BELMONT RURAL PARISH PLAN

Transport

Present position

When data for the survey was being collected, the parish was served by the 106 bus service which has since been withdrawn. The replacement cross-town service to Hampton has also been withdrawn and replaced by a half-hourly 75 service from the city bus station (behind Tesco - city) to Dorchester Way, Abbotsmead Road and Whitefriars Road.

This excludes the Shellingham Way link which both residents and the Parish Council objected to. The PC has been pushing for a late-night service on Friday and Saturday and this is now provided. On week nights the 449 Madley Circular links the Country Bus Station to Dorchester Way via Broad Street, hourly, between 19.15 and 22.30. On Friday and Saturday there is an extra service at 23.30. Timetables are avai

lable

from both Tescos and the Tourist Office.

Further services - the H9, H10 and H11 - to Rotherwas, via Newton Farm, Hunderton, Redhill, Hinton and, eventually, Hereford rail station, were introduced on October 27.

Analysis of the survey showed, surprisingly, that many residents on the south side of the A465 used the 106 (now 75) service despite the fact that no “southern” addresses were served. There is a need for a service along Southolme, Eastholme and Westholme roads and the PC will support residents’ efforts to achieve this.

Buses pass through the estate on the A465 to Cardiff, Brecon, Abergavenny, Madley, Hay and distant destinations such as Bradford and Yarmouth. Outside the parish to the south, along Waterfield Road, services pass at intervals of 15 minutes.

A significant percentage of estate residents use the 75 Belmont service. The bus can be flagged down anywhere on the estate provided it is safe for the bus to stop there.

Fewer residents (42.8%) use the service than don’t (56.9%) and one person (0.3%) had no opinion. Several interesting suggestions for future consideration were made. Both services and timetable are considered satisfactory, and of great importance to users.

Problems

� No services covering Eastholme, Southolme and Westholme roads

Policy

� Monitor changes to 75 service

� Press for 100% use of lowline buses

� Any new bus shelters should be positioned to ensure maximum use with least offence

� Continue to explore possibility of extending services to Southolme and Westholme roads despite repeated refusals of present provider.

Time scales

All - ongoing

Partners

Bus companies
Herefordshire Council
South Wye transport group - WyeS Moves
Belmont Rural parish council