| Author | Message | ||
| W. M. Le Billon Guest |
REGARDING the Pleinmont bus terminus. Surely the coast road and immediately opposite the Imperial Hotel could be given yellow lines. The 7A bus last Sunday (8 August 2010) was not able to access the stop and had to radio in and continue on with difficulty. This has been an ongoing trouble spot for years, endangering pedestrians, particularly for wheelchairs and prams, with cars parking right along this narrow stretch of road. W. M. LE BILLON. | ||
| Fergus Dunlop Guest |
I REFER to the original media release from the Environment Dept, embargoed to 00:01 on 25 June. It says at the end that comments from the public must arrive ‘no later than Friday 9 June 2010’. The Environment Dept has emphasised the low response rate. This is done 1) by drawing attention to the claim that almost half its responses were received ‘soon after the consultation period closed’. This could be because, some time after 25 June, the Environment Dept appears to have realised that the deadline should have been 8 July, to fit within a strict interpretation of ‘14 days’, as set in law, from 00:01 on 25 June. However this new deadline was not announced. By lunchtime on 9 July, members of the public found to their surprise that the website link for responding had been removed from gov.gg, along with the 25 June media release itself. The Environment Dept therefore needs to clarify its definition of responses ‘received within the legally defined period’ – the subject of its fourth paragraph in the letter. Does this include or exclude responses received on 9 July? If it excludes them, is this fair, since that was the deadline which the Environment Dept gave? 2) by noting the 39 responses and stating that ‘the total number of responses represents less than 2% of regular bus users’. Without knowing which organisations responded on behalf of which members, it is hard to confirm this number. The BUG response alone represented 79 views – 77 survey respondents and two BUG officers. Furthermore, some members of the public told us they did not complete our survey because they were unhappy with its technical wording, although they supported our stance. If other organisations also represented members or supporters who did not otherwise respond, the Environment Dept’s number could be short of the mark. The Environment Dept has used the claim of a low response rate to justify ignoring the voice of the respondents. The Environment Dept and BUG agree that the buses are unloved by a significant portion of the population, possibly a majority of the island – our own survey confirms that at least 30% see no benefit to non-bus users. But whereas the Environment Dept seems content with the status quo, BUG would like them to accept the challenge – to make the buses loved. BUG’s stated aim is that bus use should double in the short-term. Where is the equivalent ambition at the Environment Dept? We want to be co-operative. We are in the group which ‘would not necessarily be opposed to a rise if there were commensurate measures . . .’. However, the Environment Dept letter makes no concession to this view. It recalls steps taken in the past, and implies that these are sufficient mitigations for the current proposal. It explicitly rejects the notion that a fare rise in isolation could discourage bus use. Where is the desire that bus use should continue growing in the future, as part of a road transport strategy? Where is the concern that the average islander apparently takes the bus ‘there-and-back’ only once a month? The opportunity, which BUG pointed out in its consultation response, to reinforce the pro-bus message during this apparently anti-bus process, continues to be ignored. BUG is grateful for the intervention of the deputies who questioned the Environment Dept’s plans, and hopes that they will continue to press for a more balanced approach when they meet the department on 26 July. FERGUS DUNLOP, Co-ordinator, Bus Users Group. | ||
| Rosie Dorey Guest |
IF AN increased bus fare ‘represents excellent value’, as stated by Deputy Sirett, what does that make free parking? Comparing the price of our local bus service with other jurisdictions is only valid if you also compare their price with their car parking charges as well. It is the relative difference between the two that is important as that is what will influence behaviour. There appears to be no logic in stating a desire to encourage an increase in alternative forms of transport while at the same time so obviously stacking the chips in favour of increased car use. This proposed bus fare rise threatens to take Guernsey in exactly the opposite direction to the one that we should be taking, and should be a disappointment to us all. Subsidising an efficient, frequent and inexpensive bus service provides a benefit for the whole community whether you use the service or not, while subsidising car driving in the form of free parking benefits only those who use it while at the same time creating a positive ‘disbenefit’ for the island. We are really behind the times if we think that is the right way to progress. We will have to address this issue sooner or later and the longer we leave it the more painful the process will be. ROSIE DOREY. | ||
| Y. Mahy Guest |
