Residents of Bradley Stoke will have the chance to have their say on local bus services and fare levels at a consultation event to be held at the Willow Brook Centre on Thursday 25th April.
First Bus is staging the event as part of a major public consultation on bus fares in the Greater Bristol travel to work area.
The consultation process was announced in February, in response to a campaign by Bristol bus user Daniel Farr, who started an e-petition complaining about the cost of First Bus tickets.
A protest rally outside Bristol Bus Station organised by Mr Farr on 1st February was attended by Bradley Stoke North Councillor Ben Walker, who has in the past been critical of the poor reliability of local bus services.
Another local councillor, Robert Jones (Bradley Stoke South) has called on First Bus to “listen and act” on the consultation responses they get back, particularly on the affordability of fares, which he says is a key concern for Bradley Stoke residents.
Announcing the start of the three-month consultation, a statement on the First website reads:
“We understand people’s concern over the cost of travel in Bristol – costs for the industry have risen in recent years, and so have some of the bus fares charged. We have done what we can to keep the price of bus travel as low as possible – for instance creating new tickets, freezing some others and cutting the cost of some monthly season tickets – but we recognise that there is more we can do.”
The event at the Willow Brook Centre on Thursday 25th April runs from 11am until 7pm.
An online version of the consultation questionnaire can be completed at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/fareconsultation
The printed version of the questionnaire will be available at the consultation event on 25th April. Copies will also be available at the First Travel Shop in Bristol city centre (from the end of the month).
More info: ‘A fare hearing for Bristol’ online questionnaire is launched
Is the public transport system in Bradley Stoke up to scratch? If anyone would like to write a letter about this (or any other topic affecting Bradley Stoke) for publication in the first edition of the new Bradley Stoke Journal magazine, which will be distributed FREE to EVERY HOME in Bradley Stoke, here’s how to do it:
Bradley Stoke Journal News Magazine – Letters
Deadline for May edition: Wed 24th April 2013
No.
The route from Cribbs Causeway to Bristol Centre via Bradley Stoke is possibly the longest route that First Bristol runs, and the most prone to traffic delays, congestion.
A bus running late at 1700 is annoying, but can be explained by traffic delays in Bradley Stoke, Ring Road, A38/M32. However a bus running 15 minutes late at 0705 (should be 0650) is hard to understand, and all to frequent!
It might help if Parkway was used as a route terminus, with fast, frequent services to both Cribbs Causeway and the Centre. This will reduce the chances of all the buses for Bradley Stoke being stuck in one jam, but will only work in a Frequent (5 minute) connection service exists.