From our Reporter at the Parish Council Meeting
IT WAS TO SOME EXTENT an evening which concentrated on roads and transport -
and on only that will be this report.
CCC is proposing to cut its subsidy on rural bus services and No 10 has got it in the neck. CCC sent an undated information sheet to the PC and asked for views between "Now (whenever that was) and 26 September". It is one of the worst information sheets I have ever seen and I leave it to the Editor to see how she can reproduce it. (The smudged part is because a dollar sign was used instead of a pound sign). After analyzing passenger figures over 12 months they have the remarkable fact that over all the bus journeys from Newmarket to Cambridge, and vice versa, the average number of people who use a bus during that journey is only 5. Even on the quiet times when I tend to use the service more than 5 have got on and off just from Prior to Cambridge. And there are very full buses which would push up the average. What is needed are the details behind this bald statement.
But that is not what was of interest during the meeting. Being a person, amongst many others, who has always applauded the bus service it soon became fairly obvious that not many of the PC used the bus. There has always been a bit of a controversy over the bus ever since that Tory MP said he didn't use the bus "because you didn't know who you were going to sit next to." Of course, the bus is a great leveller of people and maybe sharing a bus stop is not an attractive idea to many.
One PC member had tried a bus and found it alright, another supported late night buses because it allowed the young to go to Cambridge, and return. That was about it, plus Steve Kent-Phillips who had taken a bus, once or twice, maybe more. There was no uncertainty in his mind. It was a "useless bus" and a "rubbish service", which took 40 minutes to get into Cambridge, and went nowhere near the colleges, or the Station. All this is debatable because it leaves both Cambridge and Swaffham Prior almost exactly on the hour and the half hour - unless there has been a traffic problem, or, as happened with one person I know, when the bus ran out of petrol. As for the Colleges, Drummer Street backs on to part of Emmanuel's backside as also to some extent that of Christ's, while Jesus is but 400 yards across the grass. Drummer Street is also only about three hundred yards from the Market, which is the heart of Cambridge, and just 100 yards from John Lewis. The more energetic may even wish to walk a little further and jump on a punt. So that criticism is wrong.
However it does not go to the Station - which is out of town - and I agree having to change buses is an irritant if wishing to catch a train. This problem does exist for everyone but semi-regular travellers have generally worked out their own solution to the problem.
The latest news is that CCC wishes to cut all buses after the 6.00pm from Cambridge and to cancel all buses on Sunday. Hazel Williams appeared to know a little more than the PC and it was agreed that they should ask for the 6.30pm (which does have a lot of passengers) retained and also the last 23.00 bus at night.
I think this will be conceded because it is a well known trick that if you threaten to take everything away people will be grateful to have achieved just a small victory and to think it is "people power." It is nothing of the kind especially when people have been fobbed off with inadequate and unconvincing evidence.
It reminds me of the time when I used to travel on the Brighton Belle and they threatened to remove the kipper from the breakfast menu. Everyone was outraged, protests were led by the best including Sir Laurence Olivier, and after a year's struggle the kipper was saved. Three month's later the Brighton Belle was removed and everyone was so exhausted with saving the kipper, that there was scarcely a whimper when the service shut down.
As I have mentioned before, many of the documents received are circulated before the PC meeting rather than being read during the meeting. This is the advance of technology. The result is that often those in the public gallery have little idea about what is being discussed, and understandably are left out of the jollity which often accompanies discussions. So I may not be entirely correct on the following. It seems that with the payment of £80 the village could join a Speedwatch Scheme which would allow the use of a speed check gadget on Mill Hill. It is manned by volunteers who have to operate in another village so that they do not misuse their power on someone they dislike. This seems to be wise precaution.
The PC agreed to pay the £80 but expressed concern whether 6 to 7 volunteers could be found. I think they are underestimating the people in the Mill Hill area who have been shouting so long about the traffic problem and who undoubtedly will be more than happy to volunteer and put in their stint. Yes?