THE proposed increase in the price of bus fares is the wrong way to encourage bus use. The price should come down with the aim to have a free service. £1 is not expensive if you are going from Town to Cobo or Pleinmont but it is if you are only going to the top of the Grange. We are not told how much money the firm takes in cash on the buses or how much in Ormer cards. If the bus company did not have to buy the ticket machine or the people to count the monies or their bank charges, then they would not need to employ inspectors. Why shouldn’t the taxpayer subsidise the buses as we have done with parish churches and dog licences (as it must cost more than £10 to issue them)? Also, when we get new buses they must be electric. Is the increase in fares to make someone else take on Island Coachways when the contract is up for renewal? Y. MAHY. | ||
| L. J. Gallienne Guest |
SO, THE environmentally friendly end up paying more. Is this bad politics or what? I am sure most of us have heard that bus fares are rising from 60p to £1. The bus is environmentally friendly as it carries around 31 passengers who could each choose to use a car or motorbike. The bus also gives off very little in the way of exhaust emissions. Peter Sirett has other options open to him and how to raise the necessary revenue needed to subsidise the buses, such as increases on the motorist, especially the worst polluters, or upping the parking fines etc., and yet he chooses to hit those of us who are helping the environment in our own small way. In this instance, I would say the title of Environment minister is a complete joke and that Mr Sirett should get his priorities right or resign. Fare is fair – the last person the deputy should be hitting is the bus user, who is environmentally friendly. Please rethink. The question everybody should be asking themselves, including the owners of gas guzzling vehicles, is what is more important, the revenue from car sales and petrol/diesel sales or the future of the island and its environmentally conscious people and the pollution levels that will harm Guernsey and the planet? L. J. GALLIENNE. | ||
| Tony Webber Guest |
I WRITE to comment on the exorbitant bus fare increases to take effect from 1 August of this year. The interesting point is that it is a taste of things to come because it was a recommendation by Treasury and Resource's consultants Tribal Helm, who have argued it is an area of government waste. It is also supported by the non-democratic Financial Transformation Executive, who, like Tribal Helm, has a vested interest in such proposals being accepted. As someone who has had a long history of advocating improved bus services at lower costs, I am dismayed at this backward step and how little thought has been put into the consequences of this decision. Putting public funds into the bus services is a decision which was not originally made purely on financial and related grounds, but for sound, environmental reasons. We in this island, through our representatives, decided that we wanted to increase bus usage and decrease car usage by the provision of reliable, better and low-cost bus services. We were achieving success with this policy. Now, with little thought and nil consultation, the Environment Department is risking jeopardising a reasonably well-thought-out policy and encouraging an anti-environmental policy of more car usage. In the past any proposed increase in bus fares or changes in routes etc. would be subject to a public hearing before the Public Transport Licensing Authority. Often, after listening to the verbal and written responses, the authority would back down, or amend the original proposals. That was democracy in action. Now, the Environment Department puts an advertisement in the Guernsey Press telling us what is going to happen and comments are simply invited. Hardly an encouragement to be able to influence a decision which has already been taken. We are told that the increases will raise £400,000, but we are not told what will happen to this money, except that it is needed 'to cover the increased costs of running the service.' In other words, there is going to be no improvement in bus services, and this money will simply reduce the public subsidy and save the department money. But I question the whole concept of saving money in this context because it is a false economy and is a policy of increased car usage. There is also the issue of the visitors to Guernsey who have been told of the excellent value bus services, and who arrive here after 1 August and find they have been misled by Guernsey promotion, and that is not good for our image. In contrast, there appears to have been no examination of the environmental and other benefits of an improved bus service, with lower fares, even fareless (fareless services are quicker because they don't hold up traffic and don't have waiting time due to passengers paying fares). There is no acceptance of the fact that the current service still needs vast improvement, needs to cover more of the island and become more commuter friendly. There is no argument put forward to obtain this £400,000 (or more) from a small increase in petrol tax. Why is this whole subject narrowed down to the agenda which suits the Environment Department, rather than a broader one? This matter brings into focus whether we should have our government departments deciding on economic proposals which affect the cost of living and people's budgets, without referring such matters to the States for final decision making. This decision appears to have been made in isolation to the effects on economic policy, other government departments, and indeed the limited environmental policy we have. Hardly joined up government, yet this is a proposal firmly supported by Tribal Helm and the Financial Transformation Executive. This should be an early warning sign that the sooner these two bodies, who are further confusing an already confused government, are removed, the sooner we will have decision making based on facts, proper analysis, use of local expertise, and importantly, full public consultation. And we will save money instead of spending it on bureaucracy and expensive out-of-touch consultants. TONY WEBBER. anthonywebber@ cwgsy.net | ||
