Buses using Rooker Rise
Trevor R Nunn made this Freedom of Information request to Cheshire West and Chester Council
This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I would like a copy of any and all information that will explain why buses are now regularly using Rookery Rise, Winsford instead of Station Road.
In addition, I would like a copy of any and all documents categorising Rookery Rise as a highway fit for bus use.
In addition, I would like a copy of any and all information that may explain why the council is allowing buses to use a road that is not fully adopted.
In the alternative, I would like a copy of any letter sent to the bus companies telling them not to use Rookery Rise as an alternative to Station Road.
Yours faithfully,
Trevor Nunn
Dear Mr Nunn
Thank you for your email. It will be treated as a request within the
meaning of the Act: this means that we will send you a full response
within 20 working days, either supplying you with the information which
you want, or explaining to you why we cannot supply it. If we need any
further clarification or there is any problem we will be in touch.
In the meantime if you wish to discuss this further please contact me. It
would be helpful if you could quote the log number 400155.
Iris Chalmers
PA to Steve Robinson, Chief Executive
Cheshire West and Chester Council
Tel: 01244 975968
Email: [email address]
Location: Room 283, County Hall, Chester CH1 1SF
Visit: cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
Mr. Nunn
In response to your first paragraph, it is my understanding that Rookery
Rise is not being used regularly and in fact was only used for a temporary
diversion. At the time of receiving your email, the normal route along
Station Road had resumed.
The normal procedure for the registration of a commercial bus service such
as this one, is for the operator to produce a printed registration
document which is then sent to ourselves at Cheshire West and Chester
Council/Cheshire East Council and also to the Department For Transport's
Traffic Commissioner to raise any objections to their proposals. The lack
of any such objection would be seen as the highway being fit for purpose.
In the event of the need for a road diversion then a suitable alternative
is agreed upon.
Please see the response below from Arriva to Cheshire West and Chester
Council received on Fri 31/07/2009 on the matter;
I hope this is satisfactory.
Regards
Michael Smith
Intergrated Transport Service
Operations Assistant
01244 976044
Dear Michael
With reference to the complaint about our services operating along Rookery
Rise, the decision was made as a result of the parking and width of road
on the planned diversion.
When the road closure began, drivers were expressing their concerns about
the risk of having an accident. As we were not picking up anywhere along
the diversion, the decision was made to operate along Rookery Rise which
is a wider road and does not suffer from poorly parked vehicles.
All normal traffic would follow the sign posted diversion.
I have been informed this morning that the road is now open and as a
result all our services will return to Station Road.
Regards
Martin
Martin Turner
Operations Manager
Dear SMITH, Michael,
Your response doesn't explain why Station Road Bypass wasn't used. Especially since the whole purpose of the Bypass was to take traffic away from Station Road. Or in fact why other classified roads were not used instead of Rookery Rise, a housing estate road. One on which many children play and feel relatively safe because they don't expect double decker buses to be using it as a rat run to avoid a proper diversion along classified roads.
Yours sincerely,
Trevor R Nunn
Mr. Nunn
The reason for the bypass not being used, was that by using Rookery Rise, 2 stops on Station Rd remained in use. Had the bus operated along the bypass, it would have been unable to serve anyone requiring the bus between Winsford Station and the main town roundabout.
I'm sure you can appreciate that the intention with any road diversion is to inconvenience as few people as possible.
Regards
Michael Smith
Intergrated Transport Service
Operations Assistant
01244 976044
Trevor R Nunn left an annotation ()
Buses still using Rookery Rise in spite of what the council say.
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/bu...
Trevor R Nunn left an annotation ()
For the full story about Rookery Rise
http://bodgedroad.blogspot.com/2009/08/w...
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Trevor R Nunn left an annotation ()
The full story here.
http://bodgedroad.blogspot.com/