Transport Audit

From HalesworthTownPlan

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Trains 3 Buses 4 Cars 4.1 An audit of car parking was undertaken on Friday 14th August 2009 5 Appendix 1. Role of County Council

Introduction

This section covers motorised transport. Non-motorised forms of transport, walking; horse riding; cycling and disabled access are covered in the Rights of Way and Access section within the Environment Chapter.

Trains

Halesworth is situated on the East Suffolk Line that connects Lowestoft to Ipswich and on to London Liverpool Street. From Lowestoft there are links to Norwich and from Ipswich to Norwich and Cambridge There are 9 trains daily Mon-Sat, 7 trains Sunday – providing generally a 2 hourly service, with one extra morning and evening for rush hour. There are 5 through trains to London each day Mon-Sat The track and station are managed by Network Rail and the present train franchise is National Express – (who makes decision about rail franchise?) There are only a few places between Ipswich and Lowestoft where two tracks are still in place and this limits the number of trains that can run. A Beccles Loop has been discussed to improve the situation but there is no definite timetable for this to be installed. There are three stations in our area at Halesworth itself and also at Brampton 6 km (4 miles) to the North and Darsham 8 km (5 miles) to the South.

Halesworth Station is situated approximately 400 metres from the Town Centre at the top of Station Road. Both platforms have: shelters, seats, litter bins, timetables, electronic timetables, cycle lockers. There are no toilets or refreshment facilities. The southern platform, nearest to the Town has easy access ramps from car park but the northern platform has narrow sloped entrance from Bramblewood Way, dangerous for any wheelchair/buggy user. This problem is being looked into and a new entrance further along the platform is being discussed. The line can be crossed at the south eastern end of the platforms where there are slopes with safety rails. Preferred option by Network Rail is for everyone to cross via the bridge on Norwich Road! There is free car parking for 19 vehicles, including 3 disabled spaces on the south side. (How many spaces are taken up by non travellers?) The building is used by the Museum, Halesworth Area Community Transport and Mencap. There is signage on the station for the bus stop in Bramblewood Way (near south bound platform entrance) where 601 Southwold to Lowestoft bus service meets trains between 7.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. The 511 Halesworth Hopper also meets trains between 9.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. stopping in the car park on the northern side. The station is cleaned every week including lines by a Network Rail employee and there is also a Station Adopter scheme in operation with 3 local volunteers who keep an eye on the station, report anything dangerous, clear litter and look after the flower tubs when necessary. There are also 3 Network Rail Friends (local volunteers) who look after the moveable platform areas.

Brampton Station (to add)

Darsham Station Both platforms have shelter, seats, litter bins, timetables. The line has to be crossed at the level crossing. The station car park is on the opposite side of the A12 where there have been some nasty accidents.

Buses

9 different operators through Halesworth serve the surrounding area as far as Aldeburgh, Harleston, Ipswich, Lowestoft, Norwich and Southwold Bus timetable booklet 16 for Halesworth, Southwold and Surrounding Area is available from Halesworth Library, Railway Station, Waveney local office and the Angel Hotel office. This has full information and includes services 99, 121, 497, 498, 511 Halesworth Hopper, 521, 528, 532, 533, 534, 536, 561, 563, 564, 588, 60l, 608, 610, 626 and 627 also Pathfinder and Coastlink telephone numbers. Coastlink is a demand responsive service where pre booked journeys can be made between 0700 and 1900 7 days a week between Darsham station and the coastal area of Minsmere, Dunwich, Walberswick and Southwold. The vehicle is adapted to take wheelchairs. Bookings need to be made Monday to Friday 0800 to 1800. Halesworth Pathfinder runs a bit like a taxi but with the fare of a bus Tuesday to Sunday covering areas in the countryside around Halesworth and the Saints not covered by other services. It is operated by the Halesworth Volunteer Centre who take bookings Monday to Friday 1000 to 1300. Halesworth Hopper 511 goes to the north platform of Halesworth rail station meeting trains between 9.30 a.m. and 4.25 p.m. Anglia Coaches 601 Halesworth to Lowestoft via Southwold service goes to south platform of Halesworth rail station (Bramblewood Way) meeting trains between 7.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. Anglia Coaches 521 Beccles to Leiston service calls at Brampton, Darsham and Saxmundham rail stations all day and early evening.

Some buses are straightforward commercially run by a company while others are subsidised by Suffolk County Council. Commercial services can change at a moment’s notice. SCC has to be given 56 days notice of a new or revised service.