| Victoria Berryman Guest |
IN LIGHT of M. Taylor's second letter published on 25 May, we would just like to reiterate that if a passenger retains their ticket, Island Coachways will be able to identify the driver in question. VICTORIA BERRYMAN, Account Executive, Orchard PR, Television House, Bulwer Avenue, St Sampson's, GY2 4LA. | ||
| M. Taylor Guest |
WHEN I wrote about the problems I, and others, were experiencing with the way some buses were being driven, I was too annoyed and upset to give an overall picture, so here goes. About a quarter of drivers, I estimate, are excellent and, despite some difficult road surfaces and widths, make being a passenger a real pleasure. Probably half are not bad and passengers are seldom upset at the odd error, and are seldom bruised or thrown around. Most are pleasant and smile readily. A quarter of drivers simply don't see a problem when they accelerate around corners, when they don't give passengers time to seat themselves before moving off, when they go faster than they should down hills, across roundabouts and continually go too fast, jam on the brakes, go too fast again, and when they crowd the vehicle in front. We passengers get a ringside seat and my foot is hard down on an imaginary brake. Remember why passengers travel by bus - some are good citizens; some are tired of trying to find a parking space; some can't drive; some are disabled; some are 65 and over; some can't afford a car. Many of these are in pain due to age, disease and disability. Our poor drivers need to remember that a good proportion of passengers are, like me, in constant pain and need consideration. The roads and buses being how they are, need to be allowed for. Passengers are so vulnerable and indifference from a driver means more pain, extra danger and outright fear to many. Since I first posted the initial letter I've noticed a big improvement in some drivers and even the many good ones seem better. To them may I give my gratitude. Can I suggest that drivers wear a name badge too. There have been many instances when kindness has been shown to me and my friends but there isn't any way to thank them by recommendation. M. TAYLOR | ||
| Hannah Beacom Guest |
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your reader's comments regarding our service. Island Coachways has a full complement of drivers and we aim for every member of our team to deliver a safe and high-quality service to the travelling public. We work to achieve this through our training programme, driver supervision and, when appropriate, discipline. The drivers within our team boast a range of nationalities. However, we do not have any German staff on the team at present - with further information we may be able to establish which employee your reader is referring to and I would ask them to get in touch with our customer services manager, Ann Belben, directly on 720210 to discuss this matter further. Island Coachways takes all customer feedback very seriously and we have in place a strict procedure for handling all customer comments and complaints, which I have outlined below. To ensure we investigate an incident properly, our dedicated customer services manager, who is trained to deal with such situations, will take as much information as possible from the member of the public. This allows us to establish exactly the sequence of events. Following the receipt of this information, we would discuss the events with the appropriate driver. Where necessary, and if a discrepancy within the information occurs, we would download the relevant CCTV footage and review this closely. If appropriate, we will also take the driver through the CCTV information. If we conclude that it's the correct course of action, we will retrain and supervise individual drivers. In such instances, any drivers who do not comply with our training procedures are unlikely to have a future with Island Coachways as we do not tolerate unsafe driving. Operating within a service-led industry, we continually work to ensure we deliver a high level of customer service to our passengers, in particular understanding the needs of our many elderly and often vulnerable passengers. We are disappointed that your reader feels compelled to refrain from using the service and I would once again invite them to get in touch with our customer services manager to discuss their experiences further. Hannah Beacom, Managing director, Island Coachways | ||
| M. Taylor Guest |
