Bus blues to be resolved

David O'Leary • Published 19 Jul 2010 09:30 1 Comment

PEEBLES' wide ranging host of bus boggles look finally set to be resolved.

FirstBus passengers have long raised a number of issues regarding the town's service and at the recent Tweeddale Area Committee (TAC) meeting several of these were at last dealt with.

The first matter dealt with concerned the lack of a provision of a bus service to Hay Lodge Health Centre due to problems encountered turning the vehicle in the nearby car park.

In attendance was First Scotland East Operations Manager, Paul Smith, at the invitation of local councillor, Graham Garvie.

And he told of several meetings held with council officials to re-establish this bus service to the health centre.

During discussions it was suggested that the semi-circle area at the gates to Hay Lodge Park be used for turning but Mr Smith and the council's own Passenger Transport Manager, Colin Douglas, explained this had been tried but was not an option because there was insufficient room.

Mr Smith then stated that he had again met with council officials on April 28 and he had understood from this meeting that the council were now considering remodelling the car park.

He also told how First has ordered a new low floor bus that will allow it to turn round within the car park, without needing to reverse, and that this will allow the route to be reinstated.

The next issue dealt with concerned that of First Bus vehicles clogging up spaces in East Station Car Park due to a lack of sufficent bus parking spaces in the town.

These East Station bus spaces are provided for tourist buses but due to their constant occupation concerns have been raised that many tour operators now bypass Peebles.

This query was raised at the TAC meeting by Peebles Community Council chair David Pye.

In response Mr Snmith advised that discussions had taken place relating to a site at Eshiels but this had proved to be unviable and the company was now actively exploring the possible use of other sites.

Discussions with various landowners remain ongoing regarding this.

Innerleithen Community Council chair Ross McGinn then referred to the popularity of the area for mountain biking and asked if Firstbus had any plans to provide bicycle racks on buses.

Smith advised that he would feed this request back to his techinical team.

However, it has since transpired that the fitting of external bicycle racks to buses such as those seen on the continent and in the USA cannot be allowed due to dreaded health and safety concerns.

Although the option of fitting a rack within buses is still being looked into.

Tweeddale Area Committee chair and local councillor, Graham Garvie said: "I'm glad that these problems which have long angered locals are finally being dealt with. Concern in the community remains high on these issues and hopefully we have now taken a large step towards rectifying several of them.

"However I will continue to campaign, as I have long done now, until these concerns are sorted."

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This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 16 Jul 10

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

• 

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  Jul 23, 00:17
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