Fears arise over future of Community Transport

Fears have arisen over the future of community transport in Bath and North East Somerset, following the news that the Council’s designated Community Transport Officer role is being scrapped.

For several years, B&NES has employed an officer to work directly work with community transport groups in Keynsham, Radstock, Bath and elsewhere to liaise on behalf of the authority and represent the views of the groups within the Transport Department.

Now, after years of successful work, Tory-run B&NES Council has decided to pull the plug on the role and leave many of the voluntary groups without this vital support.

Senior Lib Dem Gail Coleshill, who is standing at the next General Election has her party’s choice in North East Somerset, said:

“I was very worried to hear that the Council has decided to scrap this role. Every year, hundreds of volunteers work hard to provide a transport service to the elderly, the disabled, and anyone else who finds it difficult to use Public Transport.

In North East Somerset, groups such as the Norton-Radstock Ring & Ride, Keynsham Dial-a-Ride, Bath Community Transport and the Swan Advice Network play a vital role in offering a life-line to residents.

Many people use these services to do their weekly shop, to visit friends and get to important medical appointments.”

Last year, 14,000 passengers used the Ring and Ride service in Radstock and Midsomer Norton. B&NES currently gives £94,000 a year to support the service, but with severe government cuts on the way this funding could be under threat. Gail added:

“The current government has got its priorities wrong when it comes to using public finances to improve public and community transport. Instead of investing £millions on building bus lanes that no one wants, money should be going towards extending the community transport schemes in rural areas.

Also, if the Tories win the next election, they are telling us to expect big cuts to public services. I wonder if the Tory Candidate for North East Somerset will distance himself from his party’s actions locally and their plans nationally?

I believe that in rural areas such as North East Somerset we can’t under estimate the importance of community transport and I call on the Council to reinstate the Community Transport Officer role before it’s too late.”

Innovative transport designs

Local Lib Dems Gail Coleshill, Cllr Neil Butters and Tim Bray went on a fact finding visit to Stourbridge where there is a very successful light rail link between the station and the town.

The light rail car, or Parry’s People Mover, runs along rails on a 2 litre LPG diesel engine with a flywheel attachment to provide kinetic energy which saves fuel and carbon emissions.
Gail Coleshill was impressed by the possibilities of using such a low energy solution in Bath and North East Somerset.

She said “I can see the possibilities in a number of situations where the track beds of old railways still exist. It could be used in Bath along the old track instead of buses which use the same congested road space as cars. There are also the two tunnels track, the Radstock to Frome track, and maybe a branch line to Swindon.

Parry’s People Mover was first developed for use in the developing world but has been designed in Stourbridge to specifications from Network Rail.

The car which carries 60 people makes journeys every ten minutes along a disused branch line but the design of its body means that it can be extended to travel along tracks in or beside the road.

Gail was particularly impressed by its affordability. She added:

“LPG fuel makes it really cheap to run and the fuel is carried in a large tank within the vehicle. The car is light weight and the flywheel which stores up energy is what makes this such an innovative solution. I believe this could be a useful way to make a link between Bristol and Radstock along the old railway track which still exists most of the way.

Local resident and rail enthusiast Tim Bray thought there were practical applications within the Radstock area.

“I know there are public transport shortages between Farrington and Midsomer Norton and there is a track bed which is going to be an extension to the Greenway. I think this would be an ideal place to try out a pilot scheme for an ultra light railway.”

Why are we waiting?

Photo shows: Mike Rawlings, Louise Bray, Gail Coleshill, Rosemary Todd and residents in front of the Peasedown-bound bus stop.

Residents living in a small cul-de-sac in Dunkerton say they have been let down by Bath and North East Somerset Council after a broken promise five years ago.

The residents of Crossways Park do not have access to amenities or services in the village and rely on public transport to get them into Bath or Midsomer Norton.

Outside the cul-de-sac is a bus stop on the A367, bound for Peasedown St John. Unfortunately though, residents can rarely get to it because doing so means walking in the face of oncoming traffic at speeds of 50mph and more. Also there is a steep verge making it even more impossible if you are disabled.

Since 2005, residents have been asking B&NES Council to lay a small footpath leading to the bus stop – five years later though no action has been taken.

