Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,911
Photo calls are all fine.
But we also need some buses
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,046
Louise Haigh - Minister of Transport (aka My Little Pony)
This Thursday I’ll be setting out my vision for an Integrated National Transport Strategy.
That means creating a transport system that seamlessly works together - and puts the needs of people first.
We’ve looked to Dijon for lessons
Presumably the Mustard?
Jan Higgins and Arthur like this
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Weird Granny Slater
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 7 Jun 2017
- Posts: 3,057
'Pass the cow dung, my dropsy's killing me' - Heraclitus
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,911
It has to be better than what we have at the moment .
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
victor matcham- Registered: 5 Oct 2021
- Posts: 1,071
Sorry but do not use the bus but the day will come I hope they are still running when that day comes
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,911
Worth the £34million ?
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,046
Q and A
.......................................................................................................................................................
Dear Mr Pout,
I am writing to you as the DDC Traffic Supremo and the interface between me (the consumer) and 'public transport' in the knowledge that if I write to KCC or Stagecoach or the Dept of Transport they will each claim it is nothing to do with them.
I have always been less than supportive of the Dover Fastrack (especially with £16.1m from a funding programme designed to help stimulate new housing development!) but nevertheless thought I'd give it a go today - in spite of the fact that its thrice hourly service is operated by diesel buses, there being no sign of the promised 'green' electric buses, or indeed their charging infrastructure.
Indeed, having seen that a 'paperwhite display' style board showing imminent arrivals and destinations in real time put up at the Tesco bus-stop, much like the rest of the country now enjoys, and Europe has had for decades, I thought local public transport was finally taking on a touch of modernity. More fool me!
Arriving on the Stagecoach 12 service from Deal at the bus-stop outside Tesco I alighted and looked at the indicator board.
There was no sign of the Fastrack bus nor any information or direction signage.
Nobody at the stop knew anything about it. Eventually a bus driver told me that if I crossed the petrol station forecourt and the road exit from Tesco and then the entrance to the car-park and crossed the new road I'd be able to see the stop 'up the road'.
Having found the stop I then tried using the Stagecoach App on my 'phone to find the next bus. Unfortunately the App 'does not recognise' the location.
I took the next bus to Dover Priory which was OK if you like empty diesel buses but somewhat marred as he 'wasn't going to Pencester' as they were digging up the road.
Talking to various Stagecoach personnel during the day apparently.
1. The new buses can't go to the Tesco Stop as the corner is too tight for them! Really?
(Leaving anyone at Whitfield having to cross busy roads to change services with no idea when at a bus-stop, if the 'other' service is leaving first).
2. Apparently the 'real time' information board at Tesco has been paid for by the store and there are no plans to introduce such things at Canterbury Bus Station, Deal South Street or Pencester Road or other 'busy' places as 'the council' don't give Stagecoach enough money! AND it doesn't cover Fastrack since Fastrack doesn't stop there!
I would be grateful to know why we have not got a half-useful transport interchange between Tesco-Whitfield buses and the Fastrack? (Someone is going to get killed crossing roads between the two. Why can't the new buses go round corners?)
Also why are live-time indicator boards not being introduced as in the rest of the country? Not all of us have smart phone and those that do often have no signal (see Canterbury Bus Station).
Best wishes
Captain Haddock (retd)
.................................................................................................................................................................
Dear Captain
I am writing in response to your email enquiry dated 18 November 2024 regarding the
Tesco stop and the Real Time Information screens.
Regarding your comments on Dover Fastrack not serving Tesco, I can confirm that
Fastrack services do connect to Tesco via the stops at Honeywood parkways. The 67-
shuttle service is designed to serve the people of Whitfield by connecting them to
Tesco where they will then be able to access Dover Fastrack services. I will also note
that residents will be able to cross the road using the assistance of the crossing island
outside of the stop.
Furthermore, and regarding your point on the electrification of Fastrack, the decision to
use low emission buses from the opening of the network was made due to the time
constraints of the scheme and was not a decision which we took lightly. Kent Fastrack
is designed to ensure innovations like electric vehicles can be used without significant
delays to the services which ultimately get residents from point A to point B. With this in
mind, the temporary use of low emission vehicles was taken to ensure that the
residents that rely on the service are able to access it on the day, rather than delay the
start date of the service.
