Bus cuts hit hard

MPs warn that the most vulnerable are being hit by cuts in bus services. We know that in Cranfield. The report comes out in the middle of the recess  (albeit the MPs are back for one day due to the riots) and sadly will soon be forgotten. The social background of train users is such that there is a fearsome row when service is poor but bus  users have almost no clout.







Radio 4 Today programme


BBC

Cuts to bus services in England are a threat to the most vulnerable people in society, a report by MPs says.

It says elderly and disabled people are being stopped from working, taking part in education or accessing healthcare. The government called the funding situation "challenging" but said it was closely monitoring the situation. Local authority budget cuts have affected subsidised services - such as rural routes - and pushed up fares, says the Transport Select Committee.


From the Independent 

Cuts in bus services will affect rural areas

By Peter Woodman, PA

Thursday, 11 August 2011

• • LARGE
  • EXTRA LARGE

The English bus industry is facing its greatest financial challenge for a generation, a report by MPs said today.

Funding changes by the Government have had an adverse impact on local bus services and the level of bus fares, the report by the House of Commons Transport Committee said.

The Government must not "wash its hands" of all responsibility for local bus services, the committee added.

The committee's report covered bus services in England, excluding London, in the light of the Government's 2010 spending review.

The report said the review had included three funding decisions which had "created the greatest financial challenge for the English bus industry for a generation".

The committee called on the Department for Transport to monitor the extent of bus service cutbacks and review service provision

Women's Institute

Meanwhile back to the parish pump or should it be on the parish stump? Parish Councillor Jill Brocklebank and I are doing a presentation to Cranfield WI next Monday evening about the work we do.  The WI once threw off its fusty image with Calendar girls. I don't think Jill and I can equal that but we might come up with a few humorous moments as we explain why parish councils do make a difference to your life.

No surprises

I heard back from Stagecoach as follows:


On 9 Aug 2011, at 15:35, Philip Norwell wrote:

Dear Mr Pollock
Thank you for your email. I can appreciate your concern in respect of those students wishing to stay on at school later, however the change in timetable is actually designed to benefit potential customers from Cranfield who wish to travel into Kempston and Bedford. The overall journey time for these customers, who are the majority, is significantly reduced - whilst the facility to Kempston Saxon Centre is maintained.

It is still possible to travel back from Wooton following after school activities, by travelling on new route 53 to Kempston Saxon Centre and then changing onto the new number 52 back to Cranfield. Buses leave Wooton at 10 and 40 minutes past each hour, arriving at Kempston 8 minutes later. Bus 52 leaves Kempston Saxon Centre at 40 minutes past each hour arriving at Cranfield Village at 08 minutes past the hour. Therefore a student, for example, leaving Wooton at 1710 will arrive back in Cranfield at 1808, having changed at Kempston (including allowing 22 minutes for the change). I fully understand that this is not as good as the direct bus home, but those making the journey are in fact very few.

This route is entirely commercial, in that it does not receive any funding from the local authority, Central Bedfordshire; our focus is therefore to offer the majority of potential customers a more attractive service. I believe this has been achieved and would suggest you talk to the local authority about this facility if you believe it is a social need that is not being met by commercial bus operators, such as ourselves. It is they who have the responsibility to decide whether this is the case and the mechanism to address this.



In reply I stated:
Dear Mr Norwell we have recently had presentations about changes to local services from the police and education managers. In the past health providers have done the same.
Stagecoach has not had the decency even to inform local residents in Cranfield about the impending changes, let alone seek their views. We only discovered the planned changes indirectly. I am fully aware of the deregulated, profit driven nature of modern public transport and Central Beds' indifference to supporting evening and Sunday services is a matter of record.
Users might be more confident about your  change-at-Kempston solution if they could rely on Stagecoach buses turning up on time, not leaving early, or arriving at all.





You can contact Laurence Pollock on 07801 665961 or broadgreen68@btinternet.com

Comment on Times and Citizen story

Budge Wells is completely missing the point in his comments in the Times and Citizen. It is true that Central Beds Council is washing its hands of supporting evening and weekend public transport. 

A senior councillor I spoke to from Cranfield didnt even know these changes were happening. 

