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NEWTON ABBOT LOCAL TRANSPORT PARTNERSHIP WEDNESDAY 30TH APRIL 2008
NOTES OF THE TENTH MEETING OF THE NEWTON ABBOT LOCAL TRANSPORT PARTNERSHIP HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, TOWN HALL, 9 DEVON SQUARE, NEWTON ABBOT ON WEDNESDAY 30TH APRIL 2008 AT 7.00 p.m.
Present:
Chairman: Councillor Mrs Daphne Watts
(Newton Abbot Town Council) Presiding
Representing:
Newton Abbot
Town Council:Councillors: H Cole – Buckland
D Howe - College
K Lewis – Bushell
Devon County Council: Mr Derek Fishpool
Mr Brian George
Bus Companies: Stagecoach Ms Christina Ratcliffe
Country Bus Mrs Alison Ellison
Mr Graham Riley
First Great Western: Mr Mark Chorley
Local Residents: Mr Eric Collar
Mr Alec Morley
Mr Denis Tyler
Mrs Edna Wickham
By Invitation: Newton Abbot & District Community Strategy Transport & Accessibility Theme Group/Shop Mobility - Mr Bob Newton
Newton Abbot & District Community Strategy Transport & Accessibility Theme Group - Mr Graham Wickham
Mr G-A Husband
Campaign for Better Transport - Mr Walter Brown
Senior Council for Devon - Mr Malcolm Froude
1. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
The Chairman welcomed members of the Forum and guests to the tenth meeting of the Newton Abbot Local transport Forum.
2. APOLOGIES
An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor Mrs S J Maddicott, NATC.
3. NOTES OF LAST MEETING
The Notes of the 9th Meeting of the Partnership held on 24th October 2007 were received and noted; subject to the correction that Councillor K C Lewis is a Bushell Ward Member, not Milber.
4. CAMPAIGN FOR BETTER TRANSPORT
Further to the Forum’s meeting held on 24th October 2007, Mr Walter Brown, of the Campaign for Better Transport (Devon Group) (formerly ‘Transport 2000’), gave a presentation on the aims of the Group.
He explained that it was planned to hold a public meeting in Newton Abbot in either December 2007 or January 2008 on a Saturday afternoon to invite comments on local transport issues. Mr Brown offered the Forum members and/or the Town Council to take up facilitating such a meeting if they were minded so to do.
Mr Brown also explained to the Forum the activities of the Campaign in both Newton abbot and the wider Devon/Exeter area, including as follows:-
o Met with the Head of Transportation of Devon County Council to champion the provision of additional bus services in Newton Abbot, particularly evening services with Buckfastleigh and Ashburton. It was noted the last evening service was at 1740 hours;
o Responding in detail to the Bus Information Strategy 2006 – 2011;
o Responding to the First Great Western services following its franchise success;
o Holding dialogue with Devon County Council, the bus and rail companies and Exeter City Council regarding public transport services;
o Commenting upon the Regional Spatial Strategy;
o Involvement in the Integrated Transport Authorities coming from the Local transport Bill.
Arising from Mr Brown’s presentation the Forum debated issues including:-
o Viability of extending bus services;
o The need to prioritise scarce funding;
o The need to carry out a detailed survey with customers and non-customers;
o Bus passes;
o Community buses;
At the conclusion of the discussion the Forum questioned whether a public meeting on a Saturday afternoon was practical & suggested a Saturday morning. The Chairman agreed to enquire with the Town Council whether it would wish to facilitate such a meeting on the Campaign’s behalf. The Chairman then thanked Mr Brown for his informative presentation.
