Stevenage Borough Council hears ‘horror’ bus stories

At a meeting on Wednesday, October 19, Stevenage Borough Council members shared their concerns that buses in the county are “not what they could be” after hearing about passengers who have faced long walks when buses do not turn up, and that few can rely on correct timetable information on public display screens.

The debate was held after Councillor Phil Bibby, who sits on Stevenage Borough Council and is also responsible for transport at Hertfordshire County Council, put forward a motion to note that the county is due to receive £29.7million from the government for a Bus Service Improvement Plan.

Cllr Bibby said he is “sweating on” receiving the cash for improvements.

The government’s Department for Transport indicated it would provide Hertfordshire County Council with cash in April 2022, and have since confirmed it is due to arrive in the authority’s bank account in November.

Cllr Bibby said: “We all hear of or experience horror stories, but we have to recognise that bus operators are struggling to sustain routes due to low patronage.

“They will no longer be subsidised by Covid-19 funding due to end in March next year – £150m has been subsidised across the country.

“Although there are rarely good excuses for bad service, there needs to be something done to improve matters.”

He added: “The principle aims are to improve connectivity, frequencies, punctuality and the customer experience which, in the end, should increase patronage.

“Not only will increased patronage help towards sustainable travel and to take cars off the road – reducing congestion and improving air quality – it will make routes more commercially reliable for the operators.”

Cllr Bibby later described the phenomenon where reduced passenger numbers results in poorer service, which again results in reduced usage, as a “chicken-and-egg” scenario.

The improvement plan features a more joined-up network along corridors – such as the A414 corridor – a more widespread use of the Intalink branding and a commitment to “pilot new technologies”.

Borough council members recalled using the Stevenage SuperBus between 1971 and 1980.

“I think it cost 4p per single journey from Hudson Road to the bus station,” said Cllr Robin Parker.

“We need something like that again. Admittedly, 4p is stretching it in this day and age, but in those days, the service was up and running every seven or so minutes because of some government grant.”

Cllr Maureen McKay said she received an email from one of the residents she represents highlighting there is a lack of real-time information which resulted in him having to walk home for one hour and 32 minutes.

Cllr McKay said: “He could have used an SB2, an SB3 or an SB7 but none of them turned up.

“After waiting for 45 minutes, he decided to walk.

“One SB7 passed him, but he was too far away to catch it.

“He’s not writing to complain about the failure of the bus service, but he does wish to complain about the lack of up-to-date information at the new Stevenage Interchange.”

She noted there has been an improvement in the information after a systems upgrade.

Cllr Sandra Barr said she heard about a woman in a wheelchair who visited Stevenage from London, who “plans everything within an inch of her life”.

She said: “Sadly, the cab that she’d arranged didn’t turn up, but that was OK because she knew a bus was coming along which was marketed disabled friendly.

“She got on it, the clamps weren’t fitted properly, and she ended up spinning around, upside down with the wheelchair on top of her.

“That’s not the sort of service we want to see for the more vulnerable members of our community, and if we’re going to go through into a clean, green world, we have to do better by the people who need the bus service.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Hertfordshire has had its funding allocation confirmed and having now made a variation to its enhanced partnership.

“It should expect to receive its funding in November.”