The Chair to advise the Committee of any items on which members of the public have requested to speak and advise those members of the public present of the details of the Council’s public participation scheme.
For those members of the public who have submitted any questions or statements, please note, a three minute time limit applies to each speaker and you will be asked to speak before Councillors debate the issue.
Temporary measures during the Coronavirus Pandemic
Due to the Government guidance on measures to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19), we will holding meetings in a virtual manner which will be live webcast on our website. Members of the public will still be able to register to speak and ask questions, which will then be read out by the Governance and Democracy Case Manager during Public Question Time and will either be answered by the Chair of the Committee, or the relevant Portfolio Holder, or be followed up with a written response.
Minutes:
A statement was provided by Mr David Redgewell and set out below. The response following the meeting would be circulated to members of the Scrutiny Committee.
With the Covid-19 level raised in the south west there is a need for social distancing at Bus stops and enhanced cleaning, on bus infrastructure and in Taunton town centre.
Firstly in Taunton bus stops at corporation street, castle way and The parade at time have been unsafe with passengers in queues not social distancing. The Gazette has also reported on this issue and on Facebook. I witnessed the problem myself on the way to Taunton Hospital.
This need looking at with Somerset west and Taunton Council, Somerset County Council, the Transport authority. There is an urgent needs to look at Notices and Barriers like those in Bristol, Exeter town centre and bus stations, Bath, Gloucester and Cheltenham. Social distancing and face coverings and notices in bus and coach stations and on bus shelters to keep passengers safe.
In Taunton, maybe marshalling journeys at peak times would benefit passengers, and using part of the bus station yard to spread the queues out at stands in Taunton town centre would help. With the problems being worse at peak times or when First group south west duplicates the single decker route to Minehead due to low Bridges on the West Somerset railway or when extra bus operate off castle way bus stops with National Express Coaches and bus operated by Dartline to Seaton or Hatch green bus service.
These are small stands with not much shelter s which means in wet weather social distancing is not happening.
As a double decker bus only carry 33 and 18 on a single means that social distancing at present bus stops were very difficult, with too many buses are on the stand s in the town centre. With departure a to Taunton town centre to wells bus station 29 route for Bristol and Bath Taunton town centre 54 to Lanport, somerton and yeovi bus station 2l Taunton to Bridgwater ,Highbridge and Burnham for Weston super mare 22 Taunton town centre to Wellington and Tiverton 99 Taunton town centre to chard 30 Taunton town centre to chard and Axminster for lyme regis, Bridport and Weymouth and Dorchester. Town service s and park and ride services. The Government is keen to.keep.the public transport network safe during the Covid 19 outbreak . To many buses are on the stands in Taunton town centre.
The issue of a bus strategy and consultation on improving bus waiting facilities in Taunton town centre, and using part of the bus station to allow proper safe social distancing on the bus network in Taunton town.
The guidance from the department for transport and regulation is the local authorities need to improve public infrastructure cleaning social with Notices pavements widening mark out notices and signs on bus stops and shelters.
Passengers in Taunton need the councils Bridgwater, Wells ,Frome ,Weston super mare and Gloucester to improve bus stops shelters and plan a new bus and coach station for Taunton. As travel watch south west and Transport focus have said we need to improve passengers facilities in the Town urgently this is a local authorities responsibility with the Somerset county council the local transport authority and the south west transport board.
Exeter city council and North Somerset council in Weston super mare had a new bus and coach station under construction and at First Great western railway station in Taunton an interchange is under construction to ensure public transport information is correct Taunton and Somerset railway stations.
We welcome the ongoing work on bus and coach service by bus and coach station facilities are as important as reopening Wellington station and link Train service between Taunton and Minehead and bus interchange facilities need improvement at Taunton bus station.
Thank you for keeping the public transport network operating in difficult situations.
David Redgewell south west transport network and Railfuture Severnside.