IT IS with great reluctance that I write today. In the last two years I gave up owning a car and started to use the buses. I had some unpleasant memories from 30 years ago of being thrown about by buses starting off before I had sat down, groceries being thrown onto the floor etc., but decided to give it a go. In the time I've used the buses recently, I've noticed a sharp demarcation line between good drivers and bad. The poor drivers cling to the back of the vehicle in front, accelerate around the corners (throwing passengers all over the place), go as fast as the bus will let them down the Grange, don't let the passengers sit down before jerkily starting off and drive the bus as if it's a car. I've got off buses shaking. Once, an apparently German driver refused to stop at the stop I wanted to get off at, as I hadn't rung the bell. I say he's German as he had the plummy German accent that Benny Hill parodied. I'm being treated for hearing difficulties and couldn't understand what he was saying. Three of us ladies got off a bus, which had shot down the Grange and along the front. We were all shaken and I had to sit down. To complain to the office or a bus inspector is useless. You're made to feel stupid and picky. With some drivers, it's a pleasure to be on their bus. They give you time to sit down and you don't get bruised by being thrown about on corners. I'm usually trying to keep my groceries on my lap and I get bruised wrists on the metal bar or seat in front. Passengers should not have to get off the buses shaking, bruised and frightened and drivers should not accelerate on corners, intimidate the passengers, not let older passengers sit down before moving off and be generally uncaring as to how their driving affects their passengers. All the time the supervisors and bosses let them get away with it because of staff shortages, the more they think it's OK. All the adverts say to use the buses but I'm so fed up I'm saving up for another car. If the drivers don't like their jobs, are bored and don't care if their passengers get hurt or frightened, I suggest they look for other jobs. One day it will result in an older person, or child, being badly injured. M. TAYLOR. | ||
| Wendy Goddard Guest |
AS AN ex-resident and now on a visit to my family, I am impressed with the bus service and have used it frequently from Houmet to Town to meet friends. The buses usually arrive on time and the other week was, of course, a bonus with free travel. I am now the proud owner of a new Ormer card. But please, can there be a shelter at this very exposed place at Houmet? It is painful waiting in the cold wind and when it is raining, one requires full waterproofs. WENDY GODDARD | ||
| M. Gudgeon Guest |
I REFER to Matt Marquis' letter concerning the standard of driving by bus drivers that he has recently experienced. As a pedestrian, motorbike user, motorist and occasional bus user, I must say I agree with him. I understand Hannah Beacom asking him to get in touch with Island Coachways to discuss his concerns, but the thing is, there is a public perception that the standard of driving by Island Coachways drivers has indeed deteriorated over, say, the last six months or so. It's funny that Matt should mention a woman bus driver... I hate to sound sexist, but I crossed her path earlier today. Riding my motorbike down Route de Carteret towards Cobo, I was just about to go past three or four cars parked on the side of the road when an Island Coachways bus pulled out of Rue de Bouverie and forced me to brake sharply and wait for it to pass by. Now forgive me if I'm wrong but if I'm not mistaken, 1) I had right of way, and 2) as a vulnerable road user, the bus driver should have been aware of my presence and allowed me to pass before pulling out into Route de Carteret? Admittedly I shook my head in dismay, but all she did was wave her hands from side to side in some sort of cynical and dismissive gesture. Going back a day, I was out running on Thursday evening, and on my way home ran up Le Gele Road from the coast. It was dark and I was wearing a hi-viz shirt. I could hear a bus behind me and carried on running on the pavement. Again, as a vulnerable road user, I have right of way. However, the bus driver obviously lost his/her patience, because after a few seconds or so, he/she forced his/her way past me. Granted, the bus did not mount the kerb, but the footpath is very narrow in places on Le Gele Road and it was dark at the time. It didn't stop the bus driver from passing me with inches to spare. That's just not clever - it's downright stupid and dangerous. Besides that, while in my car, I've noticed buses taking corners and bends far wider than usual, with little concern for other road users. And as a passenger, I've been on buses with drivers who have very limited knowledge of routes and stops. So, maybe there is some substance in Matt's comments, and maybe it's time Island Coachways took both these comments and public perception seriously. M. GUDGEON. | ||
| Matt Marquis Guest |
I THINK it was on Sunday that I was wondering how I didn't just meet my maker after going past an Island Coachways bus that I first thought 'the next time I get cut up by a bus, I am going to write to the Press and have a well deserved rant'. Well, it's now Wednesday and I find myself writing this... no surprise really that it only took three days. I would like to know what has happened to the art of bus driving in Guernsey? Did it die with the last generation of bus drivers or indeed buses, or has the credit crunch also affected Island Coachways so much so that if you can ride a bicycle, then you can drive a bus on the cheap? About a year ago there was a push for more people to use the buses to save the environment. I figured buses were the cheap version of taxis as they can pick up and drop off anywhere - as I have been behind a bus that stopped 12 times from the roundabout at the top of Colborne Road to Sausmarez Manor (no lie). I went on the web to find out what routes there were and times etc. but the site was down, so my wife and I walked with our daughter in a buggy to Town. We