Agenda item

Buses are unable to access bus stops in certain areas in Westcott, Leatherhead and Fetcham due to parked vehicles. To ensure good accessibility onto/off buses, and to ensure that the bus driver has good visibility of waiting passengers, it is recommended that where there are existing yellow bus stop cages lined on the road that these are formalised by providing clearway plates, or where there is no yellow bus stop cage then a bus stop clearway is installed.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Local Committee (Mole Valley) agreed that:

(i) in Dorking Hills division bus stop clearways are formalised at the following

stops: a) at both Westcott House bus stops and b) at both Parsonage

Lane bus stops, on Guildford Road, Westcott with bus stop clearways to

operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week

(ii) in Leatherhead and Fetcham East division bus stop clearways are

formalised at the following stops: a) at both All Saints Church bus stops, b)

at Park Rise bus stop (Stop N) on Kingston Road, Leatherhead, c) at

North Street bus stop (Stop S) on North Street, Leatherhead, d) at

Orchard Close bus stop, Cobham Road, Fetcham (towards Leatherhead)

with bus stop clearways to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week

(iii) in Leatherhead and Fetcham East division, bus stop clearways are

introduced at the Bridge Street, Leatherhead bus stops (Stop P and Stop

Q) with bus stop clearways of 23 metres in length, to operate 24 hours a

day, seven days a week, and that affected frontages are informed of the

proposals and given time to feedback before any implementation

(iv) in Bookham and Fetcham West division a bus stop clearway is formalised

at Orchard Close bus stop, Cobham Road, Fetcham (towards Bookham)

with the bus stop clearway to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week

(v) any objections from affected frontages will be addressed by delegated

authority by the Strategic Transport Group Manager, in consultation with the relevant Surrey County Councillor and the Chair of the Mole Valley Local Committee.

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS:

It is recommended that Mole Valley Local Committee agree to the formalising or

installation of bus stop clearways operating for twenty-four hours a day, seven days

a week. This is to ensure that buses servicing these bus stops can 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.

These measures aim to support the use of public transport and to make the public

transport offer more attractive by making it more accessible and reliable.

Declarations of Interest: None

Officer attending: Alison Houghton, Senior Transport Officer, SCC

Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: None

Key points from discussion:

The Senior Transport Officer said a new bus shelter has gone in in Fetcham and Cllr Hall confirmed he had had a gleeful text from the Residents’ Association yesterday saying it was going up.

Members were supportive of the recommendations.

District Councillor Paul Kennedy asked why similar provision was not being made for the new Falcon Buses 408 bus stops along the A246 through the Bookhams where parked cars make the bus stops unusable. The Senior Transport Officer advised part is Surrey is a big county so they have prioritised clearways where there are more passengers and issues have been identified by passengers and bus operators. If there are issues that any of the members know that their residents are having they can be addressed as and when possible. If lining and curbing are required there will be a funding issue. 

Cllr Townsend said he was concerned about enforcement and whether Mole Valley Parking Team had a full complement of officers. Cllr Cooksey said that he guaranteed that this was being dealt with very urgently and hope to have the team up to full strength very shortly.

District Councillor Caroline Salmon asked what will happen about local residents of affected frontages. The Senior Transport Officer confirmed that their concerns will be addressed but ultimately it is a fine line between parking and supporting the bus network. Any concerns from residents will be looked at with the local divisional member. District Councillor Caroline Salmon asked if it was possible to have signage which isn’t 24 hours where there is not a Sunday service. The Senior Transport Officer confirmed that they can look at this on a case by case basis.

Resolved:

The Local Committee (Mole Valley) agreed that:

(i) in Dorking Hills division bus stop clearways are formalised at the following

stops: a) at both Westcott House bus stops and b) at both Parsonage

Lane bus stops, on Guildford Road, Westcott with bus stop clearways to

operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week

(ii) in Leatherhead and Fetcham East division bus stop clearways are

formalised at the following stops: a) at both All Saints Church bus stops, b)

at Park Rise bus stop (Stop N) on Kingston Road, Leatherhead, c) at

North Street bus stop (Stop S) on North Street, Leatherhead, d) at

Orchard Close bus stop, Cobham Road, Fetcham (towards Leatherhead)

with bus stop clearways to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week

(iii) in Leatherhead and Fetcham East division, bus stop clearways are

introduced at the Bridge Street, Leatherhead bus stops (Stop P and Stop

Q) with bus stop clearways of 23 metres in length, to operate 24 hours a

day, seven days a week, and that affected frontages are informed of the

proposals and given time to feedback before any implementation

(iv) in Bookham and Fetcham West division a bus stop clearway is formalised

at Orchard Close bus stop, Cobham Road, Fetcham (towards Bookham)

with the bus stop clearway to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week

(v) any objections from affected frontages will be addressed by delegated

authority by the Strategic Transport Group Manager, in consultation with the relevant Surrey County Councillor and the Chair of the Mole Valley Local Committee.

Reasons for recommendations:

It is recommended that Mole Valley Local Committee agree to the formalising or

installation of bus stop clearways operating for twenty-four hours a day, seven days

a week. This is to ensure that buses servicing these bus stops can 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.

These measures aim to support the use of public transport and to make the public

transport offer more attractive by making it more accessible and reliable.