South Yorkshire Bus Service Needs Improvement

[Planner1]

1 hour ago, Resident said:

Yes I have. Months ago. Still waiting on the response I was told I'd get in 2-4 business days. But then most councillors only put in a day's work every 3-4 months so we're still on schedule for that. 

Then you should make a complaint. SYMCA have a complaints process here

 

If they fail to respond to that I’d write to the chief executive, Martin Swales and ask him why his officers aren’t complying with corporate procedures. 
 

If that fails, report them to the Local Government Ombudsman.

 

By the way it isn't generally councillors who respond to complaints / inquiries.

[Planner1]

1 hour ago, Resident said:

Utter tosh. Now driver's have to watch out for impatient drivers booting it around, into oncoming traffic. Bus bays are much safer than being stuck in the road and less frustrating for other road users if the bus has to be stood for a period of time longer than would normally (time points, boarding/alighting vunerable/wheelchair passengers. 

Did SYMCA and the councils consult drivers and operators before removing these facilities. No they didn't (because I've asked the operators and even they think it stupid)

No it isn’t.

 

I’ve worked on bus corridor improvement projects with 3 different PTE’s and I can assure you, that’s why they do it.

 

Proposals are discussed in detail with bus operators, either via specific governance boards for projects and programmes or via regular meetings that PTE’s hold with operators.

[Planner1]

1 hour ago, Resident said:

How about in certain areas where entire bus lanes have been removed to put in cycle lanes where the data shows at most 2 cyclists using the route in a 24hr period? How is that "speeding up the bus services"

I can’t comment on specific projects that I have no detailed knowledge of.

 

Councils and PTE’s don’t remove bus priority measures without thinking it through very carefully, discussing it with operators and understanding the impacts.

 

Sometimes there are competing priorities and you have to pick the one you think is most important, because you can’t satisfy everyone. That’s why ultimately, decisions are taken by politicians, accountable to you at the ballot box.

[Planner1]

1 hour ago, RollingJ said:

And your explanation for what is reported in post #2149, and, as an aside, the poor provision (temporary) stops on Arundel Gate, south-bound?

I don’t know the specifics of these instances, but there are many reasons why a shelter might be removed, or one isn’t provided.

 

Best  way to find out is to make a complaint to the relevant organisation, they should have a process and an agreed timescale for responding. Report them to the Local Government Ombudsman if they fail to adhere to their process. ( the number of complaints, how many dealt with in timescale and number of cases referred to LGO are corporate performance indicators, which senior managers are interested in)

[Baron99]

5 hours ago, Planner1 said:

That’s because bus operators tell councils that buses have difficulty emerging from bus bays because other drivers won’t let them out, resulting in delays to the bus service. So it’s done in the interests of speeding up bus services and making journey times more reliable.

Have you asked the MCA/PTE why the shelters have been removed?

 

They wouldn’t do that without there being a good reason. They understand very well that people want / need shelters wherever possible.

My bold. 

 

Well the two bus stops I've mentioned today on Abbeydale Rd don't have pull in bays so that's obviously not an issue in either case you describe. 

 

I'll tell you what, I'll contact the above you've identified & when I get a response, I'll post it. 

 

As an regular car user public transport doesn't really affect me unless I'm going travelling somewhere for a drink but my wife uses it regularly during the week for work.  She's still fed up standing on Arundel Gate years after they moved her bus stop from the High St, still having no shelter provided. 

 

As Arundel Gate is also the stop where bus drivers also change over, they also have to stand out in the elements.  I'm surprised they've not complainef or as my wife has said, maybe that's why they're usually late to turn up for the change over.  They don't want to be standing out in the wind, rain & cold like the passengers? 

[RollingJ]

9 minutes ago, Baron99 said:

 

As Arundel Gate is also the stop where bus drivers also change over, they also have to stand out in the elements.  I'm surprised they've not complainef or as my wife has said, maybe that's why they're usually late to turn up for the change over.  They don't want to be standing out in the wind, rain & cold like the passengers? 

Arundel Gate is one of the worst locations for unprotected stops - it is lined with tall buildings, is straight, and even on a calm day, those who have to use the two 'temporary'  - 3 years old - stops  (AG123/AG124) suffer, but nothing is done, despite numerous complaints being made, No real surprise, to be honest, so long as passengers and crew can be made to suffer to satisfy SCC/SYCMA.

Edited December 17, 2023 by RollingJ

[Planner1]

1 hour ago, RollingJ said:

but nothing is done, despite numerous complaints being made, No real surprise, to be honest, so long as passengers and crew can be made to suffer to satisfy SCC/SYCMA.

Complaints to whom? What was the response?

 

Do you seriously suggest that SCC and the MCA deliberately set out to make people suffer?

[RollingJ]

1 minute ago, Planner1 said:

Complaints to whom? What was the response?

 

Do you seriously suggest that SCC and the MCA deliberately set out to make people suffer?

I don't actually know the answer to that, as my experience of complaining to councils (city & county) is that they stone-wall the public, so I find my own solutions, rather the waste time and energy. (Emboldened portion).

 

Well, if they don't,  why are the two temporary (3 years temporary) stops still in place? (Italicised portion)

 

 

[Planner1]

6 minutes ago, RollingJ said:

I don't actually know the answer to that, as my experience of complaining to councils (city & county) is that they stone-wall the public, so I find my own solutions, rather the waste time and energy. (Emboldened portion).

 

Well, if they don't,  why are the two temporary (3 years temporary) stops still in place? (Italicised portion)

 

 

So, you’re making things up. You don’t know whether anyone has made official complaints to the relevant bodies.

 

If you are so concerned, I’ve provided the links to SYMCA’s complaints process. SCC has one too, here. 

 

Why are you asking me? You will only get the answer by asking the right people.

[RollingJ]

Just now, Planner1 said:

So, you’re making things up. You don’t know whether anyone has made official complaints to the relevant bodies.

 

If you are so concerned, I’ve provided the links to SYMCA’s complaints process. SCC has one too, here. 

 

Why are you asking me? You will only get the answer by asking the right people.

No, I am not making things up - I am telling you that I am aware that complaints have been made, just that they were made by persons other than me, and I admit I didn't grill the individuals concerned. I doubt they were all telling me lies, and I would think some of them, at least, would have gone down the official routes - as I have done in the past, only, as I said above to be stonewalled/waffled at.

 

I know both of those, and have used the SCC one - to little avail. I'm fairly certain the SYMCA one is just as useful.

 

See my comment above.

 

This all reminds me of the 'Street Trees' fiasco, which you still haven't replied to in the relevant topic, BTW.