thought we would catch a bus home. After asking the helpful and friendly assistant (ahem... ) at the kiosk which bus to take, we waited and then jumped on a bus. On asking the driver if he was driving past Manor Stores, it became clear this was going to be bus roulette as he looked at me, smiled and said 'I don't know' in a foreign accent. We sat down and waited to depart on our mystery tour as a woman with a barge on wheels for a pram took up half the bus and made others pack their buggies up and play pass the baby as her contraption didn't pack up. I decided on this journey that would be the end of my very brief days as a bus user, so this forced me back on to the roads in a car. Now, one of three things has happened in recent years: either there has been a States meeting that decided that buses have more rights than anyone else on the roads and that if you don't move you will get wiped out, Kellogg's have run a promotion giving away licences on cereal packets or there has been a dramatic increase in bus joyriding. I could go on and list each time in the last couple of years that I have had a near miss with a bus in Guernsey but then we would need a separate supplement in the Press. I think the main problem is that buses are restricted to 25mph. Although it's good that they stick to this speed on the straights - they don't need to hit corners and junctions at the same speed. Coming down the Val des Terres the other day I had to stop as the bus coming up was on my side of the road and had I mounted the pavement, I would have wiped out a family walking up. Yesterday I foolishly made the mistake of thinking that the filter in turn at the Prince Albert statue actually meant you had to filter in turn. I failed to realise that if a bus is running late, they take priority over us road minions. The woman bus driver pulled out directly following a motorcycle - me, having a bit of bus rage, held a hand above my steering wheel to say 'what are you doing?' and the woman smiled back at me, which went down like a lead balloon. I was just moving my hand to let her know what my car horn sounded like in anger when I witnessed something that summed up today's bus driver. An elderly couple were getting out the back of a car that had pulled in at the end of the bus lay-by at the Piquet House, when the bus pulled up behind the stopped car and sounded its horn several times to move them. She actually had the audacity to use the same arm motion that I did to her seconds earlier. I for one will never use another bus on this island and in future, instead of putting my own life in danger or breaking the law by mounting pavements to avoid a bus coming the opposite way that doesn't slow down, I will legally slow down or stop in the road and if I get hit, then I will claim. Have you been injured in the last 12 months and it has not been your fault? No win no fee - remember that, Island Coachways. MATT MARQUIS. GP Editor's footnote: Hannah Beacom, managing director, Island Coachways replies: 'At Island Coachways, we take any feedback seriously. I would ask that your correspondent contacts our customer care manager, Ann Belben, so that we can investigate further.' | ||
| Mike Mauger Guest |
I READ with disbelief that the States of Guernsey are expecting the taxi trade to subsidise our competition with respect to the buses. Taxi fares are a contentious issue at the best of times, but imagine the reaction when we apply for (and I assure you we will be) an increase to cover this duty. Bear it in mind that the subsidy is to allow the bus company to offer discounted fares, which therefore will attract more of our (taxi) customers. Morally, taxing one business to subsidise its competition cannot be right. To attract the public out of their cars, one can see a connection between paid parking and buses. But taxis and buses? I don't think so. The taxi trade does not, and I repeat does not, want to put up fares. However, to be able to provide a sustainable and viable service, it is not unreasonable for us to cover our costs and protect our profit margin. I am also aware of the impact increase in fares has on passenger numbers, so you will understand our frustration with the States of Guernsey by subsidising the bus service in this way. With respect to the editor's comments referring to the taxi trade in the Opinion column on Saturday 21 November, I am saddened that he thinks of our trade with such low esteem, and I quote: 'the competition-free taxi price cartel.' As I have said before, taxi fares are a contentious subject. I would like to clarify the details of taxi 'ownership' and fares. Taxi drivers do not 'own' taxi plates. They are issued a permit/licence from the Environment Department, of which there are several conditions. Albeit there is a transfer value, the 'ownership' remains with the States of Guernsey. The States of Guernsey are at liberty to change the conditions of issue whenever they deem it prudent. (A bank will not lend money using the transfer value as surety.) With respect to fares, these are set by the Environment Department, not the taxi trade. The taxi trade make applications for fare increases, which (by law) have to be advertised in La Gazette Officielle to give the public the opportunity to oppose any increase. The Environment Department will then consider all the facts and make the final decision. Since I have been involved, the increases have been at or below RPI. With respect to competition, externally we have the buses, the public 'don't book a taxi, I will drive' and Home James. Internally there are more than 100 independent permit/licence holders. The business houses, hotels and the like will have their favoured taxis. Why? Because these individuals offer a good, reliable, value-for-money service and (quite rightly) reap the rewards. The fares set by the Environment Department are maximum fares. I know of several drivers who have a fixed reduced fare for some of their elderly customers. To summarise, the taxi trade are totally against having to subsidise the buses and are disappointed that the editor considers us a 'competition-free taxi price cartel'. MIKE MAUGER, Taxi Federation. taxifederation@ cwgsy.net. | ||
