PUTTING COMMUNITY NEEDS FIRST
Sir, I am writing as a follow up to articles and letters over recent weeks about the cuts to the Kirriemuir bus services.
There has been some interest as to my motives in addressing the issues surrounding the bus services in the manner in which I have, so let me set the record straight.
I am a regular passenger on the service 20 (and occasionally the 22 and 128) commuting daily to Dundee.
On hearing of the impending cuts I was initially shocked at the lack of comprehensive consultation; there had been only a cursory survey of passengers and a meeting to which Community Councillors did not receive an invitation.
I am a Community Councillor - a voluntary role, with a responsibility to represent the community views in and around Kirriemuir.
It would have been easy for me to fire off a letter of complaint to the bus company, berate the drivers who were as much in the dark as
the passengers and then take my driving test and get a car.
But this isn't about just me ... my employment is focused on delivering Telecare which includes a basic premise of enabling independent living.
For a person to live independently they need to have access to transport and for many buses are the transport they need.
I can easily change buses in Forfar East High Street (even if I don't want to); others will find this much harder.
I am aiming to consider the big picture and not be micro-focused on one aspect.
Having used the Strathtay services for around five years I have witnessed a degradation in service and I am campaigning in our area, to redress the balance and encourage people to "use them or lose them."
So where next?
Passengers will have the opportunity to share their views in a survey conducted by community councillors over the next few weeks.
If anyone doesn't get a chance when we are out and about they can contact us using the e-mail address below and we will get the
questionnaire to them.
Non bus users are also encouraged to respond to the questionnaire so we have a good understanding of the reasons people are put off using the bus services.
Operational managers have made some progress in working with me in addressing our local cuts and I look forward to that co-operation
continuing.
I look forward to working with the Transport Team at Angus Council in the longer term following the survey.
Mmmmm. There is someone missing from the list ... ah yes, our drivers.
We appreciate those professional and competent drivers who safely deliver us to our destinations, despite the frustrations of unreliable
buses, roadworks and bad weather.
So, most of all, I should like to encourage the drivers to get involved, since ultimately if we do not increase the passenger numbers we could see further cuts to our services.
If there are fewer buses there will be less call for bus drivers too - so this affects you!
I do not work for "the council", as has been incorrectly circulated. I am a volunteer looking to what our community needs from the
various services to it.
I am promoting bus use and that in the long run secures jobs for you and provides for your families ... in the same way that those of us
commuting to our work by bus rely on the service to secure our income.
I look forward to developing a consultative partnership approach to our public transport services and welcome every contribution to that.
Yours etc.,
Cathy Stephenson.
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Weather for Kirriemuir
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -0 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South west
