Minutes of The Isle of Wight Bus and Rail Users Group Public Meeting held on the 26th July 2024 at Newport Methodist Church, Quay Street, Newport.

On the platform were:

IWBRUG Executive members – Stuart George (SG), and James Nevell (JN).

IW Council: Stewart Chandler (SC), Highways and Transport Client Manager

Southern Vectis: Richard Tyldesley, General Manager (RT)

Island Line/South Western Railway: Emma Brown (EB). Operations Manager

 

Also attending were IWBRUG Executive members Dina Jung (DJ), Robert May (RM), and Rodney Archer (RA).

 

38 members of the public attended in person.

 

The meeting was opened by SG at 11:00.

 

Chairman’s opening address SG

  1. A welcome to this IWBRUG Public Meeting. These are normally held twice a year. This meeting is open to everyone who uses buses or trains on the Island.

The IWBRUG represents public transport users on the Island. We meet Southern Vectis, Island Line, and the IW Council on a regular basis and, although we don't have any legal powers, we do seek to influence operators and the Council in the interests of passengers.

Details of our group and membership are available here. There is no obligation to join the group although the more members we have, the greater our influence. It costs £5 to join the group and, if you would like to, you're invited to talk to any of our committee members. 

  1. Introductions to the representatives of IWBRUG, Southern Vectis, Island Line and IWC. The format of the meeting is the speakers will outline their news and they should not be interrupted. After they've all spoken, they will be available for questions and comments.

Richard Tyldesley, Southern Vectis

  1. Passenger numbers in 2024 have increased by around 1-2% over 2023 levels. The numbers of fare-paying passengers are now above pre-Covid levels. However, use by English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) passholders is still below 2019 levels, although the gap is closing.

 

  1. Route 5 Newport – East Cowes now has a service every 15 minutes (previous timetable was every 20 minutes). This service frequency increase has been funded by the IW Council/UK Government Bus Service Improvement Programme (BSIP) grant aid.

 

  1. The new Southern Vectis (SV) Travel Shop at Ryde Interchange is now open. This also provides facilities for drivers including a rest room.

 

  1. Seven newer double-deck buses (around 5 years old) will be transferred from the Go South Coast “More” bus fleet in Poole, to the Island for use on route 7 Newport – Alum Bay.

 

  1. No new vehicles are to be delivered in 2025.

 

  1. In 2026 22 new electric double deck buses will be delivered for use on routes 1 Newport – Cowes, 5 Newport – East Cowes and 9 Newport – Ryde. The recent trial of a Yutong battery-electric bus on these routes resulted in positive feedback from passengers. An Alexander Dennis battery electric bus will be on loan for a trial later in 2024. Plans to install charging facilities at Newport depot are proceeding.

 

  1. Leeson Road, Ventnor, has been reopened temporarily and route 3 has been re-diverted back to its normal route. However, the road will close again in September. The intention is that route 3 will run via Leeson Road when it can be reopened again.

 

  1. The Winter timetable will start at the end of September. No major changes are planned but some minor service timing amendments will be made.

 

  1. The £2 fare cap is due to end in December. The Department for Transport (DfT) has agreed to give 6 months’ notice of any changes to it.

 

  1. A “safe space” is to be provided in Newport bus station travel shop, including street pastors, on a monthly basis to reduce anti-social behaviour and improve safety.

 

Emma Brown, Island Line / South Western Railway

  1. The new Island Line timetable (approximately 40-minute interval service) introduced on 2nd June enables trains to wait for a few minutes late arriving ferries at Ryde Pier Head. The train to ferry transfer time is now 10 minutes (previously 4 minutes), giving passengers more assurance about connections.

 

  1. Longer turn-round times are taken at Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin. Service cancellations have been reduced by 42% and delays by 50% compared with the previous timetable. Positive feedback has been given by passengers.

 

  1. Problems with wear on the train wheels have been addressed and more wheelsets have been acquired.

 

  1. In September a blockade will be in place for engineering work. Remedial works will include drainage improvements to prevent flooding, replacement of Brading station footbridge, removal of a redundant rail bridge at Morton Common, inspection of the tunnel, rail joint tamping, sleeper renewals and works to road bridges at Park Road and Rink Road, Ryde. Reopening is scheduled for 7th October.

 

  1. Ryde Pier will remain closed to trains for decking renewals work until May 2025. A 30-minute interval service will be run between Ryde Esplanade and Shanklin until then.

 

  1. Customer Information Screens are to be provided at all stations, where they are not already.

 

  1. The South Western Railway Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF) has contributed towards a project to provide a new waiting room at Smallbrook Junction station and also a replica of the former signal box there.

