Green Party

Norwich City Council's Scrutiny Committee has recommended that a Bus Users group and Bus Policy group be set up to give residents and councillors more of a say in how bus services in Norwich are run. The committee also wants consideration of how new legislation could be used to improve bus services – with one possibility being the introduction of a Quality Bus Contract to keep fares down.

The City Council Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday 22nd October to reassess the provision of local bus services within the Greater Norwich area – this was to follow-up on progress since a joint review by Norfolk, Norwich, Broadland and South Norfolk councils made recommendations in February 2008.

The meeting welcomed progress since the review, particularly that bus operators will be shortly introducing a multi-operator day pass that may be used to travel across the area on a single ticket. However, concern was expressed by Green Party County Councillor Andrew Boswell that no progress had been made on some key recommendations of the review, such as setting up a Bus Policy group.

Councillor Andrew Boswell said: "This Policy group would bring together the main stakeholders from the councils and bus companies to work more closely together on services, and ensure that bus operators in Norwich provide an efficient and reliable service to users."

Adrian Ramsay, Leader of the Green Party City Councillors, added: "These new groups are essential to allowing residents and councillors to give feedback on how bus services should be improved. I think that the new legislation could be very helpful. Residents often raise with me the fact that First bus prices have risen significantly in recent years. A Quality Bus Contract should be considered to keep fares under control and affordable to Norwich residents."

The committee recommended that the working party be reconvened for one or two meetings to draw up Terms of Reference for the Bus Policy group and also a Bus Users group, and to discuss how an electronic map of bus services could be produced.

Committee chair, Green Party City Councillor Claire Stephenson said: "We need to encourage more people to use buses in Norwich to reduce congestion and pollution. We also need to make the service as accessible, cheap and easy as possible for users. The electronic map would provide up-to-date information on bus routes. We’re calling for the working group to reconvene to ensure these recommendations from its original review get carried forward."

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Kaylana
Posts: 2

yNofQwoaRRk
Reply #2 on : Fri June 24, 2011, 11:04:08

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I am ttoally wowed and prepared to take the next step now.

Joe Public
Posts: 2

Re: Norwich City Council's Scrutiny Committee has recommended that a Bus Users group and Bus Policy
Reply #1 on : Fri November 27, 2009, 17:57:25

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do you really need these groups to 'give you feedback' on how bus services should be run?

I hoped a strong local Green Party might do something about buses that don't turn up, something about improving the number of buses and something about the price of fares.

Seems they're as bas as, or worse, than ever