Below is a list of the statutory consultees, that Nexus approached under the Quality Contract Scheme proposal. Can anyone else see a problem with it?

Only 2 bodies on that list of 19 profess to 'represent' joe public. Bus Users UK, and PTUG. I'm on the mailing lists and have both of them on Facebook, yet I was never once approached for my view. Leads me to wonder exactly how democratic these bodies are, and who's views are they really representing? Their own personal view, or perhaps a collective view of their supporters/members? Is anyone a member of either?

What would also be interesting to know is whether any members of Unite or Unison, who are not employed by affected companies, were consulted on the feedback they've provided. I'm not a member of either union, but I am both a member and activist of a TUC affiliated union. I never even knew that the TUC had been consulted...

That leaves a mixture of operators, whom have been offered the opportunity to provide feedback under the NEBOA and NTL umbrella too, and the councils, which we already know are for the proposal.

• Arriva
  
• Bus Users UK
  
• Durham County Council
  
• Gateshead Council
  
• Go North East
  
• NEBOA
  
• Network Ticketing Ltd
  
• Newcastle City Council
  
• North Tyneside Council
  
• Northumberland County Council
  
• Oxera
  
• PTUG
  
• Passenger Focus
  
• South Tyneside Council
  
• Stagecoach
  
• Sunderland City Council
  
• TUC
  
• Unison
  
• Unite
  

PTUG are a bunch of raving Stalinist loonies. Embarrassing that they've been included

(04 Dec 2013, 8:54 pm)gtomlinson wrote PTUG are a bunch of raving Stalinist loonies. Embarrassing that they've been included

No there a bunch of P**** Tuggers as there Abbreviation would suggest

(04 Dec 2013, 6:26 pm)aureolin wrote Below is a list of the statutory consultees, that Nexus approached under the Quality Contract Scheme proposal. Can anyone else see a problem with it?

Only 2 bodies on that list of 19 profess to 'represent' joe public. Bus Users UK, and PTUG. I'm on the mailing lists and have both of them on Facebook, yet I was never once approached for my view. Leads me to wonder exactly how democratic these bodies are, and who's views are they really representing? Their own personal view, or perhaps a collective view of their supporters/members? Is anyone a member of either?

What would also be interesting to know is whether any members of Unite or Unison, who are not employed by affected companies, were consulted on the feedback they've provided. I'm not a member of either union, but I am both a member and activist of a TUC affiliated union. I never even knew that the TUC had been consulted...

That leaves a mixture of operators, whom have been offered the opportunity to provide feedback under the NEBOA and NTL umbrella too, and the councils, which we already know are for the proposal.

• Arriva
  
• Bus Users UK
  
• Durham County Council
  
• Gateshead Council
  
• Go North East
  
• NEBOA
  
• Network Ticketing Ltd
  
• Newcastle City Council
  
• North Tyneside Council
  
• Northumberland County Council
  
• Oxera
  
• PTUG
  
• Passenger Focus
  
• South Tyneside Council
  
• Stagecoach
  
• Sunderland City Council
  
• TUC
  
• Unison
  
• Unite
  

Where are mine and eezypeazy's names at like?

I am also a union member, but it doesn't appear on the list.
Pay my council tax to a local authority and I am on the mailing list for Nexus.
This is the first I have heard/seen of it all.

Good to see PTUG on there!

If Nexus are serious about QCS, then they need to ensure passengers are involved, rather than relying on statutory consultees to voice opinion.

The operators have ignored passengers for long enough.
Hopefully Nexus won't fall into the same trap.

(04 Dec 2013, 11:20 pm)andreos1 wrote Where are mine and eezypeazy's names at like?

I am also a union member, but it doesn't appear on the list.
Pay my council tax to a local authority and I am on the mailing list for Nexus.
This is the first I have heard/seen of it all.

Good to see PTUG on there!

If Nexus are serious about QCS, then they need to ensure passengers are involved, rather than relying on statutory consultees to voice opinion.

The operators have ignored passengers for long enough.
Hopefully Nexus won't fall into the same trap.

I'm actually on the Nexus 'consultation panel', but I never got an invite. I did submit some feedback personally though. It's a shame my union isn't listed, despite representing over 80,000 members in both public and private sector in the North East alone. Serious homework needed by Nexus methinks.

(04 Dec 2013, 8:54 pm)gtomlinson wrote PTUG are a bunch of raving Stalinist loonies. Embarrassing that they've been included

I thought the idea of them being around was quite good when I first heard of them, but I've tried numerous times to get involved yet they don't seem too willing. Thankfully I'm not so willing now, as I'm a big fan of democracy. I think any such group should represent the views of a majority membership, and not personal feeling. Reminds me of some anti-cuts groups in the region...

