provide these services, but it will take vision from our County Council to take the necessary first steps and to produce an inspirational Somerset Bus Improvement Plan.
What is needed is a change in the culture of our elected representatives and the officers of Somerset County Council to take this on board, to listen to the voices of users and potential users.
This meeting is a first step to try to establish a plan to make that change, so that we can work with the local transport authority.
Please circulate this to anyone you feel might wish to contribute ideas.
