Have disabled people in Swanage and people with prams, heavy shopping or heavy luggage got adequate access to transport? Transport includes ships, cars, buses, railways, airports and the London Underground. Asks Robin from Swanage.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
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21 comments:
Well if I was even slightly disabled or carrying more than a rucksack there is no way I would use London Underground.
Home delivery and internet shopping in general must be great for people who find it difficalt to get about. Once you can get a train to Wareham the world will be your oyster. Which makes me think was there no opposition to closing the line at the time? Must we keep the steam trains or could we have a fast electric alternative to the bus.
The London Underground is making all its stations accessible for mobility impaired passengers but it will be a long time before it achieves this.
The Swanage Railway service to Wareham will be diesel and probably not subject to the existing 20mph speed limit. An identical locomotive to one of the steam engines that visited Swanage last year reached 126mph and speeds of 60mph were common for even the local steam service under British Railways. In those days the trains were timetabled to reach Wareham in twenty minutes. This is considerably faster than the bus. Steam engines are capable of running a fast service. There is only just enough electricity to power short trains from Bournemouth to Weymouth. If the trains to Swanage were electric the Railway power station would probably blow a fuse.
Several years ago there was a discussion about replacing kerbing with ramps at each corner to make it easier for prams, mobility chairs and so on. Has this happened?
Re the train:
I wonder whether this will be financially viable? First, it will compete with W&D. Second, most W&D passengers appear to have either OAP or student concessionary fares. Third, W&D buses are rarely anything close to filled. Fourth, trains tickets are usually more expensive than buses. I could see several trains a day working, especially during commuter rush hour, but I doubt have one that links up with all mainline services would be a stretch.
Would Worgret be the logical junction - not Wareham station?
Re London Underground, I regularly travel there with a trolley full of film kit and, yes, there are many many stairs. However, from Waterloo, you can travel on the Jubilee line and several other lines via lifts - so the central areas are starting to be covered.
Like anything, you avoid peak times. If you can avoid driving between 5pm & 6pm for example - otherwise you get stuck in post work traffic. Same on the tube.
In terms of Swanage, it's great to hear from Robin about the Swanage to Wareham train prospects if/when it happens, it'll make a real difference to the community. At present, the bus service just isn't good enough for travel to and from Wareham station - particularly if you can't/don't drive and rely on them.
My problem comes when coming back from London. There's a strange gap between something like 9.30pm and 11.30pm of no buses at all. That's a real problem as if you're working in London and travelling back around 7 to avoid rush hour, you then have to wait two hours for a bus. Another issue is if you wait for a train to get you back for 11.30. The train comes in five minutes after the bus leaves - meaning you miss the last bus entirely! Can they not move the timetable to run with the trains a little here? Either a two hour wait or no bus at all is terrible. And I'm able bodied - but can imagine being stranded there in a wheelchair or with sticks etc.
Nothing seems to have been replaced re kerbs, and the thin paths that lead up from the Ship to the Legion are pretty treacherous.
35 years ago when I was a lad I avoided the underground during the rush hour. Now it is a permanent rush hour.
Why give old people bus passes? They have had all their lives to save enough money to pay for public transport. AND they get a pension paid out of our NI contributions not means tested. Young families and workers need subsidised travel, not wrinkles off on a jolly.
I do agree that it's very very expensive travelling on the bus from Swanage. If you work fulltime, you probably don't work in Swanage due to the lack of industry, so you either drive or travel via bus.
A return to Bournemouth is £7.50, and is discounted at £22 for a weeks ticket, but that's still £22 out of what may be a wage of £21,000.
Be great to see a resident bus pass that's discounted - cheaper prices on purbeck buses etc.
Why not buy one of their 'Saver' tickets, start at £13 for a weeks transport.
I agree the evening buses from Wareham station could be better timed to suit rail passengers. We have no other options.
I know this is about transport other than feet, but there are lots of bits of Swanage without pavements, and lots of pavements which seem to be used as extra road by cars and lorries, some really unsafe junctions and far too few safe crossings.
I'd like people to have better access to public transport, but I'd like Swanage to be safe for pedestrians, especially children, regardless of ability or what they're carrying!
It's not an easy thing to fix as it's beyond the control of town or district councils (or individuals!) but as a dad of two kids, the idea of them having to make their way around town on their own terrifies me.
Well said Paul , could not agree more:) there are even some places where you have to walk on the road even to get out of Swanage. Shame really:(
"beyond the control of district councils" A perfect example raised by David Holister. When the land opposite Newton Manor was given planning permission why was the developer not required to continue the pavement along the south side of the High Street. The wall there had to be rebuilt anyway. Major opportunity lost. Same at top of Seymer Road when the bungalow was replaced by 5 town houses. A new bit of path there would not have made completed a safe route but the chance will not come around again for ages. When the amusements running along the Quay want planning for something they must be required to move their frontage to the High Street next to Angling Centre back a meter or so. Very dangerous.
Whilst I'm moaning on, where have all the litter bins gone? The one outside Arkwrights, outside the Art Hut, two from the lower High Street?
Jeez, I'm 50 and this sounds appalling!
In my day! we were taught to cross roads when there was no traffic coming. We were taught that if a paving slab looked loose then it probably was ..... We were taught that if we climbed a tree and fell out of it then it was our fault.
My, how times have changed - give me hermetically sealed sell by dates, SIPS, crash bags, no risk, no danger.
Sorry, an old risk taker, who's responsible for his own actions - pass me the whiskey and light me a cigarette .......
No pavements? Just a part of the 'charm' of Swanage like the buildings that dont really go together, narrow streets not made for 2012 traffic levels. Those that complain should go and live in Milton Keynes. Plenty of pavements and all mod cons
It's not an easy thing to fix as it's beyond the control of town or district councils (or individuals!) but as a dad of two kids, the idea of them having to make their way around town on their own terrifies me.
Teach them common sense like we were taught both at home and school, ohh wait thats not possible is it.
Times have changed , there's more traffic on the roads. Less horse and carts;)
Well said Dave. Great dry humour. Cheered up my Sunday morning!
:) I'm still 50, but luckily retain my sense of humour!
More cars, true, but don't we have a better understanding of the potential dangers these days?
Don't cars stop much more quickly than they used to?
Don't Ambulances respond much faster these days, y'know lighting the fire to summon an Ambo via smoke signals was a terribly time consuming business back in the 60s and 70s!
Now, the serious point - POTENTIAL danger - sorry to shout. Teaching people about potential danger and allowing them to experience things is good for us. We learn to judge and to take responsibility.
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Thanks for sharing.
London airport transfers
re-signalling of Worgret Junction on the main line near Wareham (which Network Rail is due to complete by May 2013) and upgrading the three-mile NR single line between Worgret Junction and the end-on link with the Swanage Railway at Motala, near Furzebrook.
I thought this was nearly done...
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