(04 Dec 2013, 9:04 pm)Adam Malarkey wrote No there a bunch of P**** Tuggers as there Abbreviation would suggest

Seems harsh. Have you had much experience of them? I'd love to say I've had, but as above, they weren't too keen.

Not to drift too far off my topic (though its my speciality) but on PTUG

They are a left wing political pressure group masquerading under a user group umbrella. I met one of their brood through work last month and what a horrible little individual. Desperate to recruit but spent the entire time belittling everyone else's views, slandering Nexus and the other authorities.

They have their own horrible agenda

Seems harsh. Have you had much experience of them? I'd love to say I've had, but as above, they weren't too keen.
[/quote]

Nope, in all honesty I have no idea who they are haha, I was merely correcting GTomlinson on what he thought of PTUG by using the PTUG Abbreviation.

(04 Dec 2013, 11:33 pm)gtomlinson wrote Not to drift too far off my topic (though its my speciality) but on PTUG

They are a left wing political pressure group masquerading under a user group umbrella. I met one of their brood through work last month and what a horrible little individual. Desperate to recruit but spent the entire time belittling everyone else's views, slandering Nexus and the other authorities.

They have their own horrible agenda

Hmm disappointing. Although aside from Nexus giving them a bit mention in the past, they don't seem to get a lot of publicity.

Anyway the main thing that I was just curious about, was how they came about supporting QCS. Then supposedly representing the average Joe's view on it. Our own poll on the QCS thread clearly shows no overall majority, and that people are split for or against, with very few remaining on the fence.

In my opinion it just goes to show that users in Tyne and Wear really are underrepresented.

(04 Dec 2013, 11:33 pm)gtomlinson wrote Not to drift too far off my topic (though its my speciality) but on PTUG

They are a left wing political pressure group masquerading under a user group umbrella. I met one of their brood through work last month and what a horrible little individual. Desperate to recruit but spent the entire time belittling everyone else's views, slandering Nexus and the other authorities.

They have their own horrible agenda

Every group on that list has an agenda though.

I am personally pleased to see them on there, if only to make those sitting on the other side of the fence feel uneasy (just as they did with the Stagecoach representative in the Politics Show link I put up a few weeks back).

The operators have had it too easy, for too long and if a group such as PTUG can ruffle a few feathers, then good on them.

Edit.
The link I put up was from PTEG. Not PTUG.
Either way, pleased to see organisations like these on the board.

(05 Dec 2013, 8:52 am)andreos1 wrote Every group on that list has an agenda though.

I am personally pleased to see them on there, if only to make those sitting on the other side of the fence feel uneasy (just as they did with the Stagecoach representative in the Politics Show link I put up a few weeks back).

The operators have had it too easy, for too long and if a group such as PTUG can ruffle a few feathers, then good on them.

Edit.
The link I put up was from PTEG. Not PTUG.
Either way, pleased to see organisations like these on the board.

I think it's important for such organisations to exist, yes, but I don't like them working with a severe lack of democracy. If they're really interested in standing up for users, then they need to represent the views of users. I'm not convinced at all that any of the organisations available in the North East achieve this. I'm happy for someone to prove otherwise to me though.

I honestly don't think that PTUG can ruffle a few feathers though? None of the big three operators acknowledge them. Nexus do yes, but there again, Nexus can only pass a complaint on. If I was going to support such organisation, it would only be on the basis they had the operators on board otherwise it's pointless.

(05 Dec 2013, 3:16 pm)aureolin wrote I think it's important for such organisations to exist, yes, but I don't like them working with a severe lack of democracy. If they're really interested in standing up for users, then they need to represent the views of users. I'm not convinced at all that any of the organisations available in the North East achieve this. I'm happy for someone to prove otherwise to me though.

I honestly don't think that PTUG can ruffle a few feathers though? None of the big three operators acknowledge them. Nexus do yes, but there again, Nexus can only pass a complaint on. If I was going to support such organisation, it would only be on the basis they had the operators on board otherwise it's pointless.

Not even Nexus have the operators on board.
The operators are only interested in themselves and shareholders - so if it takes the likes of PTEG/PTUG to shove a few home truths down the throats of the operators (whether they are recognised or not or democratic or not), then it sounds good to me.

Even if you look at Bus Users UK, you just have to look at the world famous survey to see where their loyalties lie.
If they were that bothered about passengers, a survey like that, should have led to Bus Users UK hauling GNE over the coals or at the very least, looking for answers as to why feedback in certain areas was so poor.

If you look at each of those committee members, their agenda is/will be clear from the outset.

I do agree, passengers should be represented and the members invited aren't from a broad enough section.