BUCHAN AREA BUS FORUM MINUTES OF MEETING ON MONDAY 17 MARCH 2014 ROOM G1, MINTLAW ACADEMY, MINTLAW In Attendance Councillor S.W. Pratt (Aberdeenshire Council) Councillor A. Allan (Aberdeenshire Council) Councillor J. Ingram (Aberdeenshire Council) Colin Simpson (Mintlaw & District Community Council) Ursula Fullerton (Buchan East Community Council) Henry Bisset (Buchan East Community Council) Kath Greig (Stuartfield Community Association) Richard McKenzie (Aberdeenshire Council) Julie Pickering (Chair, Crimond Area Tenants & Residents Association) James Pickering (Bus User) Thomas Terry (Bus User and St Fergus resident) Alice Paterson (Bus User) Farrar Von-Stringfellow (Observer) Keith Wilson (Observer) Brian Bullen (Observer) Steve Walker (Managing Director, Stagecoach North Scotland) Neil Stewart (Principal Officer, PTU, Aberdeenshire Council) Susan Watt (Senior Transport Officer, PTU, Aberdeenshire Council) Apologies Catherine Tollemeche (Bus User) John Temple (Bus User) 1. Welcome and Introduction Councillor Pratt welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were given. 2. Minutes of Meeting on 4 th September 2014 The Minutes were approved. 3. Matters arising from the Minutes Neil Stewart provided the following update on behalf of Aberdeenshire Council: 3.1 Bus stops and shelters have been installed on both sides of Station Road (Mintlaw), for the benefit of bus users from Sutherland Close and Sutherland Drive. 1 Colin Simpson (MIntlaw & District Community Council) thanked Aberdeenshire Council for the shelter facilities, but he confirmed that some of the residents of Abbey Court sheltered housing are unable to pass the shelter in their mobility scooters as there is insufficient clearance on the footpath to allow this. Neil Stewart confirmed that this would be investigated. 3.2 Posters informing passengers of details of the Area Bus Forum meeting were produced and displayed on buses, and also at Peterhead and Mintlaw Interchanges, two weeks prior to the meeting date. 3.3 Regarding the provision of a service between Fraserburgh and Banff (via Strichen and New Pitsligo), he confirmed that Aberdeenshire Council awarded a contract for the weekday service, which commenced operation on 3 February 2014. It was well publicised in advance through the Local Press and also by means of an official Launch at Fraserburgh Bus Station. He reported that information supplied by the operator, supplemented by on-bus surveys, confirms that demand currently averages 5 passengers per journey. He advised that whilst usage is low, the service has only been in operation for over a month and it should be given at least a year to try to build up patronage. He also reported that the award of this contract, and of two other Local Bus Service contracts so late in the current financial year has led to a projected overspend in the Council’s Budget for Local Bus Services in 2014/2015. He confirmed, therefore, that he has accepted Stagecoach Bluebird’s proposal to advance the 0802 hours and 1502 hours ex Fraserburgh - Banff journeys to depart at 0720 hours and 1435 hours respectively, in return for a reduction in the contract rate of £100 per day, with effect from 5 May 2014. He also confirmed that consideration will be given in the tendering process for contract renewal in August 2015, to the possibility of providing a peak return journey originating in Banff. Steve Walker provided the following update on behalf of Stagecoach Bluebird: 3.4 The timing points in Cruden Bay have been reviewed to address the problem of buses operating early through Cruden Bay to wait at the Kilmarnock Arms. (For information, they are Ardmachron Drive (southbound) and Golf Road (northbound) with effect from 5 May 2014) 3.5 There are no plans to amend the route of Services 67/68 (Aberdeen - Fraserburgh) to serve New Pitsligo, but connections with some journeys on Service 270 (Fraserburgh - New Pitsligo Circular) are possible at Strichen, for travel to/from Aberdeen. 3.6 It is not considered commercially viable to provide a journey from Ellon to Fraserburgh, for an arrival before 0800 hours. 2 3.7 The existing 0740 hours ex New Pitsligo - Fraserburgh (Service 270) (schooldays) is still timed to connect with the 0740 hours ex Fraserburgh - Aberdeen (Service 68) at Strichen, whilst the non-schoolday journey, which currently departs New Pitsligo at 0755 hours, will be advanced to depart at 0740 hours with effect from 5 May 2014, to ensure an all year round connection to Aberdeen. 3.9 It is not considered commercially viable to re-route Service 69 (Fraserburgh - Peterhead) to provide two return journeys between St Combs and Crimond, for those attending Crimond Medical Centre. 