SCC Environment and Transport produce a newsletter which is sent to all Parish and Town Councils. All Town Councils should have a public transport representative.

Roadside timetables are not necessarily correct. Getting these up to date has been a long standing issue but a lot of progress has been made.

Bus shelters – the local transport team are progressing with new bus shelters in Halesworth on Bramblewood Way (railway station), Dukes Drive (juntion with Allington Road), Norwich Road (outside the Vets) and Walpole Road (junction with Bedingfield Crescent). Shelters have also been requested in Holton Road, Halesworth, and the villages of Wenhaston and Westhall,

Buses stopping on Saxons Way (main car park) is a major problem as they hold up the traffic and the bus shelter is not big enough and too near the road. There needs to be somewhere in the centre of Halesworth that can be used as a bus station which is big enough for more than one bus with plenty of turning room and nearby services for the drivers. A site on Angel Link had been discussed some years ago – this could still be a possibility.

Public Transport Information

All	traveline	0871 200 22 33	www.traveline.info
Rail	National Rail enquiries	08457 48 49 50	www.nationalexpresseastanglia.com
Bus	Suffolk County Council	0845 606 6171	www.suffolkonboard.com
If you have a problem, e.g. if bus does not arrive, contact the Bus Company (information in the timetable) with the service number, time and place
East Suffolk Travellers' Association (ESTA) is an independent voluntary association for local train and bus users			www.eastsuffolktravel.org.uk

Cars

The A12 from Ipswich to Lowestoft runs 5 miles to the east of the Town. The A144 runs from the A12 at Darsham north/south through Halesworth to Bungay and then on to Norwich. It now avoids the Town Centre which has been pedestrianised by the recently constructed Saxon Way. The B1123 from Harleston to the A12 at Blythburgh runs east/west through the Town. Chediston Street has recently been made one way with traffic coming into the Town from the west now going via Roman Way to connect with London Road south of the Town Centre. Cars going to the coast [Southwold and Walberswick] from inland will often use this route. To the south of the Town runs the B1117 to Laxfield and Stradbroke. Saxons Way is the busiest road with both the north/south and east/west routes having to use this road. Traffic hold-ups are rare, the most usual being caused by buses using the bus stop by the main car park. Problems with car parking in some areas led to the introduction of Residents' Parking Permits in Station Road, Chediston Street and part of London Road. There are public pay and display car parks run by Waveney District Council at the back of the Thoroughfare, either side of the Angel Link and in Station Road. There is a free car park at the south side of the Station and next to the Sorting Office in Norwich Road. There is a time limited free car park at the Co-op foodstore for 120 cars.

An audit of car parking was undertaken on Friday 14th August 2009

Location	Free	Timed	Permit	P&D	Private	Disabled	Empty
Station	16						2
Station Road	3		13				4
Station Road Car Park				15			7
Quay Street		2					1
Saxon Way Car Park		11		62		4	9
Horse & Garden			10	23			4
Angel Hotel					24		2
Angel Link Car Park				86			40
NFU Car Park				41		2	25
Barclays Bank					12		8
Angel Link					6		0
Market Square		30					0
Outside Patrick's Shop		4					1
Post Office	20						0
Norwich Road	3						1
Edgar Sewter	10						7
London Road		??
Chediston Street		??
Rainbow		??
Totals	52	47	23	227	42	9	114

Brenda Roberts; Richard Woolnough, Judith Woolnough October 2009

Appendix 1. Role of County Council

The Public Transport Group within the Environment and Transport Department of Suffolk County Council has a number of objectives, including:

• Encouraging people to play their part in line with the TravelWise initiative by considering alternative means of transport to the car. If only a small percentage of journeys were transferred to public transport the effect on the environment would be noticeable;
• Providing comprehensive and impartial journey planning timetable information in various forms ranging from printed Area books to the telephone TraveLine and the internet;
• Sponsoring a number of bus services that would not be viable commercially and could help reduce social exclusion. These concentrate on Sundays, evenings and travelling to work from the more remote rural locations;
• Maintaining roadside timetable displays in over 600 locations throughout the county;
• Providing financial contributions and operational support for a number of accessible transport schemes. This also covers creating opportunities and awareness of the needs of the disabled when it comes to access and use of public transport;
• Development of "Quality Partnerships" with operators that have led to such schemes as "Superoutes" for buses, bikes on trains and railway real time passenger information; and
• The innovation that produced the Park and Ride schemes in Ipswich with their multiple award- winning facilities. - 3rd August 2009

first draft amended 16.10.09