But the council's lead for education and young people, Mark Versallion, should be getting involved. Does he even know? Or care?

Stagecoach has redesigned a commercial service into two different routes indifferent to the impact on an important group in the local community. We need public representatives to be calling on them to change. These changes should be put on ice and looked at again - this time listening to the community.

Stop the bus madness now

Stagecoach should pull back from introducing new timetables that cut bus links from Wootton to Cranfield. I have written to Stagecoach today stating:

You will be aware that the new 52 and 53 timetables, which we have had not had any warning about are set to have a major impact on the travelling public in Cranfield. I have received many emails. particularly from concerned parents of young people who regularly use service buses to travel back forth to Wootton Upper School. This is a  major disruption to their education and opportunities for  extra curricular activities outside school hours.

To repeat we have not had any indication that this was in store and we would have made our oppostion very clear.

I am now calling publicly for Stagecoach to suspend the implementation of these timetables to allow for further discussion. The Parish Council and Cranfield University have worked fruitfully with Milton Keynes regarding solutions to the needs of evening bus users. I believe we should have the same opportunity with regard to Bedford buses without being presented with a fait accompli.

Central Beds also needs to reassess its unwillingness to support Sunday services. This was a  policy change that was never consulted on and was not included in budget cuts announced publicly in December. 

Look East tomorrow

Rina Persaud and I should be appearing on BBC Look East tomorrow morning and evening protesting about bus services between Wootton and Cranfield being  axed without warning or even the barest information.

I will be alerting Wootton Upper school about the issue and contacting both Stagecoach, our Central Beds councillors and the CBC executive leads for both transport and education about the changes. I have had many emails from parents and family members alarmed at the impact these changes will have on young people in the village.

Contact Laurence Pollock on 07801 665961 broadgreen68@btinternet.com

BBC Look East

Look East coming this afternoon to interview Mrs Persaud and myself about the buses. 

Bus row escalates

From today's Times and Citizen

http://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/news/local/bedford/students_face_bus_nightmare_1_2929630

Students face bus nightmare

PUPILS travelling from Cranfield to school in Wootton by public transport will soon be forced to make two bus journeys after Stagecoach announced plans to axe the V1 service.

The Cranfield to Bedford service is set to be withdrawn from August 21, and concerns have been expressed that anyone travelling from Cranfield to Wootton by public transport will be forced to get two buses.

The V1 route will be split into the 52 service going from Cranfield to Marston to Bedford, and the route 53 Wootton to Bedford service.

Parent Rina Persaud has criticised the decision, saying her son who attends Wootton Upper School will now have make nearly a two-hour journey to get into school.

Mrs Persaud, who lives in Cranfield, said: “I can’t believe that they are going to be cutting this service.

“A lot of pupils at Wootton live in Cranfield and I think it’s awful that an already long bus journey is going to be split into two different services.

“Wootton prides itself on extra-curricular activities and it often holds revision classes after school, which means pupils miss the school bus and have to get public transport.

“My son is in sixth form and he studies drama, which means he sometimes has to stay later. And some days he only has one period, so has to get the public bus service.”

The changes to the service mean that anyone travelling from Cranfield to Wootton will need to get a bus to Bedford and then change and get another bus from Bedford to Wootton – a journey that could take up to two hours.

Mrs Persaud added: “I have been trying to fight this, and I thought Central Beds Council may offer some help – but when I spoke to them it seemed that they weren’t that bothered.”

Deputy executive member for sustainable communities services at Central Beds, Councillor Budge Wells, said: “All children from Cranfield and Marston Moretaine areas will still be able to travel to and from Wootton Upper School by means of the school bus services that Central Bedfordshire Council provides, during normal school hours.

“The council is concerned that this service change will impact on residents wishing to travel from Cranfield to Wootton, though recognises Stagecoach’s right to make changes to its commercial bus services, which the council does not subsidise.

“While the council would like to continue to support a commercial service under threat with a subsidy, in the current financial climate we are unable to do so.”

Stagecoach was unavailable to comment at the time of going to press.