| Tony Webber Guest |
IN A recent comment to the Guernsey Press, Hannah Beacon, managing director of Island Coachways, said that the States of Guernsey had no experience of running a bus company. Also that expertise would need to be brought in from outside the island. I found this comment quite staggering because I thought she would have some knowledge of the history of the island's bus services. However, the facts are that when there was the demise of the old Guernsey Railway Company, the then Advisory and Finance Committee exercised prompt political leadership and for some time operated a very well run States free bus service. It is a shame that was not continued, because the decision to use private operators caused a long period of uncertainty, confusion and deterioration of our island bus services. I was very active on this issue and was chairman of the Guernsey Free Bus Committee, which advocated fareless services and then became chairman of the Campaign for Improved Bus Services. Eventually, and by then I was a States member, the politicians finally accepted that for environmental and other reasons, the States should invest money in our bus services. The result was the States owning the buses and the operating of the services being carried out by Island Coachways. I have no dispute with the good work done by Hannah Beacon and Island Coachways, but the reality is that the States are perfectly capable of running our bus services. Indeed if the profit element is removed, there might be an opportunity to increase services and reduce fares. I hope that if the Environment Department do go ahead with an investigation (yet another one costing yet more vital taxpayers' money) that they look at the advantages of fareless bus routes. Just think how many more people would use the service for a small additional investment by the States. Further advantages are quicker journey times and no holding up of traffic when passengers get on and pay their fares. TONY WEBBER. | ||
| Hannah Beacom Guest |
On behalf of Island Coachways, I would like firstly to apologise for any inconvenience caused on the morning of Wednesday 30 September. The driver of the vehicle on this day was new to the route and unfortunately he was running approximately 10 minutes late when he reached the Chain House in St Andrew's. The reason for the delay to this service and the collection of the passengers waiting at the Chain House was due to the driver taking a wrong turn. Once the driver realised his mistake, he turned the vehicle around to ensure he was back on the correct route, notifying Island Coachways' office staff of the error that had been made. During the attempt to get back on route, the bus travelled in the opposite direction, passing the children waiting at the bus stop at the Chain House. He did not make an attempt to collect these children as he was going in the wrong direction and this would have been unsafe. When the driver arrived at the stop travelling in the correct direction, he collected the remaining schoolchildren but by this time the others had already left to walk to school or had been picked up by their parents. Island Coachways would advise that if this was to occur in the future, the children should stay and wait at the stop and phone Island Coachways or get their parents to contact us to enable our staff to find out where the vehicle is and when it is due to collect them. I can assure you that we liaise regularly with each of the schools to update them if services will be late arriving. I would like to take this opportunity to once again apologise following this incident. Delays of this nature do not occur regularly on this service and we have not received notification from other parents or Les Beaucamps High School that this has happened before. Hannah Beacom, Managing director, Island Coachways | ||
| A. De La Mare Guest |
SCHOOL buses, now where do you start? On the morning of 30 September, my son left home as normal and waited by the Chain House in St Andrew's, as he does for the school bus to collect him and take him to Les Beaucamps High School. However, this was not the case as the school bus drove straight past all the children waiting at the bus stop and did not stop. All the children on the bus were shouting and waving at the children waiting for the bus. Can you tell me that the bus driver did not see them? I don't think so. I am aware that one mum took some of the children to school from the bus stop. However, she did not offer to come back and take the others to school, so my son, who is in Year 7 and only 11, decided he would walk to school with one of our neighbours' children, who is in Year 9, making her 13. Luckily one of my friends drove past and collected both my and my neighbour's child, by which time they were walking down Candie Road and for those of you who are not aware of this road, it