5. TRAIN SERVICES
Mr Mark Chorley of First Great Western announced that the new summer timetable would be published from 18th May. It did not introduce many changes but was intended to solve a number of problems created when the previous timetable was published. Mr Chorley referred to the three new tickets which had been adopted nationally by all rail service providers being; Advance; Off-Peak and Any-Time. He was pleased to report that current performance was the best it had been since first took-over the franchise, with 90% of services being on-time. He explained there had been major restructuring at the director level in the Company, which changes were currently starting to permeate throughout the rest of the levels. The Penzance to London service continued to be operated and the five year station re-investment programme had been completed and would recommence shortly. Information systems had been up-graded and additional use of CCTV was being introduced in trains and stations.
In response to a question by a member of the Forum, Mr Chorley explained that there was a possibility of a police presence being introduced at the Newton Abbot station. A member also questioned Mr Chorley regarding disabled toilets at Newton Abbot station and the transference of disabled passengers from platforms at the station.
The Forum discussed recent reports in the local media regarding proposals for an overland rail-link. Mr Chorley explained that these were very high level talks and were not soon to become policy, however, discussions were being held regarding the possibility of re-opening the Oakhampton route. He was of the opinion that due to the need to purchase land for the track bed it was unlikely to be implemented in the near or medium term future.
6. BUS COMPANIES
(a) Stagecoach – Christina Ratcliffe announced that changes would be implemented from 19th May. These mainly affected service numbers 12 & 85, which Christina explained in detail. The new timetables would be published in advance of 19th and would be made widely available, but not on buses.
The Forum raised the issue of the lack of a service from Newton Abbot to Torquay Hospital; in response the meeting noted issues with regard to buses inability to negotiate the roads in and around the hospital. Arising from the discussion it was
AGREED
i. that the Town Clerk to write to Torquay Hospital raising the issues with regard to bus services requesting a discussion on finding a solution;
ii. that Christina to take the issue in (i) above back to Stagecoach for its view on the situation.
(b) Country Bus – Reference was made to changes to services number 177, 182 and 184; changes to the timetable; introduction of a new wheelchair bus and a disabled friendly timetable.
(c) Devon County Council – The representatives raised issues regarding services at the Sherborne Road bus terminus and discussions being held with partners such as the District Council and Teignbridge District Council. The main issues were around the limitations of the current site, particularly regarding future expansion and alternative sites which would be satisfactory for users, the bus companies and the local authorities. The issue of the recent improvements were discussed and in particular the problems with provision of new shelters in relation to the Town Council’s contract with Adshel.
Other issues raised included:-
o parking and activities of tourist buses/coaches due to the loss of the Racecourse for parking;
o Bus parking problems in Sherborne Road as a result of the recent improvements;
o Possibility of covering the existing bus terminus;
o The six area summer DCC timetable to be published on 25th May with increased print run;
o Service 64 to have double deck low floor;
o New bus borders, stops & information boards installed in Kingsteignton;
o Recent closure of the tender for the new route to the new hospital to run every 30 minutes from January 2009 with two low floor vehicles;
o Possibility of introducing parking restrictions in the residential areas surrounding the hospital to stop indiscriminate parking;
o Signage at Highweek Way area being corrected and replaced.
Arising from consideration of the issues raised it was:-
AGREED
i. that NATC give consideration to whether it was prepared to undertake the maintenance of new town centre bus shelters to be supplied by DCC at a cost to be provided by DCC;
ii. that NATC contact Adshel with a view to negotiating a new contract for the supply/maintenance of town centre bus shelters;
iii. that Mr B George contact Mr G Riley of Country Bus regarding issues with new bollards installed at Sherborne Road;
iv. that the Town Clerk ascertain from the bus companies their issues with the provision of a bus station in Newton Abbot together with their ideas for a solution.
7. BUS INFORMATION STRATEGY 2006 – 2011
Following paragraph 7 of the meeting held on 24th October, the Forum noted:-
(a) The Bus Information Strategy consultation period had concluded and the final Strategy would be published shortly.
(b) The comments on the consultation as submitted by Newton Abbot Town Council.
8. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
It was noted that the next meeting of the Forum would be held on Wednesday 10th September 2008 at 7.00 p.m.
CHAIRMAN
The meeting concluded at 2037 hours.