Frustrated resident Mike Rawlings says he and his neighbours were promised the footpath:

“The Council promised us five years ago a footpath, but despite years of waiting we have received nothing.

All we want is a small pathway that can get us safely out of our estate and to the bus stop.”

Prospective Lib Dem MP Gail Coleshill visited the affected residents recently to hear their concerns. She commented:

“It’s so frustrating that B&NES has promised to do something for these residents, but now they have been forgotten about because the Council doesn’t consider it a priority.

Why should these residents be treated any differently? They pay their Council Tax that is being wasted on transport projects elsewhere in the authority that no one wants.”

Local campaigner Louise Bray believes the Council has been wrong to have de-prioritised this scheme:

“It is a relatively small piece of work that would have a big impact on the lives of everybody living in this development.

Some of the residents are in poor health and two have died since this footpath was originally promised to them.

Once again this shows how the more vulnerable members of our rural communities are being sidelined. I am appealing to B&NES Council to take action on this before the financial year end.”

Gail Coleshill has written to the Traffic and Safety Department asking them to take action on this issue.

Street Surgery

Gail Coleshill, Prospective Lib Dem MP, and local campaigner Louise Bray will be holding a street surgery in Combe Hay on Tuesday 2nd February from 3.30pm.

Gail and Louise will be in the village to talk to residents, and help with any issues of concern.

Any residents of these streets who would like a visit can contact Gail on 01761 432923 or Louise on 01225 834673.

Bring empty properties back into use!‏

Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats show that there are almost 600 empty properties currently in the Bath and North East Somerset Council area.

The properties, which have been uninhabited for more than six months, are located in places all over the district from Keynsham to Batheaston, and from Midsomer Norton to Peasedown St John.

The news comes at the same time that Conservative controlled B&NES Council has revealed proposals that could see an extra 15,000 additional house built in the authority by the year 2026.

Gail Coleshill, the Prospective Lib Dem MP for North East Somerset, has been an active voice against the housing building plans – particularly on the green belt. She said:

“If the Council can bring some of these empty properties back into use that would be a benefit in tackling the housing needs we have. Let’s first use some of these properties that already exist for new homes before we even think of building anymore.”

The Lib Dems want the council to more to do more to bring some of the boarded up properties in B&NES back into use.

Local campaigner Louise Bray believes that we need to adopt the same approach as Mendip District Council whereby landlords are offered grants, professional guidance on lettings, rent deposit schemes and private sector leasing.

Louise commented:

“If B&NES Council were to adopt the same approach as our colleagues in Mendip, many of these 600 properties could be brought back into use which would be a great help in providing much needed social housing.”

The Lib Dems first raised their concerns about the number of empty properties in the authority in November 2008 when Peasedown Councillor Sarah Bevan highlighted the issue at a meeting of the B&NES Full Council.

Following this, in January 2009, the Cabinet Member for Housing confessed at a public meeting to Councillor Nathan Hartley that he had no idea of the number of empty properties in B&NES.

The above photo shows Lib Dems Gail Coleshill and Louise Bray outside the old St Nicholas Junior School in Radstock, with has been empty for years. Gail and Louise want to see empty properties like this used for social housing.

Keeping Warm - Essential Numbers

It has been exceptionally cold weather recently and I am aware that many people, particularly those from vulnerable groups, will be thinking about how best to stay warm and manage their energy costs. British Gas can help. We advise that customers should contact us direct so that we can ensure that we can offer them every assistance in keeping warm and managing their energy bills during this bitterly cold period.

If they are a British Gas customer, they should call us direct on freephone: 0800 072 7100 or for Prepayment Customers 0800 294 8604

Alternatively they can call the Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99). This is a free-phone number providing vulnerable customers with direct access to free insulation and reduced or ‘social’ tariffs from their energy supplier.

At British Gas we are firmly committed to playing our part in supporting all our customers especially during this cold period. We are urging customers concerned about the cost of energy to refrain from switching off their heating and contact us to see how we can help. Our call centres have received the highest level of contact ever with a nearly 300% rise in calls compared to this time last year. We have been processing these calls as quickly as possible.