Traffic calming

How many times has this story been round the block? We have new puffs of smoke from Amey about the traffic calming. This email is to a parishioner:

I am sorry that we have not been able to proceed with this in as timely a manner as we would have wished. There are a number of reasons for this not least the difficulties of the confirmation of the funding that are now fully resolved. Additionally whilst the Cranfield scheme was on ‘on hold’ design staff have been employed on other tasks and were not able to take this up immediately the funding was resolved.

We are now however at the point where the statutory consultation is shortly to be issued. This will mean that all the elements of the scheme that require statutory consultation such as speed tables etc. will be advertised for comments and also sent to the Councils statutory consultees i.e. the bus companies, transport groups, blue light authorities etc. as well as to local Councillors.

Despite a general desire for the works locally I am expecting that this process will generate some local objections and that will require me to write and present a report to Councillor Spurr at a future Traffic Management Committee meeting where any such objections will be overruled or upheld after due consideration.

It is still my intention that this scheme be delivered in its entirety, subject to any changes required following the consultation, this financial year.

Kind Regards

Nick Chapman

Transportation Manager l Bedfordshire Highways 


So I would like to think these consultation plans will be available in September  but who knows? If it drags on and then runs into 2012-13 the banked Section 106 money will have handily sat in someone's account for another year. Next we'll find that its five years since it became available and we have missed our chance to spend it. Ho hum. 


You can contact Laurence Pollock on 07801 665961 or broadgreen68@btinternet.com

What would you do...eh?

It used to be called civil defence and its what you did if a two megaton airburst was detonated at 5000 ft over Cranfield after a threat to West Berlin was mishandled by NATO. Duck and cover.


Today its known as 'local resilence' which sounds like measures to stop bored youths toppling a wonky wall in the middle of the village. But its civil defence by another name.

There's no doubt that flooding in particular is rising menace. One of the best ways of stopping it is not to build on flood plains. But that will go on I  understand (thanks to my inside source at the Lodden Valley Residents Association). As for the other threats such as flu pandemic or hurricanes

mentioned by the Bedfordshire and Luton Local Resilience Forum in a recent mailing - well resourced and accountable emergency services might not be a bad idea. But thats off the agenda I too I believe, thanks to my inside source in government called All News Media. 

You might bump into a BLLRF stall at some pleasant summer fete. Here's what they want you to do: 

The Bedford and Luton Local Resilience Forum has created the What Would You Do If...? events stall to take to local fetes, family fun days and community events to prepare the residents of Bedfordshire and Luton for emergencies.

Visitors to the stall can receive advice about planning for an emergency, pick up literature with useful advice on how to start planning for an emergency in the home, complete emergency postcard, learn how to prepare an emergency kit and fill in survey about emergency planning and a chance to win an iPad 2. There is even a kid’s colouring corner, where children can complete worksheets and win a Peppa Pig fire engine.

After the events, visitors are encouraged to take photos and videos of them putting their newly acquired emergency planning advice into practice and uploading them on to http://www.facebook.com/whatwouldyoudoif

Sounds like a riot. I presume there are preparations in hand for that too. 

Sharing our thoughts

Central Bedfordshire Together is...

made up of senior representatives from Central Bedfordshire Council, Police, Fire, Health, Business, Education, Town and Parish Councils and the Voluntary and Community Sector. Sometimes talking is a waste of time and sometimes it makes a lot of sense.


Check out CBT's latest e zine ( electronic magazine by the way - sorry if this is basic to you) available at http://www.centraltogether.org.uk/ezines/edition-4

Blind and partially sighted

Sight Concern (SCB), the blind and partially sighted organisation for
Bedfordshire and Luton have a mobile facility which will visit towns
and villages offering checks for eye health and provide help and information
on all aspects of sight problems. 


They are seeking a suitable parking place for a visit to Cranfield.  Pcllr Jill Brocklebank is seeking ideas on their behalf  email jill@tottie.demon.co.uk

Central Beds

The Parish Council is writing to Central Beds Unitary councillors, Alan Bastable, Ken Matthews and Sue Clarke asking the following questions about Home Farm:

1.     Reports: 

1.1.   PCllr L Pollock reported upon correspondence regarding the standing of the Home Farm Development application; and proposed that Cranfield Parish Council writes to all unitary councillors in addition to Ken Matthews as executive lead asking:

1.1.1.  Firstly about the authority's resolution in the face of any appeal by Persimmon against non-determination.

1.1.2.  Secondly at what point it became clear that Persimmon were on Home Farm unlawfully and why no action was taken.

1.1.3.  Thirdly how the design brief and the S106 agreement can be delivered if Persimmon cannot take control of the land in question. 