 

Stewart Chandler, IW Council

  1. Leeson Road, Ventnor, has reopened for summer 2024. The condition of the road is being monitored by staff on-site. Boreholes with underground sensors are needed to provide more information about any land movement. An automated closure system is possible,

 

  1. Ryde Interchange is nearly finished. The toilets are open. However, the shelters have not proved resistant to the elements and are to be replaced by better standard one with lower seats later this year.

 

  1. BSIP Phase 2. will provide revenue support funding to secure evening services on route 6 Newport – Ventnor and route 12 Newport – Alum Bay during the winter period. The revenue support for route 5 Newport – East Cowes to increase the frequency to every 15 minutes will continue for 2 years.

 

  1. The Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions have affected passenger numbers on the Freshwater Yarmouth Totland (FYT). BSIP Phase 2 funding will support FYT’s acquisition of battery-electric minibuses and a charging facility.

 

  1. BSIP Phase 2 funding has also secured some enhancements to route 31 Bonchurch – Ventnor – St.Lawrence to run additionally on Saturdays. Also, some BSIP Phase 2 funding has helped to support local community bus services when volunteer drivers are not available, and SV drivers have to be used.

 

  1. Bus stop shelters are being replaced by new shelters with advertisement panels. Hardstanding areas are being provided at some rural stops. Accessibility improvements including dropped kerbs are being providing in Sandown, Newport and Cowes.

 

  1. Work by IWC and SV is continuing to progress the acquisition of 22 electric buses for routes 1, 5 and 9 together with charging equipment following the successful bid for DfT Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) funding.

 

  1. The IWC has been successful in obtaining DfT funding to provide signal priority for buses at signalised junctions. This will be delivered with replacement of the signal heads.

 

  1. The DfT had promised to provide Local Transport Authorities with guidance on how to produce their fourth Local Transport Plans (LTP4), but this has not been issued. The IWC LTP4 will now be drafted with cabinet approval sought in Autumn 2024. If this is granted, it will then be put to a public consultation.

 

  1. The IWC is finalising its BSIP 2024 submission to the DfT, which includes an “ask” for further BSIP funding and bus improvement scheme proposals. This will be published in Autumn 2024.

 

  1. The IWC is to work with the IW Transport Board on potential plans for the ferry services.

 

  1. The Island Greenway Ryde – Yarmouth corridor project is now under development. This will include work at Yarmouth bus station.

 

Questions

 

  1. J Adcock from East Cowes noted that route 5 Newport – East Cowes does not serve York Avenue or the Castle Estate. He asked if route 5 could be split to provide an hourly service on each road.

 

Richard Tyldesley (RT) replied that SV have looked at this previously, but a split route would be more complicated and could put passenger off. However, it is still being considered.

 

  1. A Sandown resident reported that Perowne Way does not have a bus route, and residents have to pay £40 taxi fare to reach St Mary’s Hospital. Could a route be diverted via Perowne Way to meet growing demand?

 

RT replied that SV have looked at running a service on Perowne Way.and will consider providing one as part of a future BSIP funded scheme.

 

  1. A Ventnor resident stated that the Island Planning Strategy should support the town’s community bus service (route 31).

 

Stewart Chandler (SC) replied that the BSIP will support enhancements to the Ventnor town service.

 

  1. Catherine from Sandown reported that the new Island Line timetable has gaps of 39 and 44 minutes with only 1 train every 2 hours connecting with a ferry at Ryde Pier Head. Some passengers have a 27-minute wait at Ryde Pier Head. Would an hourly train service be better?

 

Emma Brown (EB) replied that the new timetable has addressed some previously “too tight” train-ferry connection times. However, SWR/IL will look into these issues. Although a 30-minute interval Ryde Pier Head – Shanklin service remains the aspiration, the trains are currently too slow to deliver this.

 

Chris Biles asked if line speeds could be raised, possibly through joint tamping or use of continuous welded rail?

 

EB replied that tamping will improve the ride quality but not raise line speeds. However, the possible means to deliver a 30-minute interval service is still being investigated.

 

  1. Richard Dorney of St Helens reported that mobility scooters need to be driven straight onto bus platforms to board. However, the new shelters and lamp posts at Ryde Interchange obstruct mobility scooters attempting to drive onto bus ramps. Also, the position of the northbound bus stop at Northwood Military Museum prevents mobility scooter boarding. The needs of mobility scooter users need to be considered in the design of accessible bus stops

 

RT replied that SV will review its instructions to drivers to enable mobility scooters to board at Ryde Interchange.

