Local Bus Service Review – Be Heard

We have been provided information below by Essex Council, if you, or those you know, rely on local bus services then we encourage you to respond to this consultation.  The details suggest that ECC has proposed minor changes to the 17 and 66/66A services but the Sunday 67B service appears to have been rerouted so that it no longer serves the village. This will need checking out more thoroughly during the consultation period. ECC has not included Chambers’ 754 – 6 services in their affected/unaffected list because these routes have no subsidised journeys.

• Source file: ECC Bus Consultation.

Local Bus Service Network Review Consultation September 2015.

Over 2015, Essex County Council (ECC) is carrying out a thorough review of its support for contracted local bus services across the County. The role of the County Council under the Transport Acts is to look at where market failure occurs in the bus network, decide whether a service is needed, and if, in the council’s opinion, it is, then to provide one.

Early Review

The County Council needs a way to balance the differing potential transport needs of residents when allocating funding and to manage the network in the light of changes to the commercial bus network, travel demand and changing corporate priorities over time.  As part of the review the County Council carried out a series of Area Review Meetings throughout June and July 2015.  We have listened to the comments, suggestions and ideas that were raised through these meetings and took them into account when re-planning the network.

Consultation

Over September and October 2015 the County will be carrying out a more detailed consultation that sets out a range of proposed route and service revisions to the contracted local bus network and a revised policy for determining the priority that will be given to supporting different types of service in future.  This consultation will take the form of a district based questionnaire, asking for views on changes to the contracted bus network in each district/borough/city with supporting information. These will be made available on line and through the public library network. We will also make them available through as many parish/town/district council offices as possible.  Hard copy of these documents  will be available from the week commencing 21^st September 2015

A supporting document, explains in more detail the contract changes, how they will affect our customers and how demand responsive transport works.  It also lists timetables where a change has been proposed.  This document can be found on line at:

• www.essex.gov.uk/busreview

Whilst we encourage residents to complete the survey on line, we understand a paper copy is sometimes preferred.  If you require additional copies of the questionnaire please ring 08457 430 430.  There is a freepost address to aid the return of the questionnaire.

If you or the residents you are representing have a visual impairment or need assistance completing the questionnaire, there is the option of completing the survey over the telephone, or obtain it in an alternative format by calling 08457 430 430.

The closing date for submitting the survey is the 21st October 2015.

Once the consultation is complete, the replies received will be considered carefully and used to help finalise the proposals that will then be considered for approval by Essex County Council’s Cabinet. We will also collate all the responses from the survey and summarise them as part of our report, although it will not identify individual people and your name will not be mentioned in the reports that we write for this purpose.

 

Yours sincerely,

Helen Morris
Place Commissioning
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: – 08457 430 430