CALLS for better publicity, promotion and improved real time information to help safeguard the future of existing services were among chief concerns voiced at a public transport forum in Evesham last Saturday (May 9).
Hosted by local campaign group Vale Bus and Rail (VBR) at St Ecgwin’s Church Hall and chaired by Evesham’s retiring mayor Councillor John Clatworthy, attendees were told that improved co-ordination of bus services and bus/rail integration was now the responsibility of local transport authorities following recent Government legislation.
Improvements to the X50 service from Evesham to Pershore and Worcester, boosting the service from hourly to half hourly with additional early morning and evening and Sunday services were welcomed.
Better promotion, however, was considered vital to increase awareness because the major improvements had increased usage by only about 20 per cent.
Measures to increase awareness of Evesham’s only bus/rail link the 28 service to Bidford and Stratford leaving from near the top of the station drive were called for.
A retiming of bus services to better connect with trains and improved reliability in view of regular service cancellations was also raised.
Broadway users called for buses to be restored between Evesham and Broadway on Saturdays. The meeting heard that the current weekday services were commercially operated by NN Cresswell and additional funding would need to be provided by Worcestershire County Council to make the Saturday bus services viable.
There were calls to improve the 540 service linking Evesham with Tewkesbury via Bredon Hill villages to be extended to Cheltenham, but attendees were told this had been made more difficult due to competition from another bus operator.
Fladbury users highlighted the total lack of bus services to the village following previous cutbacks.
VBR chair Julian Palfrey said: “I welcome the positive attitude towards local bus services indicated at our recent public forums.
“We are now looking forward to discussing better promotion publicity and information services, working with the county council’s public transport team to progress low cost improvements to timetables.”
Bus users also called for the restoration of printed timetables with greater route information.