Kent County Council (KCC) is still very keen on electrifying Dover Fastrack in the new
year. Kent is currently working to install chargers at sites such as Dover Priory Train
Station to prepare for the arrival of the electric vehicles in Dover. The construction on
these chargers should commence in February which will have a five-week construction
window. Electric Vehicles will then be present on the network shortly after this.
Regarding your comments on the RTI screens, KCC has placed RTI screens in areas
such as Tesco to assist residents with planning their journeys. The decision to install
the RTI display was taken in partnership with Stagecoach and was included as part of
the scheme's original budget and programme. KCC are monitoring public sentiment
regarding this and is open to installing additional displays in the future. I noted in your
comments that the RTI screen at the Tesco Extra has not been showing stop
information for Fastrack D services. I will raise this with my colleagues to see if this can
be investigated further.
Finally, regarding your comments on additional RTI displays in areas such as
Canterbury bus station, the Fastrack team had an agreement with Dover district council
to deliver the service, including elements such as the RTI screens. In order for us to
install displays at locations in Canterbury, KCC will need to reach an agreement with
Canterbury City Council to deliver this. Currently, no agreement of this nature is in
place. This being said, Fastrack is keen to expand its operations, and Canterbury is an
area which we have considered. We will continue to assess the viability of a Fastrack
project in the area and will make an announcement if this gets approved.
I hope this has addressed some of your concerns with the Fastrack D service.
Yours sincerely
Neil Baker
Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Button
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 22 Jul 2016
- Posts: 3,050
I understood the letter to DDC fine well, the reply from DDC not so much. This leads me to conclude that either the exchange represents some minutes of your life that you won't be getting back again, or that my comprehension of written English isn't as good as I had thought.
Matey likes this
(Not my real name.)
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,864
Posting this simply to see if those of us who usually contribute are still alive and kicking as this forum seems to have gone to sleep.
BTW I am not a ghost come to haunt you all, well not yet.
Reginald Barrington and Matey like this
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Matey
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 11 Oct 2021
- Posts: 178
Yes, I too noticed it’s gone rather quiet Jan!
Life without a dog is like a salad without lettuce.
Button- Location: Dover
- Registered: 22 Jul 2016
- Posts: 3,050
Now that the forum is back up and working again, I think upon reflection that I just don't understand bus stuff nowadays. North of the border they have (or had) driverless buses. I naively assumed that these were buses with no driver, but no - apparently a driverless bus is one with
2 drivers:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0q0lg3j1exo(Not my real name.)
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,528
It's not been working for me. Had so much to say this week as well
Weird Granny Slater- Location: Dover
- Registered: 7 Jun 2017
- Posts: 3,057
Button wrote:I understood the letter to DDC fine well, the reply from DDC not so much.
Though the questions were addressed to DDC, the reply came from KCC, B.
What's more, that Mr Baker's partner is Communications Manager at EKHUFT suggests either that they don't communicate much or that they do communicate much.
I'm not sure which is more worrying.
Jan Higgins likes this
'Pass the cow dung, my dropsy's killing me' - Heraclitus
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,911
I'm still posting daily
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
TheThinWhiteDuke- Registered: 7 Jul 2016
- Posts: 355
Honestly thought in passing the other night that the work done (so far) at the Pencester Road, Worthington Street and Biggin Street junction looks like a right cheap and messy, half arsed, cowboy job.
Ross Miller likes this
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,528
Pencester Road works delayed until 31st January (for now).
victor matcham- Registered: 5 Oct 2021
- Posts: 1,071
wrong wording there sir I see no improvement work being done in the high st
Matey likes this
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,528
SGN works at the top of Pencester.
SGN works. To allow gas works to be carried out.
Restrictions are planned from 24th February 2025, with estimated completion
by 7th March 2025
Biggin Street will be closed opposite Flat number 20. The one-way Order will be
suspended the entire length.
The one-way Order for Priory Street will be suspended the entire length, to allow
access.
The one-way Order for Worthing Street will be suspended the entire length, to
allow access.
The one-way Order for Pencester Road will be suspended the entire length, to
allow access.
Jan Higgins likes this
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,528
One less diesel bus in service
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,528
Have just walked across the top of Pencester. Is anything actually happening?
Also saw an "electric" fastrack bus at the bottom of Folkestone Road - completely empty - apart from the driver.
'Pass the cow dung, my dropsy's killing me' - Heraclitus