We want to ensure that we can help to get out to those who are most vulnerable and will always seek to prioritise those who have no heating or hot water. We are also offering advice on line at www.britishgas.co.uk that may help protect boilers and central heating systems as the freezing temperatures continue across the country.

We may also be able to offer extended payment terms or in the case of vulnerable customers on specific benefits, transfer them onto our low cost social tariff. For customers whose bills arrive late as a result of the bad weather delaying postal services, they will still receive their prompt pay discounts as normal.

In addition we have a number of programmes specifically designed to help our most vulnerable customers which we are promoting through our charity partners and Citizen Advice Bureaux. These include:

Essentials Programme

British Gas has introduced a special tariff aimed at cutting gas and electricity bills for our most vulnerable low income customers. We currently have over 300,000 customers on the Essentials tariff saving up to £264 on average per annum, compared to a standard tariff. The tariff represents a £77.4million spend by the company and is open to existing British Gas customers in receipt of at least one of a number of specific Government benefits.

For further information on eligibility for the Essentials tariff tel: 0800 072 7100 or for Prepayment Customers 0800 294 8604

British Gas Energy Trust

British Gas has established the British Gas Energy Trust for customers to apply for grants and sustainable advice to manage their energy payments. The Trust also funds third party debt advice and in cases of extreme need, awards customers for other non-energy related debts and essential household costs.

British Gas has committed to the Trust for a further four years, taking the total committed by British Gas to the Trust to £21.3million since 2005.
The Trust is run independently of British Gas and is a registered charity.

For further information tel: 01733 421 021 (information) 01733 421 060 (applications)

‘here to HELP’

The largest social initiative of its kind in the UK, ‘here to HELP’ is a unique coalition between the public, private and charity sectors, delivering real benefits to vulnerable and fuel poor households. The scheme aims to tackle the root causes of household poverty by improving the living conditions and quality of life in some of Britain 's most deprived communities. The programme offers energy efficiency products, benefits assessments, essential appliances and adaptors, home security measures, and advice from our charity partners who include Help the Aged, Scope & the RNIB.

To date, the scheme has covered nearly 600,000 homes and has found unclaimed benefits totalling nearly £12.9 million. On average, qualifying applicants are over £1,500 a year better off as a result of the benefit health check alone.

For further information on ‘here to HELP’ tel: 0800 072 8339

Free Insulation to those Aged over 70

Insulating the home is one of the most effective ways to keep warm and cut energy bills.

British Gas customers over 70 years old or on income related benefits may be able to get their home insulated for free.

British Gas ExtraCare

British Gas has given a voluntary public commitment not to disconnect anyone we know to be vulnerable. “ExtraCare” is the process we have adopted to help us proactively identify signs of vulnerability amongst our customers; how we keep this information on our systems and what we need to do once we have identified someone as being potentially vulnerable. As part of our day to day contact with our customers, we listen out for any signs the customer may give us that might indicate that they are vulnerable.

British Gas Home Energy Care Register

Our Home Energy Care Register provides essential services for some of our most vulnerable customers and around 560,000 customers now benefit from the service. The Home Energy Care Register is a priority service register for all our gas and/or electricity customers who are elderly, disabled or chronically sick. It enables us to record any specific requirements these customers may have and helps us to provide them with services appropriate to their needs

For further information tel: 0800 072 8625

Home Heat Helpline

The national Home Heat Helpline was launched in 2005, offering help to customers struggling to pay their energy bills. The service is run by the Energy Retail Association and is funded by British Gas and other major energy suppliers. It gives one point of contact, connecting customers to advice and help from their energy supplier. A specialist British Gas team takes the calls from British Gas customers and connects them to the most appropriate support.

For further information tel: 0800 33 66 99 (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm Sat 10am-3pm)

Keeping Warm - Essential Numbers

It has been exceptionally cold weather recently and I am aware that many people, particularly those from vulnerable groups, will be thinking about how best to stay warm and manage their energy costs. British Gas can help. We advise that customers should contact us direct so that we can ensure that we can offer them every assistance in keeping warm and managing their energy bills during this bitterly cold period.

If they are a British Gas customer, they should call us direct on freephone: 0800 072 7100 or for Prepayment Customers 0800 294 8604

Alternatively they can call the Home Heat Helpline (0800 33 66 99). This is a free-phone number providing vulnerable customers with direct access to free insulation and reduced or ‘social’ tariffs from their energy supplier.

