Views sought on bus services

Public transport users are being asked for their views on bus services.

The transport partnership ZetTrans and Shetland Islands Council have launched the week-long online survey today.

SIC director of development services, Neil Grant, said: “The survey is designed to collect details about passenger journeys to ensure that any decisions made in relation to the level of services provided are well informed and I would encourage as many people as possible to complete it.”

The survey comes just over a month after the council abandoned plans to award 288 new bus contracts for school and public services. It had been hoped the move would save the council money but the change of heart came when it was realised the tenders submitted were more than the council could afford.

Instead existing contracts were extended until the end of March.

The online survey can be accessed here, until 5pm on Tuesday 13 August.

Anyone unable to access the online survey, should contact SIC Transport Planning Service on 01595 744735.

COMMENTS(7)

Add Your Comment
  • Jane Beer

    • August 8th, 2013 6:56

    That has got to be one of the poorest quality surveys I’ve ever had the misfortune to try to complete. Some of us use multiple bus routes to multiple destinations for multiple reasons. It is so nice to realise that whomever wrote it does not use bus services in Shetland or have any experience of putting together surveys.

    REPLY
  • Johan Adamson

    • August 8th, 2013 9:39

    Are there paper versions available? I dont think all of the bus users will have access to the on line survey

    REPLY
  • Harry Dent

    • August 8th, 2013 13:26

    Have to agree, it’s a poor survey – no understanding from the designer that those of us who have no access to a car need the bus for many different journeys at many different times of day. Concentrating on one journey might give you a snaphshot of bus usage, but you won’t understand what it is that youre seeing.

    REPLY
  • Karen Hall

    • August 8th, 2013 14:53

    Agree – this is a very poor survey. Will not allow you to input same reasons for different times, limited free text and no understanding of the different reasons why folks are using the bus service. No mention of folks wanting to be ‘green’, minimise car use, save money on fuel costs etc. I’d be very surprised if useful information could be obtained from this

    REPLY
  • Stewart Mac

    • August 8th, 2013 16:48

    i must be too cynical, i wonder if the reason for the poor quality survey is for exactly the reason Karen suggests. To try and ensure useful information is not obtained and in one fell swoop allow the Council to justify whatever decision it is thats favoured by the officials. I’ll give you a clue – there will be cuts, of that we can be sure.

    REPLY
  • Bill Smale

    • August 8th, 2013 18:32

    Whoever dreamed up this survey should get out of the office and get on the bus to talk to the people who use the service. The survey asks a series of silly questions but gives no space for people to raise their own issues or state their concerns about issues such as the proposed closure of the Bus Station.

    REPLY
  • Roddy Nicolson

    • August 9th, 2013 19:37

    This survey is a “joke”. Whoever is compiling it one would think had never been on a bus in their life. Perhaps they should “hop” on a few buses and have a look for themselves ? And whatever happened to the extra money that the Scottish Government gave to local authorities to support, and indeed increase, our local bus services ?
    I’d complain to our MSP, if he wasn’t such a waste of space and time.
    I’m wasting my time. This will go through one ear via empty space, and out the other.

    REPLY

Add Your Comment

Please note, it is the policy of The Shetland Times to publish comments and letters from named individuals only. Both forename and surname are required.

Comments are moderated. Contributors must observe normal standards of decency and tolerance for the opinions of others.

The views expressed are those of contributors and not of The Shetland Times.

The Shetland Times reserves the right to decline or remove any contribution without notice or stating reason.

Comments are limited to 200 words but please email longer articles or letters to editorial@shetlandtimes.co.uk for consideration and include a daytime telephone number and your address. If emailing information in confidence please put "Not for publication" in both the subject line and at the top of the main message.

200 words left

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

logo

Get Latest News in Your Inbox

Join the The Shetland Times mailing list to get one daily email update at midday on what's happening in Shetland.