4. Bus Service Update Steve Walker provided the following update: The company has undertaken a comprehensive review of the majority of its commercial services in Aberdeenshire and, following public consultation during February, service changes will be implemented on Monday 5 May 2014. He confirmed that timetables would be issued at least 3 weeks beforehand and provided the following summary: 4.1 Services 60/61/63 (Aberdeen - Peterhead) • Journeys have been re-timed to address reliability issues on the corridor. • Service 63 (Monday to Saturday daytime) and Service 61 (evenings and Sundays) will operate via HMP Grampian in Peterhead. • 1625 hours and 1705 hours ex Aberdeen - Peterhead (Monday to Friday) will no longer serve Market Street Interchange (Ellon), reducing journey times for passengers. • The services will operate as limited stop within Aberdeen City. (Subsequent to the meeting, Stagecoach confirmed that the following stops will be served: Northbound: Union Street (opposite Adelphi), King Street (Morrisons superstore, First Bus Depot, Orchard Street, University Road, St Machar Drive roundabout, Lidl superstore), Ellon Road (opposite Gordon Barracks and opposite AECC) Southbound: Ellon Road (at AECC and Gordon Barracks), King Street (opposite Lidl superstore, St Machar Drive roundabout, opposite University Road, opposite Orchard Street, opposite First Bus Depot, opposite Morrisons superstore), Union Street (Adelphi) 3 4.2 Service 67/68 (Aberdeen - Fraserburgh) • Journeys have been re-timed to address reliability issues on the corridor. • 1610 hours and 1635 hours ex Aberdeen - Fraserburgh (Monday to Friday) will only stop in Ellon to serve Park & Ride, reducing journey times for passengers. • 1700 hours and 1720 ex Aberdeen - Fraserburgh (Monday to Friday) will by- pass Ellon, also reducing journey times for passengers. • The services will operate as limited stop within Aberdeen City. (see above for stops served) 4.3 The U21 Megarider was introduced for the Buchan Megarider area on 3 February 2014, entitling those aged 16-20 years old to 25% off the price of an Adult Megarider ticket. It was queried from the floor as to why the scheme was limited to 16-20 year olds. Steve Walker advised that there is a gap in the market for this age group and the scheme has been introduced on an experimental basis. He confirmed that the company’s Unirider tickets already offer considerable discounts to all students. 4.4 The company will operate a Saturday level of service, as opposed to a Sunday level of service, on the May Day public holiday each year, with immediate effect. Neil Stewart provided the following update: 4.5 Stagecoach Bluebird have decided to reduce the frequency between Boddam and Peterhead from half-hourly to hourly during the inter-peak period (Monday to Saturday). Information supplied by the operator indicates that, on average, 15 passengers travel per hour on weekdays and 10 passengers travel per hour on Saturday. The revised frequency was therefore considered by Council officers to be reasonable, and in line with overall passenger demand. 4.6 Demand on the early morning workers’ journey from Peterhead to Macrae’s fish factory in Fraserburgh (Service 69), which is contracted to Aberdeenshire Council, still averages 5 passengers per day. Council officers have agreed to Stagecoach’s request to advance the journey by 15 minutes and combine it with a journey from St Combs to Fraserburgh (Macrae’s) (Service 75), on the basis that the additional demand (average 12 passengers per day) on Service 75 should guarantee the long term future of the journey. Following negotiations, the contract rate will be reduced by £30 per day. 4 4.7 Stagecoach Bluebird have fulfilled a request from Fetterangus Community Association to bridge the gap southbound between 0618 hours and 0853 hours on weekdays, by re-routing the 0705 hours ex Fraserburgh - Ellon via the village, with effect from 5 May 2014. This journey will connect with services to Aberdeen at Ellon Park & Ride. The other request from the same source, to extend journeys on Service 66 (Peterhead - Mintlaw/Stuartfield) to Fetterangus can not be fulfilled by Stagecoach Bluebird due to timetable constraints, but the Council’s Central Buchan A2B already provides a link between Fetterangus and Mintlaw to access Service 66. 4.8 Passenger Transport Review Council Officers are currently undertaking a review of supported passenger transport services, with a special meeting provisionally organised in Mintlaw Academy, Mintlaw on 15 May 2014 to consult with those who attend the Forum. The services which could be affected are those described as subsidised or mostly subsidised on the Council’s Summary of Local Bus Services sheet. The review is currently in the early stages but everyone on the e-mail list will be informed of the services affected and whether the meeting