A LOCAL bus service for Whitchurch area?

As is now fairly well known, Stagecoach are to change their bus routes again in Whitchurch following local consultations, lobbying from various groups and assessment of their own data. 

From July 17th the No.76 will no longer serve Evingar Road, the Station, or Lynch Hill Park. It will travel straight through the Square from Basingstoke towards Andover, and also the reverse. Meanwhile a limited hourly No.86 services will return to serving the Station 'loop'. Areas such as Caesar's Way, Bere Hill, and the Knowlings are also presently without a service, as are many rural areas.

These latest changes won't please everyone! Stagecoach is wholly a commercial company and make their own decisions. Meanwhile the Town Council has no direct role in routes or timetabling but encourages and facilitates dialogue between users and the company. It can be frustrating that they have no decision role, but that is a result of past government changes to legislation. 

Will you be affected? 

...is there an opportunity here?
Whitchurch is a growing town and there may be opportunities to introduce a community-based service to cater for trips to the shops, the surgery, the post office, or for visiting friends – and to cover routes residents are saying are essential. It could also serve outlying villages and link the surrounding rural areas to local amenities.

Ideas are in a very early stage, and demand has to be assessed both on need and viability. With the town's Community Bus service presently being examined by Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council, the big question is whether it could be enhanced or extended.

Potential

Town Councillor John Buckley (me) and Borough Councillor Chloe Ashfield have met with Borough Officers and have been looking at the potential for developing a community service further. They would like to know what demand there may be for a local service.

Would you use a local service?

A focussed workshop for people who would like to contribute their support is to be held on Friday 15th July and John and Chloe would like to hear from anyone who would like to be involved. They are particularly keen to hear from those who might use such a service if it could developed, both for in the town and for outlying villages.

It needs to be stressed this is very tentative at this stage but rarely has there been such an opportunity for Whitchurch.

Contacts are:

John Buckley : 01256 892650 or via the Whitchurch Town Hall Office

Cllr John Buckley (Whitchurch Town Council)
Chloe Ashfield: 07717 175 368 or via Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council
Cllr Chloe Ashfield (Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council)

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Feeling Proud

I must admit, becoming a Town Councillor was a bit of a shock – it was not expected and to be honest a little outside my comfort zone, not always being one for processes, policies and formality. I felt rather gobsmacked when I won, and the feeling of honour was fairly over-powering.
That will remain with me forever.

But over the last couple of years I have learned a lot, mostly that those who sit around the Council table are just like you and me – ordinary people who just happen to love their town and want to do the best they can for it, in their own time and often expense.
Yes, there is some red-tape, and yes there are things like Standing Orders and Regulations, but foremost it is the commitment by the volunteer Councillors to making Whitchurch a better place that comes across as paramount.

But rarely have I felt so proud and humbled as to the latest surprise development.

To be selected as the Deputy Mayor and Deputy Chairman of 'my' town is something I still cannot get my head around – something that confounds yet excites, and makes me shake my head at the sheer privilege of being chosen.

Right: The Deputy Mayor's insignia.

Words still fail me.
"Feeling Proud" will have to do – while I now make the promise to undertake the role to the best of my very limited ability.