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To view the Minutes from the previous meetings click HERE to go to our Archive page.

 Brechin Gold Forum Meeting
Damacre Centre, Thursday 23rd February 2012, 2 – 4pm
Note of Meeting

 Present: Mary Dow, Jessie Rennie, Betty Ritchie, Flora Reid, David Todd, George Mitchell (BGF members) Derek Rose (visitor), Kenny McWalter and Fraser Pearce (Stagecoach/Strathtay), Jock Petrie (JP Coaches), Grahame Lockhart and Eric Gray (Brechin Community Council), Chris Boyle (Angus Council Transport Officer), Julie-Anne Kinnear (CLD Service)

Apologies: Provost Ruth Leslie-Melville, Councillor Mhairi Evans, Councillor Bob Myles Sylvia McClure (Nicols Transport) Julianna Moggach, Pauline Kettlewell (BGF members)

Julie-Anne welcomed everyone and gave a brief re-cap of the last meeting about the bus services which was held in September 2011. The agenda gave a summary of what the purpose of the meeting was – to increase and share knowledge and understanding about planning and delivery of bus services and experiences of being service-users, along with any concerns.

Update from Chris Boyle following the last meeting;

Brechin Castle Centre bus stop – request from Gold Forum to improve accessibility. As a direct result of the last meeting Angus Council is in the process of looking at ways in which improved accessibility can be achieved – the option of providing a lay-by is now being explored and discussions are underway with the land-owner (Dalhousie Estates). It was noted that the Gold Forum member who initially raised this issue has sadly died.

Tendering for services funded by Angus Council is now complete – services remain largely the same as last year with exception of the late bus (11.30pm) between Brechin and Montrose on week nights. To keep the routes at the same level there has been an increase in cost to the Council (i.e the bus companies are charging more for the same service as last year – probably due to an increase in cost of fuel etc for them). There is a difference of £117,000 within a £1.7 million budget, but the Council has found the money to ensure the services remain in place. The new timetables are due out on 28th May 2012.

Jock Petrie confirmed that he felt there was room for both large companies like Stagecoach and small local firms like his to exist in Angus and provide services for local people.

Update from local service users;

Questions sent in by a gentleman from Edzell;

"Why are there no Nicol buses serving Edzell anymore?" – Chris was able to advise that as there is one bus every hour between 7am and 7pm on weekdays Nicols are not obliged to a run a service if it is not commercially viable for them.

"Edzell, as the destination, is not always displayed on buses that say Stracathro is their destination". Kenny said this should be easily rectified and he would pass this onto the drivers.

“Why do the express buses on the A90 not stop at Brechin?” Chris explained that this has long been an issue with local people. He has had extensive dialogue with the national bus companies about this but they say that it is not commercially viable for them to come off the A90 and slow up their express journeys for such a potentially low number of Brechin passengers.

There was general agreement that the quality of local bus services is good. The new X7 service was complimented.

There was some discussion about how the concessionary travel scheme works. Kenny explained that the quota for concessionary fares for this year has already been exhausted yet the bus companies are obliged to continue to transport concessionary pass holders with free travel despite the fact that the company will not receive any recompense for these fares until the next financial year. The current arrangements for concessionary travel will end in 2013, so it remains to be seen what the government will choose to implement after that. Julie-Anne suggested that it might be worth the group looking into this further at a later date to gain a better understanding of how this works as it is such an important aspect of how older people are able to get out and about and be socially active.

Update from Kenny McWalter (Stagecoach/Strathtay)

It was with some humour that Kenny told the group their meeting was being held 2 weeks too early! He had exciting information about changes to local services that he was not able to announce for a further 2 weeks but he was able to say the changes were very positive and were a direct result of the meeting with Brechin Gold Forum in September 2011. He offered to come to the next monthly meeting to discuss the changes in more depth with the group by which time the information would be in the public domain.

Kenny updated the group on the measures undertaken by Stagecoach/Strathtay to strive for good quality service. These include the requirement for all drivers to attend 35 hours training over a 5 year period to gain their “certificate of professional competence”. (This applies to all bus companies).

Stagecoach/Strathtay have RTI (remote tracking) on all buses as well as CCTV. There are "mystery shoppers" to check on standards of service.

Kenny confirmed that he expects all his drivers to treat any older passenger as if they were their own mother or father so if they need assistance to get on or off he would expect the driver to offer whatever help is required.

By 2015 all buses, by law, will be "accessible" (low-loading/kneeling buses).

General discussion; Chris informed the group of the forthcoming road closure of River St and the subsequent complicated re-routing of the bus services. There will be lots of posters around Brechin and on the buses to alert people of the changes.

Chris confirmed that Brechin Community Council will be consulted on any public transport issues including service tendering.

Question forwarded by Kirriemuir Gold Forum regarding the difficulty in accessing the dentist (who has just moved his practice) if using the local bus service. Kenny and Chris confirmed that there would be no change to local bus services due to a dental practice moving location.

There was general discussion about concerns around lack of consultation and lack of information about plans for public transport to allow for the new community campus when it is built. Chris reassured the group that the local bus service will be altered as required to respond to need/demand when the new campus opens.

Summary of meeting;

Everyone agreed that the relaxed and informal nature of the meetings is proving to be very productive which has been evident in the changes to local services and the potential improvement to the bus-stop at Brechin Castle Centre. Everyone continues to gain a better insight and understanding of how local bus services work and how they are valued.

Everyone agreed that it was worth continuing with twice yearly meetings to continue to build on the positive dialogue which is resulting in everyone being able to work together. The next meeting dedicated to bus services will be on 27th September at 2pm in Damacre Centre.

Note of meeting taken by Julie-Anne Kinnear