Cemetery

I'm off on my bike tour to see how the weeds are coming  along in the cemetery 

Cuts to policing

BBC - Police 'plan to cut 14% of jobs by 2015

Continue reading the main story

There will be 34,000 fewer police jobs in England and Wales in March 2015 than in March 2010, research by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary suggests.

It estimated that the overall cut of 14% will include losing 16,200 officers and 16,100 civilian staff.The HMIC added there was "relatively strong evidence" falling staff numbers might lead to a rise in some offences.Home Office figures showed there are 139,110 officers in England and Wales - 4,625 fewer than March last year.The annual decrease recorded by March this year was 3.2%. The number of police staff stood at 74,010, a decrease of 7% or 5,586 compared with a year earler.

Well it's happening locally already in Cranfield  'Project 2011' will bring changes in October and former beat managers will be doing more of a 'section role'. So we will not be seeing much of them. 

The PCSOs will have additional powers to give out tickets etc but they will be covering a huge area. The government says there is no relationship between crime figures and police numbers but that is flatly contradicted by HMIC (the inspectorate). 

HMIC published research  suggesting that a 10 per cent cut in officer numbers would lead to a three per cent increase in crime.

Village Hall

Members of the "veeaitchemcee" (village hall management committee) are confident that the hall will be reopened by christmas. Work going ahead on the roof. The full works obviously still dependent on a house sale in the near future. 

Round in circles

It wasn’t long after the new Lodge Road roundabout was unveiled that the worried emails started piling in. Basically you couldn’t see the traffic on the main road when you were coming out of Lodge Road. A meeting was held on site last month with CBC councillors, parish councillors and residents’ representatives. Amey held discussions with road safety auditors and Bedfordshire Police who also felt the layout was unacceptable.

They have now redesigned the road markings, moving the centre of the roundabout away from Lodge Road and plan to discuss this with the Police and safety team.

Village hall

Village hall management committee.  Its the hall's centenary year but uts been closed for 27 months. Work on the roof and toilets is going ahead however - encouraging news. Marjorie Cotton the chair did a a good presentation at the Parish Council last week. PC chairwoman Delise Ball, did urge her though to get the hall open even on an interim basis.

I agree, especially on the centenary. The danger is the that the hall's regular users will never come back. The 'Big Bang' approach, everything done at once is attractive but buildings need to be used. 

Activity on Home Farm

OK it took a  bit of digging (rather like that excavator of Home Farm) but I eventually got some answers. On the question of an Amey compound the answer came back:

Although (the) Amey Highways representative, when visiting the site at Home Farm, parks his vehicle (private car) within the site compound there is no Amey Highways compound on the site, nor have we given any instruction to create one.

Therefore there is no reason that we know off that would entail the excavation of soil and the use of tippers on the Home Farm site. However excavation is taking place on Lodge Road and the material is being deposited on to the site to enable the construction of the Section 278 works.

So - back to Central Beds to check out the 'compound' issue. They refer Parish Matters to Persimmon who write:

As already explained to you by a great deal of people it seems, the works on the site relate either to the S278 or the off-site drainage provision.  This happens from Monday to Friday and will involve Persimmons contractors, utilising their compound on our site.  As also kindly specified by the Highways engineer, this will also involve some earth movement across the site from the S278 works.   All other site works ceased quite some time ago and will remain that way until the planning authority are happy for us to proceed.

It is true that S278 works have been going on for some time (I get regularly reports of the impact from residents) but I'm not sure what digging a large hole in the ground in the middle of Home Farm has to do with it. And let's not forget that Persimmon went on the site when they did  not have permission. So credibility levels are not good.  

However, the best way to stop people gossiping and the Parish Matters blogsgoing on about it is to resume the stakeholder meetings (second one has now been cancelled) and for a free flow of information. 

