(03 Mar 2013, 10:56 am)Rob wrote Online consultations really do not work. They are often completed by individuals whom not only do not live near the area of change, but those who do not actually use the particular routes subject to change. Why should those not using the services get details regarding the changes? They shouldn’t. Recent consultations having invoked: distributing leaflets to those living in affected areas, adverts on concerned routes explaining the distribution of leaflets to local households and businesses, staff of routes explaining changes and noting customer feedback. Directly reducing ‘rouge’ customer feedback otherwise associated with online consultations. Such consultation arrangements have been employed throughout consultation regarding changes to routes 10/10A, 11, 27, 49/49A/49B/49C and 69/69A. Results (available on the website) prove that respondent reaction was far less negative.

If you use affected services and have not received a consultation email customer services and they will be able to provide a copy of the consultation. Alternatively, consultations are being stocked in some local amenities including libraries and post offices.

You must also consider that people who do not live in the directly affected areas do use the services too. I understand why Go North East have decided to change their method of distributing customer consultations, but there are downsides to it too.
I for one, do not live in any of the directly affected areas of the services that are proposed to change, but I do use most if not all of the services on a regular basis. I'm not receiving the chance to fill out one of these forms because of that very reason.

While I'm not debating the truth of the claim as I do believe it happens, I've not once seen a member of staff out asking questions on the services that could be affected following customer consultations. Perhaps I don't use the services enough to see someone, and the likelihood of me seeing someone is reduced because of that, but I haven't seen it happen.

Admittedly, you have shown us two workarounds for this, but I don't often visit the library, and I'd like to say I'm positive that the majority of people these days don't either (hence the downfall of libraries etc). If I read the text on the poster correctly, it said that you could pick up a copy of the consultation on board the vehicle in which I was travelling... This, however, was not so.

I will e-mail customer services in hope of getting a copy of the consultation though. I'll also pass on the suggestion to them that they should be distributing the leaflets on board vehicles too, if they already do not.