At British Gas we are firmly committed to playing our part in supporting all our customers especially during this cold period. We are urging customers concerned about the cost of energy to refrain from switching off their heating and contact us to see how we can help. Our call centres have received the highest level of contact ever with a nearly 300% rise in calls compared to this time last year. We have been processing these calls as quickly as possible.

We want to ensure that we can help to get out to those who are most vulnerable and will always seek to prioritise those who have no heating or hot water. We are also offering advice on line at www.britishgas.co.uk that may help protect boilers and central heating systems as the freezing temperatures continue across the country.

We may also be able to offer extended payment terms or in the case of vulnerable customers on specific benefits, transfer them onto our low cost social tariff. For customers whose bills arrive late as a result of the bad weather delaying postal services, they will still receive their prompt pay discounts as normal.

In addition we have a number of programmes specifically designed to help our most vulnerable customers which we are promoting through our charity partners and Citizen Advice Bureaux. These include:

Essentials Programme

British Gas has introduced a special tariff aimed at cutting gas and electricity bills for our most vulnerable low income customers. We currently have over 300,000 customers on the Essentials tariff saving up to £264 on average per annum, compared to a standard tariff. The tariff represents a £77.4million spend by the company and is open to existing British Gas customers in receipt of at least one of a number of specific Government benefits.

For further information on eligibility for the Essentials tariff tel: 0800 072 7100 or for Prepayment Customers 0800 294 8604

British Gas Energy Trust

British Gas has established the British Gas Energy Trust for customers to apply for grants and sustainable advice to manage their energy payments. The Trust also funds third party debt advice and in cases of extreme need, awards customers for other non-energy related debts and essential household costs.

British Gas has committed to the Trust for a further four years, taking the total committed by British Gas to the Trust to £21.3million since 2005.
The Trust is run independently of British Gas and is a registered charity.

For further information tel: 01733 421 021 (information) 01733 421 060 (applications)

‘here to HELP’

The largest social initiative of its kind in the UK, ‘here to HELP’ is a unique coalition between the public, private and charity sectors, delivering real benefits to vulnerable and fuel poor households. The scheme aims to tackle the root causes of household poverty by improving the living conditions and quality of life in some of Britain 's most deprived communities. The programme offers energy efficiency products, benefits assessments, essential appliances and adaptors, home security measures, and advice from our charity partners who include Help the Aged, Scope & the RNIB.

To date, the scheme has covered nearly 600,000 homes and has found unclaimed benefits totalling nearly £12.9 million. On average, qualifying applicants are over £1,500 a year better off as a result of the benefit health check alone.

For further information on ‘here to HELP’ tel: 0800 072 8339

Free Insulation to those Aged over 70

Insulating the home is one of the most effective ways to keep warm and cut energy bills.

British Gas customers over 70 years old or on income related benefits may be able to get their home insulated for free.

British Gas ExtraCare

British Gas has given a voluntary public commitment not to disconnect anyone we know to be vulnerable. “ExtraCare” is the process we have adopted to help us proactively identify signs of vulnerability amongst our customers; how we keep this information on our systems and what we need to do once we have identified someone as being potentially vulnerable. As part of our day to day contact with our customers, we listen out for any signs the customer may give us that might indicate that they are vulnerable.

British Gas Home Energy Care Register

Our Home Energy Care Register provides essential services for some of our most vulnerable customers and around 560,000 customers now benefit from the service. The Home Energy Care Register is a priority service register for all our gas and/or electricity customers who are elderly, disabled or chronically sick. It enables us to record any specific requirements these customers may have and helps us to provide them with services appropriate to their needs

For further information tel: 0800 072 8625

Home Heat Helpline

The national Home Heat Helpline was launched in 2005, offering help to customers struggling to pay their energy bills. The service is run by the Energy Retail Association and is funded by British Gas and other major energy suppliers. It gives one point of contact, connecting customers to advice and help from their energy supplier. A specialist British Gas team takes the calls from British Gas customers and connects them to the most appropriate support.

For further information tel: 0800 33 66 99 (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm Sat 10am-3pm)