Councillor 'rides the buses'

4.44.00pm GMT Tue 5th Jan 2010

Just before Christmas, Eaton Ward Councillor Judith Lubbock carried out an investigation into buses in Eaton and particularly the new 23 service.

Cllr Judith Lubbock's report:

On Tuesday 15th December, I decided to take a few trips on the Anglian Bus 121 service to find out what local people felt about it. As a local councillor for Eaton, I was reacting to concerns from residents that First had instigated a 23 service running a more or less identical route to the Anglian 121. The new service was a half hourly service rather than an hourly service and was running just a few minutes ahead of Anglian.

What I found was quite remarkable - extremely loyal passengers who refused to take the First service in favour of Anglian. Passengers who felt frustrated that First could start a new service in direct competition with Anglian and appalled at the unnecessary competition and the waste of resources of a near empty bus using fuel and polluting the air. The loyal Anglian customers felt that First were 'muscling in on the good work done by Anglian in developing this route where they had previously failed.'

I spoke to about 50 passengers who traveled on the Anglian 121 route fairly regularly who found the service excellent, they said the buses were new, clean and accessible, drivers friendly and helpful and above all praised a reliable service. In comparison residents felt First were using older buses which were not as clean. First charged more for the same journey and the route did not cover the top end of Greenways.

I witnessed 6 passengers in a queue who waited at a bus stop in Eaton. On seeing the First 23 service approach and stop not one of them got on the bus. They all waited for the Anglian 121 service running 2 minutes later than First. This was just one example of the loyalty of the Anglian passengers. Customers were voting with their feet.

Many seem resolute in their determination to support the bus company whom they say has offered such a reliable service over the years. One passenger said 'Anglian has never let us down and I am not going to let them down now that there is a competitor'.

There seemed to be real frustration that another operator could legally come along and compete with no real benefit to the community. A real concern at the waste of resources and concern that there was not enough business for the two operators.

I will be writing to both companies to report what I found and asking First to reconsider its 23 service in the light of the findings. I will also write to the County Council asking them to use their position as the Public Transport Authority who work in partnership with First to intervene in this 'bus war'.

I will be very glad to receive any further comments from those who use both services.

Cllr Judith Lubbock tel: 504126 email:j.lubbock@cllr.norwich.gov.uk