 

SC replied that the IWC uses up-to-date bus stop design standards for accessibility. However, he will refer this issue to the designers.

 

  1. Cllr Diana Conyers, Ryde Town Council asked if there is any research evidence on the impact of the £2 bus fare cap on rail passenger numbers?

 

RT replied that DfT research in England had shown that more passengers are making longer bus journeys due to the cheaper fares. [Some of these passengers may have transferred from rail travel.] SV has found that the simplified fares are helpful and popular with passengers.

 

  1. Cllr Diana Conyers, Ryde Town Council asked if the Ryde Interchange shop and café units will be let and if there are any problems with this?

 

EB replied that SWR employs agents AETPT to manage its properties. It is intended to lease the Ryde Interchange units but 2 prospective business tenants have withdrawn from discussions.

 

 

  1. Dina Jung (DJ) asked for more dropped kerbs to be provided, particularly on the Riverway Industrial Estate in Newport. Also, could the bus stopping position at Wootton Cedars stop be reviewed?

 

SC replied that the Riverway Industrial Estate has been identified as an area n where dropped kerbs are required, along with other locations on bus routes. The public can request accessibility improvements directly with Island Roads.

 

RT replied that most bus drivers stop in the correct position at Wootton Cedars.

 

  1. An East Cowes resident noted that while the extra services on route 5 are beneficial, more services are needed on route 4. Passengers are changing between routes 5 and 9 at Binfield Corner, necessitating a hazardous road crossing.

 

RT replied that passenger numbers on route 4 are insufficient to warrant additional services. Extra route 4 services would lose money.

 

  1. Cllr Stephen Parkes asked if IW patients travelling to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, could have a quicker transfer service from either the Wightlink terminal / Portsmouth Harbour station and the Hovercraft terminal at Southsea?

 

SC replied that the IWC are looking into this possibility.

Stuart George closed the meeting at 12:35.

 

 

IWBRUG MEMBERS MEETING 22nd JUNE 2024

Minutes of the meeting held at the Methodist Church Hall, Quay Street, Newport.

In attendance: the following Executive members – Stuart George (SG), Robert May (RM), Dina Jung (DJ) and James Nevell (JN) plus 9 ordinary members.

Apologies were received from John Yunnie, Andrew Turner, Fintan Jemmett, Don Vincent and Phil Jelly.

Meeting opened at 11:15.

 

  1. Chairman’s Report SG

John Edwards, a former IWBRUG member, has died recently.

On the Island Line the summer timetable with a service interval of around 40 minutes was started on 2nd June. It seems to be running all right currently.

Leeson Road, Ventnor, is to remain closed at least until Autumn 2024. This will necessitate the continued diversion of route 3 services via Wroxall, between Shanklin and Ventnor. The proposed exploratory boreholes to determine the condition and stability of the land beneath the road have not yet been started.

Part of Newport Road, Ventnor, known as “The Graben” will be closed for repairs to a water main from Monday 24th June. As a result, services on route 3 will be unable to reach Ventnor town centre and will turn in Downlands Crescent, serving Ventnor Free School. An additional route 3X will run from Newport to Ventnor via Rookley, Godshill and Whitwell, funded by Southern Water. ENCTS passes will be accepted on the 09:00 service from Ventnor Boots and the 08:55 route 6 service from Newport – following representations from IWBRUG. The Island Coaster will also be diverted and will not serve Niton or the Donkey Sanctury on the return (eastbound) journeys.

The IWBRUG Public Meeting will be held on Saturday 27th July 2024 at 11:00 in the Methodist Church, Quay Street, Newport.

 

  1. Secretary’s Report JN

The Island Line summer timetable provides longer connection times in both directions. Mostly this is beneficial, but some of the connection times are too long. These include the train meeting the 17:37 ferry arrival at Ryde Pier Head, not departing until 18:03 – a 26 minute wait from a ferry which is popular with commuters.

The IW Festival in now in full swing with many of its attendees arriving by bus – either the dedicated Festival buses or regular service buses. As part of the Festival traffic management, Fairlee Road is closed for the duration, requiring the diversion of bus route 5 (Newport – East Cowes) via Wootton and 9 (Newport – Medina – Ryde) via Staplers.


Members Questions

            1. The IWBRUG could publicise its success in securing use of ENCTS passes on route 3X before 09:30, to help attract more members. SG – agreed.

            2. IWBRUG leaflets could be made available in Southern Vectis travel offices using the stands which hold visitor attraction leaflets.

