 |
| Fawley Parish Chairman Eddie Holtham at the Marchwood Parish Council village hall meeting. |
|
Marchwood Parish Council held a public meeting on Friday evening (22nd February 2008) to discuss concerns about the cuts in bus services in Marchwood Village and along the Waterside.
The Parish Council invited Hampshire County Councillors Ken Thornber, Council Leader and Executive Member for Policy and Resources, (and who unfortunately could not attend) Melvin Kendall, Executive Member for Environment, who brought along two officers, who are currently dealing with the bus services along the Waterside for Hampshire County Council subsidy funding.
The Parish hall was packed with a good cross-section of users from students and young people to the disabled and pensioners, all voicing their concerns at the cuts that Solent Blueline have implemented and the impact it is having on their lives.
Waterside Parish and Town Councillors were also at the meeting to air their concerns for their local parishioners who will be affected by these cuts in services.
Fawley Parish Councillor and Chairman Eddie Holtham voiced his concerns for the Fawley Parish area, saying: "The information given by Solent Blueline, gives very little information as to what the changes involve. So, how can we assess them.
At what time does the number 8 bus cease in the evenings. This has a knock-on effect for the whole of the Waterside.
Even though it only goes to Hythe. We have no ferry from early evening, so one bus an hour in the evening is inadequate, in this day and age where we are trying to persuade people to use public transport.
During the day we have a bus every 20 minutes to Southhampton, plus an hourly number 8 from Hythe. At night, our half hourly service will be cut down to one every hour, I repeat, how are we to persuade people to use public transport.
Solent Blueline should not be allowed to cherry pick the busy times, they are there to provide a service. The other anomaly is the reduction in buses to Calshot. Calshot is classified as a deprived area with many low earning families.
They have already had their Sunday service taken away from them last year, so during a bank holiday weekend they do not get a bus for two days, now you want to reduce the service even more. You would probably get more people to use the bus service, if you advertise them more.
For two years I campaigned for a timetable to be put at the bus stop at Calshot Beach even when the new bus stops were erected, it was near the end of the summer before one was put in. Perhaps when the franchise is due for renewal, we might get a company that puts the customers first."
Melvin Kendall took away with him some really strong feelings from the meeting. We will just have to wait to see what impact the current round of bus cuts have on the Waterside and when the bus tender comes up for renewal in July, we get a better service from another company.
Your comments on this story are welcomed. |