is very busy and it is not a road for young children to walk down. There were also two tractors on the side of the road and if the children had got that far, this would have meant them having to step in the road to get past. At lunchtime I went and spoke to the woman who was in the information kiosk at the bus terminus to find out what had happened, as I was aware of many angry parents by this time. I asked why the bus had driven past and I was told, no, he was very late as it was a new driver and he got lost. This is not good enough. Our children use these buses every day and we, as parents, expect to receive a service from the bus company. I think that in this circumstance we have been let down and it should not happen again, even though I am aware it has happened in the past. Then my son has advised me that on the way home on 1 October, the driver was driving very erratically. A. DE LA MARE | ||
| Sue & Trevor Taylor Guest |
WHAT a surprise we had, nearly fell out of our MGB Roadster on seeing it. 'The Guernsey Party Bus' travelling along the Whitchurch bypass in Shropshire late on Sunday afternoon (27 September). What's afoot we said, is it one big party and why don't we know about it? Has it forgotten to stop at the Bridge, grown water wings and made an escape thinking the grass is greener on the other side? Perhaps you could investigate and let us know. Should it need to be tracked, netted and returned, then we could carry that out. By now it could be quite disorientated, dehydrated and suffering from agoraphobia, pining for its sunny island surrounded by blue seas. We are only concerned for its welfare, as being frequent visitors to your lovely island we cannot possibly understand why it would want to leave. SUE AND TREVOR TAYLOR. | ||
| M. Taylor Guest |
LAST November my 20-year-old Mazda had finally to be scrapped. Since then I've relied on buses, taxis and an occasional hire car. On the good side, I've made a lot of friends (driving yourself is very isolating when you also live alone) and have been able to see around me, which isn't wise in a car. On the bad side, I've been able to appreciate how difficult it is sharing even a large bus with people who have spent all day drinking at their favourite pub. I catch the 6N and 6AS, which means I get down virtually outside my house, and so do two of the heaviest drinkers on the Bridge. One is relatively well behaved much of the time. The other is a distinctly elderly chap, who wears a hat, summer and winter. This gentleman's behaviour has worsened over the past months. He talks continually, spitting as he swears, rants and raves and glares at everyone on the bus or at the bus stop. Getting past him to exit the bus is a nightmare. Last week I began to feel I'd had enough and rang the bus company. The nice woman who answered initially said that while she appreciated the problem, as long as he paid his fare, there wasn't much they could do. I pointed out that people were walking instead of being on the bus with him, and how upsetting the situation was, not only for passengers but for the drivers. After more discussion, we put the phone down. On Friday, I went to the Bridge and at the last minute the drunk appeared and I thought, 'Oh, no.' To my surprise, the bus driver refused to let him on the bus. On the way out, everyone thanked him and one woman said how frightened she was of him (the drunk) and how grateful she was. I don't know if this was a decision by the bus driver, an Austrian (?) gentleman, or by the bus company, but it does show that by making our feelings known, we were able to stop intimidation. The moral of this story is that if you just let a problem happen, and not let it be known that it is a problem, you'll have to put up with it. By dealing with it we know that, with this bus driver at least, we're safe and can enjoy the bus ride. M. TAYLOR | ||
| Hannah Beacom Guest |
Though we had been consulted during the winter on the possibility of the closure, the decision to close the St Peter Port seafront on Sundays throughout the summer was made by the Culture and Leisure Department too late to communicate this change to our passengers within the summer timetable. If this decision had been made earlier, we would have considered retimetabling our services for the benefit of our passengers, despite this being a time consuming exercise. Instead, we have decided to treat the closure as a diversion and run as best as possible to timetable. Due to the nature of the services we provide, moving the terminus to North Beach during this closure would not assist in the smooth running of our operations. We are aware that during this time, our services heading north follow a large diversion. However, if we were to move the terminus to North Beach, all services heading south would have to follow the diversion. If we were to split our operations into northbound and southbound services and run from both locations, a great deal of operational planning would be required as our drivers' shifts would need to be reworked. Again, with the lack of notice, we were not in a position to consider splitting our bus workings for Sundays. The correspondent's mother is a regular passenger that we have identified from the letter. Regarding the outbound trip, the driver took the published timetabled route, as the seafront had not yet closed. The driver exited town by St Julian's Avenue and the Grange, unfortunately missing the stop where the passenger was waiting. Regarding the return trip, as our driver's conduct was not