Additional bus stop proposal

Update for further clarity on original post:

Several villagers have approached us for help in proposing a new bus stop. This update is just to clarify the process.

We’ve already reached out to the council and the local bus service to understand what’s involved in such a request.

Unfortunately, we don't have enough volunteers to conduct a full village-wide survey at this point and it not incur any costs.

Therefore, we’ll be starting with an initial vote at the AGM, which is open to members. If the vote is positive, we’ll aim to begin planning an event and/or ways to gather volunteers to conduct a wider survey across the village.

Once we have that data we would take the next step. Which means that if the village is overall in favour of this proposal, we will forward this information on to the council.

And if the overall village isn't in favour, basically take no further action as the CVA.

We would also like to make clear that we, the CVA board, take a completely neutral stand in this.

Ultimately, the final decision lies with the village and council.

It is also important to note that it’s not a quick thing—securing a bus stop is a multi-step process, not something that happens instantly.

Just to clarify, nothing would be taken forward to action without consulting the whole village first.

As with many CVA supported initiatives; we rely on our membership holders to shape and steer our focus and activity.

We’ll also be looking to understand the full extent of flexibility around the additional stop frequency and impact this would have.

As this request came forward from several villagers, we believe it is certainly something that needs to be looked into.

All of that said, the CVA does not have the authority to make the final call!

Social media comments have highlighted a wide range of opinions, which we understand. Our role is simply to assist where we’re able when residents reach out to us looking for help.

These are all points we planned and will mention again at the AGM, but social media comments on Facebook made clear that some clarification is already needed.

In the future, we would appreciate it if concerns or ideas were brought to us directly rather than being shared on social media without full context or important background information.

Please be assured that we know our responsibilities towards the village and only want the best outcome for it - whatever that is.

Thanks again,

Franziska

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Why we are considering an additional Bus Stop in the Village:

We have received numerous enquiries, particularly from older residents, who have expressed the need for better access to local services, including the hospital and shops. Understanding the importance of public transport in ensuring that everyone can access these essential services, we have consulted with the council to explore the possibility of adding an additional bus stop.

At this stage, we are simply gauging the interest of the community.

We want to know if this is something that residents feel would benefit the village as a whole.

The local council is willing to assist if the majority of the community supports the idea, and we’re open to hearing all opinions. We are glad to see that the community is involved, and we welcome all thoughts.

In fact, one resident even spoke to local MP Christine Graham (before approaching us), who suggested involving the CVA to ensure that the process is inclusive and transparent.

As our AGM pack stated we only invited CVA members to vote at this point.

The reason for this is that we are only a small team of volunteers. We simply don’t have the capacity to conduct a village-wide survey ourselves. Our resources are limited, so we are relying on residents who are willing to take the initiative in gathering opinions from every household in the village.

This means we are more than happy to support anyone who is interested in facilitating such a survey and providing us with the results for our AGM to give us a better picture of the overall appetite for an additional bus stop.

Once the village had their say, the council will decide if we move forward and will put the proper structure into place.

I look forward to welcome you at the AGM and bring your thoughts forward.

Thanks,

Franziska