The last bus to Wootton

The last bus to Wootton will run on August 20. After that you can only get there from Cranfield by taking a bus to Bedford and out again.

But don’t try it on a Sunday as Bedford services in future will only run Monday to Saturday.

There has been no warning of the shock changes. Stagecoach is replacing the V1 (Monday to Saturday) and V2 (Sunday) services with two new services, 52 and 53.

The 52 will run hourly from Bedford via Kempston to Marston Moretaine and Cranfield between 06.30 and 18.30 on Monday to Saturdays only. The 53 will run from Bedford, via Hillgrounds and Kempston to Wootton every 30 minutes between 06.45 and 18.45 from Monday to Saturdays. There is an additional departure Monday to Friday at 06.15.  There will also be an hourly Sunday service from 08.45 until 16.45

This means that there is no longer a direct bus link between Cranfield and Wootton at any time.  Students whose timetable or after-school activities make it impossible to use the standard school buses will be hit. They will have to rely on the Mumndad Transport Company – if available.

Cranfield Parish Council and Cranfield University fought a joint campaign to save Sunday buses to Bedford, in April. But the reprieve was only temporary.  They are jointly contributing part of the cost of the Milton Keynes to Cranfield evening services for a temporary period. They will then talk to Milton Keynes council about finding a long-term solution from April onwards, next year. Discussions will be held in September.

Two years ago, the village and Wharley End lost evening services to and from Bedford. As the village continues to grow its transport infrastructure is threatened.  The new services separate a route that can be supported on a Sunday by Bedford Borough from one that will receive no contribution from Central Bedfordshire.

New timetables can be found at http://www.stagecoachbus.com/PdfUploads/Timetable_13908_Venus%20V1.pdf

and http://www.stagecoachbus.com/PdfUploads/Timetable_13909_Venus%20V1.pdf

If these changes will affect you in any way, you are welcome to contact me tel 01234 757689 email broadgreen68@btinternet.com or contact Cranfield Express at letters@cranfieldexpress.co.uk with comments.

A Stagecoach bus at the Wharley End 'terminus'

Activity on Home Farm

Activity on Home Farm this morning. I'm checking to make sure this really is the compound for the highways work as Persimmon advise. 

Home Farm

Persimmon states in response to my earlier enquiry:

I can confirm that the only works that are continuing in Cranfield are the County Council Works (Section 278) to High Street and Lodge Road. The contractors compound for these works is located on our site which I guess may be causing the confusion?

Buses on Sunday

I have received the details of new bus services agreed between Stagecoach and Bedford Borough. The V1 and V2 will disappear. The 52 will run from Cranfield to Marston and Shelton bypassing Wootton and the 53 will run to Wootton only. 

The Cranfield service will not run on Sundays so as things stand we have lost our Sunday buses to Bedford. I will be alerting the University and asking that the parish council, through the clerk , contacts Marston PC which will also lose Sunday bus links. We have a shared interest here. 

Home farm open for business?

Home Farm seems to be busy these days, whether lawful or not. Cycling up Lodge Road on Monday and today I've spotted the mesh gates open and action inside.


I've emailed CBC planning officer Hannah Pattinson as follows on Monday






I note that despite your letter to Persimmon in May the Home Farm site accesses are open (on Court Road and Lodge Road)  and there was a generator running this morning. Perhaps this has been authorised. I'd be grateful if you could confirm one way or the other.






and today


Following  my email on Monday I again note that Home Farm site is open with tipper trucks active on site. As before, I am requesting information on whether this presence is now lawful and if not what action Central Bedfordshire will take.


So far, no response.

Home Farm planning consent

I've now had a response to my request. This reads:

Dear Mr Pollock

 

Please find attached as requested. The outstanding RM (reserved matters) consents are as follows:

 

CB/10/03462/RM - Phases 1A and 1B Landscaping.

CB/10/03463/RM - Phases 2 & 3 Landscaping.

CB/10/03469/RM - Phase 1C Provision of Lower School Playing Field, Community Building (including library and pre-school / nursery) car parking and all ancillary works. Including landscaping and pedestrian access through Church Walk.

 

 

In addition Central Beds has written to Persimmon (27 May) stating

 

 

 

I can confirm that the Council has now had an opportunity to revisit the current

position in relation to the outline planning permission in respect of ‘Home Farm,Cranfield’.

