Local Bus Service To Be Drastically Altered

[kfurbank]

Shamelessly taken from another place, but deserves as wide an audience as possible. First Group are to drastically alter the Number 12 bus service from Norwich. Currently it serves Hoveton, Ludham, Catfield, Sutton and Stalham. The plan is to shorten the route to Hoveton, isolating the other communities. With the closure of Barclays in Stalham, those unable to drive would need this service to get to a Barclays in Norwich. 

Having only recently discovered this service last Summer, I have used it several times since. Particularly useful if you want to visit Wroxham and are cruising solo. It can be very difficult as a privateer to get moorings below the bridge. On a number of occasions I have moored at Sutton and used the bus to get to Wroxham. On my last holiday we walked from Sutton to Stalham to do some shopping and then used the bus to get back so the shopping didn't spend to much time in the heat.

As a frequent visitor to the area I shall miss the service, for the locals I can see this being a real difficulty. Barclays are closing in Stalham, so any Barclays customer without cars will need the bus to get to Norwich to get to a Barclays.

Please take the time to sign the petition which can be found at http://www.normanlamb.org.uk/bus_petition?recruiter_id=34100

 

Edited August 12, 2015 by kfurbank

[deebee29]

Done.

we've used this service in the past and would hate to see it go

[imtamping2]

Done.

[NorfolkNog]

Signed it. Buses are scarce enough in rural Norfolk as it is. As a non driver myself I use buses a great deal. There always seems an assumption that everyone has a car which of course they don't.

 

Thanks for raising this Keith, I will follow with interest. 

[kfurbank]

Hi Howard, I've got to be honest and say that it was originally raised by Palandine elsewhere, which is what led me to sign it, but thought the issue was worthy of as wider an audience as possible. Even though I do have a car and drive, once it's left behind in the marina and I'm on the boat for a week or so I'm carless as well and do often use public transport, busses and trains around Norfolk to venture a little further afield occasionally.

[marshman]

I really do understand what you are all saying but if the service is rarely used then I just cannot see the point of a petition.

Internet banking is available as indeed are local taxis and if these services are not used to the extent of making them viable, i am afraid you lose them. Its the same scenario as the pubs and we just have to be realistic.

Sadly it affects especially the old, like me, but I must admit to rarely going into a bank these days and less frequently using a bus

[kfurbank]

Marshman, Around Essex, not sure if it's the same in Norfolk, but First Group run a number of bus services and as an example the 21 bus service from Canvey to Southend is operated fully by First Group during the day (when it's profitable) and is subsidised by the County Council during the evening (when it's not profitable for First). You might ask why, well it helps those with out cars get home from work if working late. I guess it may even keep a few that maybe tempted to drink and drive off the road. Not everyone wants or can afford a car. Some people have to work late or work unsociable hours. The service I'm on about runs until 11:30pm and is run under protest by First, even though it's subsidised because the County Council won't let the bus companies cherry pick the best routes or parts of a route. It's all or nothing. They have to take the rough with the smooth, with a little sweetener..

It could be that Norfolk need to do similar, or maybe they already do. The fact that a MP is backing the campaign suggests there is more politics behind the scene that we don't know about, but either way if the service can be saved it would be good news for those that really need it, as well as those like myself who find it useful.

The same could be said about banks. The banking license and right to operate as a bank in the UK should come with a requirement to have a percentage of branches in rural areas even if they operated from joint premises or were subsidised by the rest of the vast money making operation.

I remember when it was usual to see a sub branch of a building society in an estate agents office or insurance agents. Maybe a return to a similar system for the banks in rural areas.

 

 

[boycee]

Done Keith

Alan

[MostlyAfloat]

During my stint as a driver for First in Essex, all the Sunday routes and anything after around 21.30 hrs was also council funded ( I remember having to add some extra letter to the wayfarer machine when completing a route) it's not like they are running at a loss as a whole, it should be seen as a community service, I'd get loads of nurses trying to get home from a late shift at around 23.00 ( the last bus) Chelmsford council were pretty hot on it and First where fined if they omitted a journey.

Same applies to banks in my opinion, they have totally lost the plot as far as customer service is concerned, keep your appalling adverts telling me how good you are... Prove it.. Stop asking me if I need a financial checkup every time I go to pay cheques in as an excuse to just sell me tosh I don't need or will ever need 

mini rant over lol

Ray

[andy]

Done

[batrabill]

Done

[ranworthbreeze]

Done

[TheQ]

It's not just down here, up in Scotland the bus service my sister uses (X19 from Bo'ness to Edinburgh) is being cut from hourly to 2 twice a day, due to a loss of subsidy. This leaves her (and her husband ) with no way of getting to work, or back. Also the 47 bus service across the hill to Linlithgow is also being cut, so they can't go bus  and train.

[NorfolkNog]

Just picked up from Twitter that Sanders coaches are to run a new service 10 to serve Stalham, Catfield, Ludham and Horning from 21st September. Wonder if this is to fill the breach left by First????

[NorfolkNog]

Nice Superman advert!

[BroadScot]

I wish them every success

 

Iain.

[YorkshireAndy]

Shamelessly taken from another place, but deserves as wide an audience as possible. First Group are to drastically alter the Number 12 bus service from Norwich. Currently it serves Hoveton, Ludham, Catfield, Sutton and Stalham. The plan is to shorten the route to Hoveton, isolating the other communities. With the closure of Barclays in Stalham, those unable to drive would need this service to get to a Barclays in Norwich. 
Having only recently discovered this service last Summer, I have used it several times since. Particularly useful if you want to visit Wroxham and are cruising solo. It can be very difficult as a privateer to get moorings below the bridge. On a number of occasions I have moored at Sutton and used the bus to get to Wroxham. On my last holiday we walked from Sutton to Stalham to do some shopping and then used the bus to get back so the shopping didn't spend to much time in the heat.

As a frequent visitor to the area I shall miss the service, for the locals I can see this being a real difficulty. Barclays are closing in Stalham, so any Barclays customer without cars will need the bus to get to Norwich to get to a Barclays.
Please take the time to sign the petition which can be found at http://www.normanlamb.org.uk/bus_petition?recruiter_id=34100

 

Why not try to form a community bus service like the one in Hawes North Yorkshire ? They had a similar problem to the one under discussion here and a group of locals took up the cause. It’s called The Little White Bus if anyone wants to find out more. I’m from South Yorkshire but frequently holiday in Norfolk and have used the bus to get from Johnston Street caravan club site into Hoveton.


Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

[johnb]

We used the bus from Ludham to Stalham then Into Norwich. We stayed on the same bus but it changed numbers at Stalham. From Stalham into Norwich it was full and there were many people on and off between Ludham and Stalham. The service was certainly used that day and once again from Stalham to Norwich