up to the company's expected standards on this occasion, we would appreciate if the correspondent could contact us direct so we can take the opportunity to speak directly with this driver and review our CCTV footage regarding this matter. Island Coachways fully supports the summer seafront closure initiative. Although we are aware that the diversions we have put in place will inconvenience some passengers, we hope that would be outweighed by the benefit to many islanders as they take the opportunity to enjoy the seafront area during the closure. I would be very keen to speak directly with the correspondent or his/her mother so we can ensure that we provide a better service on any subsequent Sunday. I would be grateful if he/she could contact Ann Belben, our customer care manager. Hannah Beacom, Managing director, Island Coachways | ||
| Anon Guest |
ON SUNDAY 19 July I called Island Coachways to ask which direction the 9.50am No. 4 bus would be going because of the seafront closure. This bus would normally go up the Grange. I was informed that no buses would be going from the North Beach area as has previously been the case, and No. 4 would be going via Trinity Square. My mother is elderly, partially sighted, carries a white cane, and relies on the bus service to get around. She tries to be as independent as possible within her capabilities, using familiar footpaths and as few crossings as possible. As there are several crossings to get to this stop from her home, I walked with her (I do not own a car). I am so glad I stayed with her as no bus came, so we walked to the terminus to be informed that the bus had gone up the Val des Terres and the next bus at 10.50 would be going via Trinity Square. Why the change? Your guess is as good as mine. On my mother's return to Town on the No. 4 later in the day, the bus diverted from the top of the Grange through Brock Road, Doyle Road and down Vauvert. She asked to be let off at the bottom of Vauvert so she could use the crossing there. The driver refused and said she had to go to the terminus. She had to ask him quite forcefully to stop and he did so eventually, at Trinity Square. She was not sure just which pavement he had stopped at, was disoriented and visibly upset and shaken by this experience. It has knocked her confidence. Bearing in mind, because of her disability, she cannot use a mobile to call for our help. I would like to say at this point that most of the drivers are most kind and helpful to her. Incidentally, all buses from the north that come along the seafront were directed up the Avenue, Grange, Vauvert and down Bordage. How you got from the terminus to St Sampson's I dare not ask. I have no idea how you would get a bus west, but do not waste your time on a Sunday waiting in the Avenue or the Grange or basically anywhere on the normal route. I do not believe either the States or Island Coachways have thought about the inconvenience to those who rely on the bus service that every Sunday throughout the summer, the buses just do not come their way. Of course there is no mention of these closures in the bus timetables. What message does it send our tourists waiting at bus stops for ages and no buses come by? How do you explain that almost all routes are disrupted because a small stretch of seafront is closed for an entire day? I have no objection to this initiative but at least organise the buses so that they may depart from and arrive at the North Beach. Name and address withheld. wilbury89@ yahoo.com | ||
| M. Taylor Guest |
TODAY I phoned the helpline for bus information and found out that the 'green cards' they use have an indefinite life span. The cheerful chap at the other end made me an honorary Guernsey donkey (been here since I was five) and was very helpful. I got on the 1.12pm to the Bridge, via Pembroke, and the driver was very careful to wait while people sat down before he moved off. He didn't accelerate around the corners and he didn't brake hard as he was such a good driver. On the way home a different driver did very much a repeat performance. It was a pleasure to be on their buses. However, who is the grumpy old chap who talks to them on their intercom? I wouldn't stand being spoken to as if I were a two-year-old. No wonder we have difficulty recruiting drivers. Passengers notice and I have heard mutterings of 'about time he retire' etc. He spoils a top-class service (comments by visitors I've spoken to), in a wonderful island. M. TAYLOR PS - I was waiting for information on bus times at the station kiosk - it turns out that the lady on duty there speaks fluent German, English and French. I don't believe there can be many bus station kiosks that can boast these sort of facilities. I regularly follow the news and noticed that there was an earthquake in South West China, 5.7, and which destroyed 10,000 homes. Two hours later this news was gone. Is the destruction of so many homes and, presumably, the disruption of 40,000 lives, and the deaths of some, of so little importance that it only merits a few hours on the news channel of the BBC? If this had happened in Bognor Regis, it would have been on the news for weeks. With regard to the teacher who attempted to murder his pupil, I know several teachers in the UK. Since corporal punishment was banned by a misguided government, some youngsters have held teachers (and parents) with blackmail. My sympathy is with the teacher. I know of one who has been near breakdown level for three years due to a few pupils he has to teach in the UK. |
