Written evidence from N and H Rowland
(BUS 26)
We are writing to express our horror at the proposed
cuts to bus services throughout the Whitby area.
We cannot believe that NYCC is still contemplating
so many cuts when it is so apparent from the feeling at Meetings
held in the area that residents are so concerned about the devastating
effect this will have on their lives, and ultimately, on the town.
This is predominantly a rural area where many residents
rely totally on public transport.
Whilst we appreciate that cuts need to be made in
the current climate, we implore you to reconsider the fate of
local routes around Whitby, Ruswarp, Sleights (the 95) and links
to Scarborough and Middlesbrough.
WE SUBMIT
THE FOLLOWING
POINTS FOR
CONSIDERATION:
1. Hospital and Hospice Visiting
Services at Whitby Hospital are being reduced and
transferred to Middlesbrough and Scarborough. How will friends
and family be able to visit patients in other towns? Evening and
weekend visits would be impossible.
2. Hospital Appointments
As appointments scheduled for the afternoon may be
lengthy, it is likely that patients may not be ready in time to
catch a bus back home and be stranded at a hospital.
3. Commuting to work
The majority of jobs in these towns are in the tourism
industry, covering evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays. These
are when bus services are proposing to be axed. As was stated
at the Whitby Meeting by one such worker, taxi fares are prohibitive
for anyone on minimum wages.
4. Bus Drivers
Bus drivers will have their hours cut resulting in
loss of earnings.
5. Young people
Reduced services would impact greatly on social interaction
of young people in our area. They would be unable to go to events
outside their own village/town. This would extend to sporting
events, extra curricular activities at schools and colleges. Our
young people would be penalised for living outside a town or city
where activities may be within walking distance.
6. Evening Classes
Attendance at Evening Classes and Leisure Centre
activities would not be possible without access to a private car.
As a Nation, we are being encouraged to keep fit and exercise
but this is limited to car owners. This is yet another example
of how people in our area would be discriminated against.
7. Art and Culture
Whitby and Scarborough have received funding for
their theatres. Whitby has recently got facilities for showing
films. Performances are usually in the evening, at weekends and
on Bank Holidays. These new facilities would become redundant
and some residents would be unable to join local amateur groups.
Whitby has a musical tradition and there are many groups which
meet regularly, in the evening, to promote the creative arts.
8. Sports
Training sessions for our local teams could be impossible
to attend unless a private car is available as sessions take place
on week- day evenings. Spectators at evening games and those scheduled
for Sundays and Bank Holidays may be excluded.
9. Voluntary Work
This would be at variance with Government Policy
inviting everyone to volunteer their time. As many opportunities
for volunteering are linked with Tourism, it is expected that
volunteers would be able to come into town at week-ends and on
Bank Holidays which are the main times when they would be required.
Moreover, if young people want to be involved, it would have to
be outside school/college hours. Often voluntary work is an integral
part of a Course for young people and many would be at a disadvantage
if they did not have access to private transport.
10. Social Isolation
The proposed cuts to buses in a rural area such as
this would result in social isolation for may people, in particular,
the Elderly, the Disabled and those friends and family who care
for them and visit them.
11. Visitors
Visitors to Whitby may be staying in an outlying
village, eg Sleights or Ruswarp. They rely on being able to use
public transport to go into Whitby in an evening for meals and
entertainment. B&B and Hotel owners in these villages would
lose trade if bus services were to be axed in the evening and
on Sundays and Bank Holidays, peak times for visitors. Day trippers
from other towns would not be able to come to the seaside and
Whitby residents would not be able to shop and use the facilities
available only in larger towns. This would impact seriously on
a fragile tourist industry.
12. Green Policy
Several bus stops around town have a sign which claims
that "this bus can take 35 cars off the road." We fail
to understand how the County Council's proposed decimation of
the regional bus services can be reconciled with Government Policy
to combat climate change. Surely this is an absolute variance
to measures which need to be taken to reduce the carbon footprint
by taking private cars off the road. Moreover, this would add
to worse congestion problems, especially in Whitby where the Park
and Ride Scheme has been placed on hold.
Scarborough, Whitby and Filey claim that this is
"a great place to live, work and play" but clearly,
NOT after 7.00 pm, on a Sunday, or Bank Holiday.
January 2011
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