Issue - meetings

Surrey County Council (SCC) proposes to implement new / upgraded bus stop clearways at bus stops along several key bus routes in Surrey Heath, namely bus routes 1, 2, 3, 11 and 34/35. 

This is part of a package of measures funded by the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (EM3 LEP), aimed at increasing the accessibility of bus services and encouraging wider use of public transport.

Clearways are required to ensure that buses can access the bus stop waiting area to ensure step-free access onto/off buses and to aid bus service reliability.

THIS REPORT HAS ATTACHMENTS TO FOLLOW

The Local Committee (Surrey Heath) agreed that:

(i)    new / upgraded bus stop clearways throughout Surrey Heath (as shown in the Annexes to this report) are approved in consultation with local members.

(ii)   following the approval of the clearways, SCC officers write to adjacent residents and businesses to advise that the bus stop clearways have been approved by the Local Committee, and will therefore be able to be enforced.          

(iii)   any objections from adjacent residents and businesses can be addressed by delegated authority by the Local Highways Manager, or other appropriate role within the Scheme of delegation, and the Chair of the Local Committee.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

Surrey Heath Local Committee agreed to the bus stop clearways at bus stops throughout Surrey Heath, to operate for 24 hours a day, Monday to Sunday. This is to ensure that all buses servicing these bus stops are able to provide passengers with step-free access at all times and ensure that there is good visibility for the bus driver to see waiting passengers as well as aiding journey time reliability. This aims to support residents to use public transport across the borough and to make the public transport offer more attractive by making it more reliable.

Declarations of Interest: None.

Officer in attendance: Ian Murdoch, Senior Transport Officer, Passenger Transport

Petitions, Public Questions/Statements: None

The Transport Officer outlined the report, which outlined how the M3 Enterprise Partnership funding would be used to aid bus stop improvements.  This included footways, and kerbing to aid accessibility and clearways that prohibited vehicles from stopping or parking at bus stops, keeping them clear for busses.  It was noted that SCC would like extended hours of service and these improvements would support that.

The maps had been delayed and published in a supplementary, so Members had not had much time to review each location in detail.  It was therefore agreed that the clearways be approved in consultation with members to allow detail and resident views to be considered.

The Local Committee (Surrey Heath) agreed that:

(i)    new / upgraded bus stop clearways throughout Surrey Heath (as shown in the Annexes to this report) are approved in consultation with local members.

(ii)   following the approval of the clearways, SCC officers write to adjacent residents and businesses to advise that the bus stop clearways have been approved by the Local Committee, and will therefore be able to be enforced.     

(iii)  any objections from adjacent residents and businesses can be addressed by delegated authority by the Local Highways Manager, or other appropriate role within the Scheme of delegation, and the Chair of the Local Committee.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

Surrey Heath Local Committee agreed to the bus stop clearways at bus stops throughout Surrey Heath, to operate for 24 hours a day, Monday to Sunday. This is to ensure that all buses servicing these bus stops are able to provide passengers with step-free access at all times and ensure that there is good visibility for the bus driver to see waiting passengers as well as aiding journey time reliability. This aims to support residents to use public transport across the borough and to make the public transport offer more attractive by making it more reliable.