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Written evidence from B Daggers (BUS 68)
Cuts Re Norwich Park and Ride Services
In particular I refer to the
Postwick
Park and Ride
I have used the Norwich Park and Ride Service for some years. As a resident in rural Norfolk I have found it a reliable, well run service giving excellent access to the city of Norwich. Such a service encourages less use of our cars, reduces the use of fossil fuels, pollution and congestion in Norwich and helps the city to thrive in many respects.
I am concerned that the current cuts relating to the service will act as a disincentive both to using the service and as a knock on, less use people using the city whether for shopping as well as its range of other facilities.
The closure of the toilets on isolated sites such as the
Postwick
site means that people will arrive at the site after car journeys of varying lengths to find no access to any toilet facilities. This is a particular problem for people with children, the elderly or disabled. The problem will be compounded by the planned reduction in the frequency of buses. Some people are using bushes on the site as ‘toilets’ which is totally unsuitable.
The closure of the buildings with staff and waiting area means no one on site to deal with problems or queries. Members of the public now wait for their bus in a windswept and isolated place.
The empty buildings, waiting areas and unsupervised car parking areas are likely to attract crime and vandalism. In addition, there are issues of safety at quiet times and I have felt very unsafe using the site when there no people around and no staff.
The planned closure of a number of the sites on Saturdays will simply mean that Norwich is not accessible for many people at weekends. There are long queues for all Norwich car parks on Saturdays and with the cancellation of the Park and Ride facility I will not be going into Norwich on a Saturday. My shopping trips and my voluntary work will have to cease.
The empty buildings, waiting areas and car parking areas are likely to attract crime and vandalism.
In the light of the cuts, I will be going into Norwich less frequently, certainly not on a Saturday and will be seeking alternatives to the Park and Ride service.
In the future I hope that we may see some of the services reinstated.
March 2011
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