Perhaps the Area Board IS listening!

What an interesting Corsham Area Board meeting last night:

• A U-turn on the traffic lights on the A4 and other associated road improvements
• Funding support for Transcoco to develop its organisation and work towards a more sustainable future
• A unanimous vote of endorsement for the our CCAN / Transcoco recommendations to improve public transport information and awareness across the community area
• A presentation on waste and recycling and an opportunity to engage in the debate about its future management by Wiltshire Council
• A commitment to engage in a new debate about the possible reopening of Corsham Station

What is fascinating is that when the Area Board came into being last year there was a sense that they had all the answers and would be telling us what was going to happen – now they are starting to make decisions in response to community driven evidence that people want to see thing differently.

I was really pleased to be able to present the Corsham Community Area Bus Stop Audit last night. It may not sound like a ‘must read’ piece of literature but I knew it was real evidence of how a well researched and structured piece of community driven work cannot fail to be taken seriously when it addresses common sense issues and reveals clear weaknesses in public services.

There are 115 bus stops across the community area and there are some alarming statistics in the report including:

• Only 71% of bus stops identified with a sign
• Only 33% of bus stops have a timetable
• Only 36% of bus stops have shelter
• Websites and timetables often contain inaccurate and out of date information

I am really delighted that the phase 1 recommendations from this report were endorsed by The Area Board with the chairman praising the work which had gone it developing it. A Cabinet member has now been tasked with taking this forward and to work in partnership with CCAN, Transcoco, bus providers and the town and parish councils across the community area to ensure there is accurate and up to date information about bus services on bus stops and on websites and to raise the awareness of public transport in the area.

This can easily lead to some quick wins for the community area. By improving public transport information and awareness more people will be inclined to make use of bus services, bus services can improve and that can all help to contribute to a reduction in cars on the road – an aspiration of the vast majority of individuals, pressure groups, governments, shadow governments and environmentalists everywhere.

This may be a small step but I believe it is significant as it opens doors for dialogue and getting like minded people around the same table. Let's hope it continues!