Please accept this letter as written confirmation that the Council’s position is that no lawful implementation of the outline planning permission (planning ref:

MB/05/00885/OUT) has occurred or is able to occur at this moment in time. To

clarify the following pre commencement conditions remain outstanding:

Condition 15 - New Lower School Playing Field Timetable - details currently

being considered

Condition 17 - Overall management and maintenance – details currently being

considered

Condition 19 - Play Areas - details yet to be received

Condition 20 - Boundary Treatment - details yet to be received.

Condition 28 - Foul and Surface Water - details currently being considered

Condition 30 - Code of Construction Practice - details currently being

considered

Condition 37 - Off site highway works - details currently being considered

In addition, for a lawful implementation of the above planning permission to

occur all of the Reserved Matters (RM) for the entirety of the site need to have

been granted and their relevant pre commencement conditions satisfactorily

discharged before each RM is commenced.

Freedom of Information Home Farm

I have now sent the following  Freedom of Information request to Central Bedfordshire planning department:




I am writing with regard to my enquiry as to which relevant planning permissions and conditions have, up to now, not been granted to or discharged by Persimmon and as a result of which they have been asked by Central Bedfordshire Council to stop work at Home Farm, Cranfield. I am formally making this enquiry as a Freedom of Information request. 

Home Farm

Public accountability is all the rage and I personally can't see it going away. I had a useful chat recently with Councillor Alan Bastable in the fresh produce aisle of Budgens as we foraged for our suppers. Alan has worked very hard for the village and we inevitably ended up talking about Home Farm. As a result I have sent him and his fellow CB Councillors the following request:

I have been in email contact with Central Beds to enquire which planning permissions or consents remain to be granted or discharged before Persimmon can continue to operate the Home Farm site. I would be grateful f you could establish what these are and put them into the public domain.

I would also like to see a copy, electronic or scanned hard copy of any  communication to Persimmon asking them to stop work and explaining why they should do so. I believe these communications should also be publicly available. 

Schools - Community Partnership

Education change is just round the corner it would seem.  Free schools and academies are in the news. A  move from Bedfordshire's three tier to two tier is a hardy perennial. Whatever your kids age this is crucial for your family.

Put this date in your diary - 22 June Cranfield Parish Council 7 pm: Wootton Upper School meeting with Cranfield Parish Council about a school 'community partnership'. I'm not sure what it means but it could be important. It seems that Wootton and the Lower School are applying for 'Academy' status. What the flippin' windsock does that mean? Come along and ask your questions. 

War memorial

We are reconciling ourselves (committees on 1 June) to the impracticality - or maybe impracticability - of refacing the war memorial and reinscribing the  names of the fallen. Sue Clark talked about accepting the weathering of the memorial and celebrating its simplicity.

However, BIG HOWEVER, the plan might be to ensure that the names on the memorial are recorded publicly elsewhere. War memorial are a key part of our local history and after WW1 they were a step forward in recognising the sacrifice (usually in vain!) of ordinary soldiers. We'll be asking the public what they think through this Cranfield Express in July.

Letter in Beds on Sunday today

Persimmon is the biggest house builder in the country and has an obligation to demonstrate best practice in construction ("delight for villagers in row over lorries" 29 May). When 

residents and the parish council were first in discussion  with Persimmon in 2007 we pressed the idea of them signing up for the nationally recognised considerate constructors scheme. This was

politely ignored and we received assurances that they would deal with any issues that arose.

But as Adam Thompson's balanced report shows that has not been the case and Persimmon's period as guest of our village has not started well. I have received many complaints about the 

impacts of construction traffic and frankly many of them are unprintable. 

The parish council also sought to have the access to the site changed from Lodge Road, a picturesque country lane,

to directly from the High Street. That would have solved many of the current issues.  Again there was no interest from Persimmon. 

The debate about new housing is over and homes will be built but that does not mean that existing residents should have their lives ruined for years to come. Persimmon's

representatives need to be working through the local stakeholder group (cancelled last month) and dealing promptly with complaints. That would be a huge step forward. 

Laurence Pollock