Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
12 October 2009
07:5230232Keith - you know very well it isn't a case of "don't worry it's only Priory" at all.
Howard, I don't know every rule that comes from the EU, but public serrvice vehicles (ie buses) I'm sure have to be low-floor and DDA compliant, so maybe the Age Concern buses are not brand new, or maybe they're not public serrvice buses.
Thanks Harry - that was exactly the point I was going to make/had made.
All new buses made, have to be DDA compliant - ie low-floor with disabled access (wheel chairs and the electic scooters/buggies or whatever they're called) and with this disabled access, there are very few seats.
I'm not saying we shouldn't have these new low-floor, DDA compliant, easy access, disabled friendly, reduced seats, small buses - we should, but 400 (or whatever) people are not going to make Mercedes (or whoever builds them) design and build them.
Roger
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
12 October 2009
21:4730301Well Sheila looks like from a cllr point of view your on your own
Im around to help if you want
and i know G Cowan happy to
please advise
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
13 October 2009
09:1930340Keith, why are you twisting everything I have said ?
I have not said I won't help. I have not said I don't want the buses; I have not said Sheila can get them on her own.
I have said that the bigger picture of greater and wider lobbying will take it a lot further.
Roger
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
13 October 2009
10:3730347Well then lets get at it and get behind sheila
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
13 October 2009
14:2030359Let's get behind all the residents who want a continuation of the bus service.
Roger
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
13 October 2009
14:2030360Let's get behind all the residents who want a continuation of the bus service.
Roger
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
13 October 2009
14:5730361Always the same. You spend all that time waiting for a post and two come along together!
13 October 2009
16:2330364Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
14 October 2009
06:4530419I liked that too Ed. - and they were my two posts (if I'd noticed them, I would have deleted one , but then you'd have missed the opportunity to make us smile).
Roger
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
14 October 2009
08:0630431Yep
everyone get behind any campaign that will keep the bus service running to maxton.
We used to say use it or lose it,
now its even though you used it they still going to take it from you!
Whens the campaign getting underway sheila
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
14 October 2009
14:1830452another twist to the story, i have been informed by stagecoach(canterbury) that the service is run under contract to kent county council.
the contract expires next april and stagecoach expect KCC to continue the service.
if the contract expires next april, surely the discussions would be underway by now between kcc and any operator.?
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
14 October 2009
21:3730487HOWARD
I think you will find KCC tendered and no oneapplied for the maxton service,
and this happens every tender process we are left with a stagecoach monopoly not there fault when no one applies
but in this case no one wants the contract so maxton loses bus
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
14 October 2009
21:5230488keith
the top man in canterbury stated that kcc expected the service to continue.
mind you, i have my doubts, 3 and a half years before the next county council elections.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
15 October 2009
06:5630501If no one took up the contract, it must have been because they thought the Priory/Maxton route was unviable/unprofitable because not enough people were using it.
Like you and I have said before Keith, "use it or lose it". I would guess that the income generated from this route over the years has shown little generated, so it depends on how important is the service - to the customer and the business running it.
If they have to provide a service , then they have to; if they don't have to, then pressure has to be brought to someone, to provide it.
Roger
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
15 October 2009
07:5030517ROGER
It depends on how you look at public transport service(heed the word service
)
The route is one of the best uses services on the bus routes, the problem is its elderly.
Stagecoach got and gets millions to provide this free service for our elderly, so you could say they get well paid for it.
The biggest issue here though is we will by withdraweing this service make a large number of elderly and young housebound because of the loss of the service.
Thats not something we should encourage.
The bus service has been hard fought for, and Stagecoach have always found every excuse possible(none found to be correct) to get out of the contract.
Its going to be i believe finding a contractor willing to run the service as a public service!!!
Oh for the days when we put the public before profit
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
15 October 2009
09:1630522agree with every word of the above post, the service is very well used and is a lifeline to the immobile.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
15 October 2009
17:3630549No one is disputing the need for the service Howard, but surely the immobile as you put it, would/do, find it difficult getting on and off these old buses ?
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
15 October 2009
18:1330559they much prefer to struggle thn go without their bus service roger.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
15 October 2009
18:1730561well said HOWARD
Guest 667- Registered: 6 Apr 2008
- Posts: 919
15 October 2009
19:0530574Time you got your facts right Keith and stopped living in cuckoo land. ALL Bus Companies used to make far more money when they charged the over 60's half fare, far more than what they get back now for quite rightly running a free service and then have to wait for the funding, they certainly do not make millions from it.
There is nothing wrong with profit certainly not when a Company that is making that profit is putting millions back into better the area with new vehicles.
