(12 Sep 2021, 11:52 pm)James101 wrote Social needs are entirely subjective to the user. I can get by without an evening bus. Can the elderly resident of Dalton Piercy who hasn’t seen another person for 3 weeks and doesn’t want to go to the doctor about their symptoms as the taxi is too expensive? Are they less needy than the homeless person? It’s not healthy to pit desperate people against each other.
It’s not always a purely financial problem for local authorities, there’s a genuine competency issue too. I recently tried to use a supported service in Stafford. The total absence of bus-stop timetables left me questioning where to wait so I missed the bus. I emailed the council for clarification on stopping places, it took a week of back & forth to finally get them to understand what I was asking. Their response to my suggestion it could have all been avoided by providing timetables at stops was met with this would be a waste of taxpayers money! I had no reply to my suggestion the greater waste was running an anonymous white ex-welfare minibus with no destination equipment on a route no-one has a clue when or where it runs.
For this reason I think transport authorities should be established where they do not already exist to asses and implement the social and economic necessary services the Bus Strategy mandates local authorities will now be obligated to provide. I’d go further and have tangible metrics like a minimum service per population density.
Honestly I don't disagree with putting social needs against each other tbh. Don't disagree about minimum bus services either and that it should be ran outside of the council's control maybe like the rail to give a decent service for everyone. But sadly a homeless person will always get priority as it's a burden on other services. It's a mess tbh and sadly some places are getting the burden more than others. Councils badly need more money, maybe could be a thing for the Tories to prove their 'levelling up' since they've got a Hartlepool MP now.
Mind I can't comment on Stafford, it's quite a well off county aswell tbf bar Stafford itself which is a mixed bag. Rural though but you'll always have some bad apples.
Btw one thing that can actually work is to have parish councillors or another level below the main council like Northumberland for most the stuff you mentioned above as they're usually more proactive and care about their local issues. Especially with stuff like timetables as our parish council is constantly getting on about it. I believe they partially subsidise one bus service, with Northumberland Council taking a bit and Arriva aswell.
The only negative thing I could say about a transport body is GCT in Nexus land so even then you still have problems and let's be honest Nexus don't give a toss either.