Thursday 29 August 2013
Following the introduction of fairly significant changes to the previous bus route network in May 2013 the Environment Department has been closely monitoring public opinion on the changes and has recently been in consultation with CT Plus regarding the Company's proposals for the provision of the Winter Scheduled Bus Service - due to commence on Monday 7 October 2013.
The Department has maintained a comprehensive log of all the public comments and complaints that it has received in respect of the adequacy, suitability and reliability of the public bus service over the past six months and will use this information together with the results of the forthcoming formal public consultation when considering CT Plus's formal submission for the operation of the winter 2013/14 bus services.
CT Plus believes that its latest proposals will address the majority of the concerns that have been raised by the public in recent months.
The proposed changes to the winter timetable include:
- The retention and extension of the current clockwise Route 91 to provide a regular (two-hourly) service between the Terminus, St Martin's, Airport, West Coast and The Bridge via L'Ancresse and Bordeaux (Monday - Saturday);
- The introduction of an anticlockwise Route 92 service mirroring the Route 91 service (Monday - Saturday);
- The removal of the Route 111 in light of the enhanced Route 91 and 92 services above (Monday - Saturday);
- An enhanced hourly frequency throughout the day on the Route 61 (Monday - Friday);
- The reintroduction of an early morning and afternoon service on the Route 61 providing a timely connection to and from the Grange and Terminus for College students and commuters - including those living in the vicinity of Perelle, Richmond and Le Gele Road (Monday - Friday);
- The reintroduction of direct links between the Airport, the Grange and the PEH on the Route 71 (Monday - Saturday);
- A re-organisation and simplification of the Route 11 to operate a single service to and from the Airport, St. Martin's Village, Terminus, Bridge, Baugy, L'Ancresse and Bordeaux (extending to Longfrie, L'Eree, Fort Grey, Pleinmont and Torteval Church on Sundays);
- The introduction of a new Route 12 (Monday - Saturday) linking Pembroke, Vale Church, L'Ancresse, L'Islet and The Bridge with Town;
- The introduction of a new Route 121 which, together with the Routes 91 and 92, will ensure an hourly service between L'Eree, Fort Grey, Pleinmont, Torteval Church and Town (Monday - Saturday);
- Extended timings on a number of routes (specifically the 41, 42 and 81) to ensure that services regularly and consistently run to time;
- Adjustments to a number of specific service timings to better meet commuter and student demands.
The single biggest proposed change is the retention and expansion of the clockwise Route 91 service linking the West coast with the Airport, St Martin's Village, Terminus and the Bridge via L'Ancresse and Bordeaux (Monday - Saturday). In addition a new Route 92 will mirror services in an anticlockwise direction. The proposed services will operate every two hours in either direction between 09:00 and 19:00. This change will be of benefit to both locals and tourists wishing to travel along the west coast or up to the Airport and beyond without having to travel first into the Terminus to make a connecting service and will replace the existing Route 111.
Staying with the West coast theme CT Plus has now proposed to put on two additional route 61 services in the afternoons on weekdays making the service hourly throughout the day (as it already is on Saturdays) thereby providing a regular hourly service not only to residents of the area but also to tourists staying in the various hotels and self-catering establishments along the route.
It is also proposed to introduce two further route 61 services in peak periods (one leaving the Longfrie at 07:32 and the other leaving the terminus at 16:05) principally to assist students attending the Colleges and reinstating a service similar to that previously operated in the winter of 2012/13 under the former Route 5S.
In terms of route changes the other main proposed amendments relate to the Routes 11 and 71 and the introduction of two new routes, the 12 and 121.
The Route 11 will now concentrate on a single high frequency route between the Airport, St Martin's Village, Terminus, Bridge, Baugy, L'Ancresse and Bordeaux. This will make publication of the timings much easier in the new timetable than is presently the case.
The new Route 121 will operate from the Terminus every two hours to the Airport and then onwards to Torteval Church, Pleinmont, Fort Grey and L'Eree (Monday - Saturday). Additional frequency to this part of the Island will be provided by the Routes 91 and 92 meaning that a regular hourly service is maintained throughout the day. On Sundays the Route 11 will extend on a loop to serve Longfrie, L'Eree, Fort Grey, Pleinmont and Torteval Church in the absence of Route 91, 92 and 121 services.
The Route 12 will provide a service from the Terminus to Pembroke and Vale Church via The Bridge and Sandy Hook/L'Islet thereby also ensuring that a link remains in place between L'Islet, Braye Road and The Bridge (as previously provided by the Route 111).
The Route 71 will once again be providing a link between the Airport (not Sundays) and the PEH and the top of the Grange (which should also be of interest to tourists and day patients at the PEH).
Frequency on the key corridors (operated by routes 11, 41 and 42) will be retained at similar levels to the summer (and at a higher frequency than last winter) whilst evening services will curtail somewhat earlier than in the summer in accordance with normal winter operations.
Saturday and Sunday services will be maintained at similar levels to the winter of 2012/13. The Airport 'red-eye' service is being retained over the winter period (Monday-Friday) and the Friday/Saturday late evening services are being retained but on a slightly reduced frequency and the last services will now be leaving Town around midnight.
With regard to fares, CT Plus is proposing to leave things unchanged - albeit that the £2.00 'standard' cash fare will now (as originally intended) be more stringently applied; i.e. anyone who does not have an Ormer Card will be charged the £2.00 fare. The £1.00 cash fare will only be available to residents with an Ormer card, those residents that have not availed themselves of an Ormer Card will also have to pay the £2.00 cash fare and, hence, bus drivers will no longer be required to question a person's residential status.
[Identification such as a driving licence, passport or a recent utility bill is required in order to obtain an Ormer Card (priced at £1.00) but ID of this nature will no longer be accepted as "walk-on proof" of residency for the discounted £1.00 cash fare.]
A Gazette Notice is being published in tomorrow's La Gazette Officielle Section of the Guernsey Press setting out the frequencies and first and last service times for all proposed routes and further details will be made available in a public presentation that will be held in the Cambridge and Delancey Rooms at Beau Sejour at 18:30hrs on Thursday 5 September 2013.
The consultation period expires on Friday 13September 2013 and comments will be accepted either by e-mail to (env@gov.gg) or in writing to:
The Minister
Environment Department
Sir Charles frossard House
La Charroterie
St Peter Port
Guernsey
GY1 1FH
Contact Information:
Karl Guille, Traffic and Transport Services Manager
Environment Department
Tel: 243400
