‘Bus was empty but I wasn’t allowed on’ (From thisisoxfordshire)
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‘Bus was empty but I wasn’t allowed on’
7:00am Friday 15th February 2013 in News
By Freddie Whittaker, covering Politics and Kidlington. Call me on 01865 425498
Bette Martin was allowed access to this minibus and is given assistance by Oxfordshire County Council’s Matthew Delnevo
BETTE MARTIN could not believe it when she was turned away from a near-empty Dial-A-Ride bus because it was “fully booked”.
The 90-year-old great-grandmother was hoping to use the service to get to the Jack Straw’s Lane Pastoral Church Over 50s Club from her home in Rayson House, Headington.
But, in another example of a system even service provider Oxfordshire County Council has labelled “crazy”, the booking system is stopping people using the 16-berth Dial-A-Ride buses even if it is not full.
In November, the Oxford Mail reported how OAPs at Tumbling Bay Court, West Oxford, were not allowed on an empty bus.
They blamed a new system that allows users of the door-to-door service to block-book weeks in advance. Even if journeys are cancelled by users, those without a reservation are unable to get on for “insurance” reasons.
Oxfordshire County Council vowed to tackle the problem and it said last night improvements had been made. However it apologised to Mrs Martin.
Mrs Martin called Dial-A-Ride on February 6 to book a place for the following day but was told none were available.
Mrs Martin said there were only three passengers on the bus and added: “I went down anyway because I knew they were coming for my neighbour.
“I don’t understand why they couldn’t take me, and they had no answer. I just cried because I didn’t know what to do.
Mrs Martin, who is the club chairwoman, said: “They need to be more flexible. I know the driver felt angry about it too, but they have no choice.”
Group bookings for club members had also proved difficult she said, meaning some have had to get taxis.
Headington resident and Dial-A-Ride user Elizabeth Cox, 82, said while she could not get a booking from July to January, it had now improved. She added: “I’ve managed to get on every week since January. I think it’s got a little better. They haven’t got it right yet, but it’s better.”
The council took over the service last April after district councils and Oxford City Council cut funding. The county maintained its funding but cut the number of buses.
Deputy leader Rodney Rose last November said empty buses were “crazy” and said: “It is something I am not prepared to put up with.”
Spokesman Martin Crabtree added: “The council is improving the way it schedules routes and books journeys and has increased the number of passenger journeys it provides – all things that customers had given us feedback on last year.
“The Dial-A-Ride service tries to be as flexible as possible and accommodate people even when they are not able to book a week in advance.
“If we have spaces available at short notice and someone calls then we would normally try to allow someone to travel.
“The dial-a-ride service should be flexible enough to have accommodated Mrs Martin, and we apologise for any inconvenience.”
Block booking is still available but is being monitored so the system is not abused, he said.
Comments(3)
Terrysmith30
says...
1:48pm Fri 15 Feb 13
T A Smih. Thank you.
snorton
says...
9:23pm Sat 16 Feb 13
When the bus arrived at the stop I was waiting at the driver told me that due to roadworks the part of the route I wanted had been suspended, and passengers were expected to use the Flexibus instead. I had in fact seen it leave the stop a few minutes earlier, and hoped that it would return to the town centre soon. It did. But the driver told me that there was no way in which passengers could be accommodated unless they booked a full day in advance. Of course a day in advance I didn't know that I would need to use the service !
A few days later I decided to have another go. After checking with the highways department that the roadworks were still on I booked a journey. However though I wanted a morning journey (which the normal schedule would have provided) I was told I could only be carried in the afternoon. I made the 50 mile train journey to the relevant town and proceeded to the bus stop. But what did I see but the scheduled bus back in service -- which meant I could have gone in the morning after all ! I was so angry that when the Flexibus did turn up -- a smaller vehicle than the one I'd noticed before -- I didn't notice it, and anyway by then I was past caring.
There is a case for running demand responsive rather than scheduled services in rural areas, as long as they are available to visitors as well as local residents. However they do need to be properly organised so that people can make "on spec" trips if they can be accommodated.
Simon Norton, Cambridge
zimmer, Wolvecote. says...
12:11pm Fri 15 Feb 13