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Progress in improving Gainsborough’s public transport - but more is needed
Changes to Stagecoach bus services in Gainsborough G120329-2b
Two weeks ago the Standard reported that East Midland Trains would paint Lea Road Station.
They were as good as their word and the station has received a fresh coat of paint.
Gainsborough Town Councillor and former Mayor, Harry Clarke, is organising a team of volunteers to keep the station tidy and by the spring it should provide a welcoming scene to folks arriving by train in our town.
Most of the volunteers were recruited via Volunteers West Lindsey, an organisation GRaB will return to for assistance in finding volunteers to carry out a survey in the town to establish the potential use for Gainsborough Central Station.
In contrast to East Midland Trains speedy response to our requests we are disappointed by Northern Rail’s failure to address the plight of regular rail users travelling on the Lincoln and Sheffield service.
Time-keeping is poor on this route and connections are missed. Even after the volunteers succeed in turning Lea Road into an attractive ambassador for rail travel,
Northern’s slow and scruffy trains combined with poor time keeping is not going to entice more folks to use the train.
Regular users of bus 100 to Scunthorpe and Lincoln find that at certain times the bus is full.
Considering that this service started seven years ago with single deck buses the growth in passengers is encouraging.
The problem now is that Stagecoach cannot replace the existing buses with bigger ones. In the present climate it is unlikely that Lincolnshire County Council will fund extra journeys so what is to be done?
In some areas employers have encouraged staff to use buses by paying part or all of their fare.
There may be some benefits in looking at the fare structure to make it more attractive to workers to abandon their cars.
We would also like to encourage bus travel in the evenings and on Sundays by operating a community bus run with volunteer drivers and we are currently exploring this option.
Once the winter weather has abated we shall resume our public meetings. Do let us know what transport issues concern you.
We are especially keen to hear from those on the Nottinghamshire side of the Trent.
If there is demand we would be happy to hold a meeting in Misterton or Beckingham.
Barry Coward
Hon. Secretary
GRaB
Gainsborough’s Rail and Bus Users Group
Email: grab@eavb.co.uk. Tel: 01427 678169
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Weather for Gainsborough
Thursday 20 June 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 12 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: West