Action: SG to arrange.

            1. Vanessa Churchman reported that the new shelters at Ryde Interchange are painted black, which is unsightly.

            2. No seats are provided at Lake station.

Action: To be raised with Mark Dunn at the Public Meeting.

            1. Robert May reported that route 8 services from Newport that terminate at Sandown are finishing at Victoria Road instead of continuing to the Zoo as they did in 2023. This is announced on the public address system, automated next stop announcements.

            2. At some stops the flags are missing and/or the poles need replacing. This problem affects the Winford Hairpin Bend stop on route 8.

            3. Following the diversion of route 3 services via Wroxall, more passengers are changing between buses at Whiteley Bank. However, there are safety issues due to a lack of footpath segregated from the road.

Action: ECM to consider raising with Island Roads and/or SV.

            1. DJ reported that bus drivers are stopping at the wrong end of the stop cage at the Wootton Cedars (westbound) stop.

Meeting closed at 12:00.

Public Meeting at 11:00 on Saturday 27th July 2024

Next members’ meeting at 11:15 on 28th September 2024 at Methodist Church Hall, Quay Street, Newport.

 

 

IWBRUG MEMBERS MEETING 23rd MARCH 2024

 

Minutes of the meeting held at Utilita, High Street, Newport.

In attendance: the following Executive members – Stuart George (SG), Robert May (RM), Dina Jung (DJ), John Yunnie (JY), James Nevell (JN), and Rodney Archer (RA) plus 12 ordinary members.

Apologies were received from Ian Ward and Don Vincent.

Meeting opened at 11:15.

 

  1. Chairman’s Report SG

The venue for today, Utilita, is only for this meeting on a trial basis. The next meeting will be held at the Methodist Church Hall.

SG met with Mark Dunn (MD), manager of Island Line, on 14th March. Train service reliability has been affected by problems with the trains and staff sickness. The train wheels are wearing out more quickly than expected and replacements are being obtained. In the interim, the service is being restricted to hourly, but this will be increased to 2 trains/hour during the Easter period.

The timetable from 2nd June 2024 will have trains departures every 40-minutes from all station. Although the exact departure times will be less memorable, there will be 3 trains every 2 hours at Ryde Pier Head for the first time since the upgrade and more transfer time for train-ferry passengers. Trains will be able to wait for up to 5 minutes at the Pier Head for a late arriving ferry. The long-term aim remains to deliver a 30-minute interval service at all stations, but this is not possible at present.

Ryde Pier will be closed to trains for up to 6 months from September 2024 for renewal works.

During the recent Island Line closure for maintenance work, some issues arose with the replacement bus service. These included early running, a lack of ticket acceptance and an inability to buy tickets on-bus – which affected passengers boarding at Brading where there is no ticket machine provided. Train conductors are unable to sell tickets on the buses. The possibility of providing conductors at main stations is being considered by SWR. Diana Conyers (DC) reported complaints that the rail replacement coaches are too long (6 wheelers) and hence slower to manoeuvre causing traffic queues to form. JY indicated that SWR arrange rail replacement buses centrally and Island Coaches is on their suppliers list and IW based and therefore cheaper than mainland operators. However, their coaches are not fully accessible, although this is permitted by the Department for Transport.

Action: Issues with replacement buses to be raised with Island Line.

Southern Vectis (SV) officer Simon Moyes has informed us that the Next Stop Announcements (NSA) system has been reinstated on all buses with the equipment installed. However, instances of buses without NSA’s operating have been reported. Some of these could be the former Vectis Blue school buses which do not have NSA equipment installed, but recent cases of other buses with NSA not operating were described. It was also reported that bus route diversions, in particular the current diversion of route 3 via Wroxall, are not covered by SV’s NSAs.

Chris Biles (CB) reported liaising with SV representing the IW Blind Society on the reinstatement of NSAs.

The replacement of bus stop flags by SV has been suspended due to theft: around 60 flags have been stolen.

DJ reported that some bus stop flags are located incorrectly relative to the highway cage markings, causing buses to stop away from the flag, thereby confusing passengers. A member responded that some of the flag locations are a legacy from the era of buses with rear entrances (pre-1979).

Some good news is that the Government, Department for Transport (DfT), have awarded £12.7m of Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) funding to the IW Council. This will be used with SV match funding to provide 22 new battery-electric double deck buses (Alexander Dennis ADL400EV) and charging equipment at Newport depot. These buses will be introduced on routes 1 Newport – Cowes, 5 Newport – East Cowes and 9 Newport – Ryde in 2025.

The Methodist Church Hall is too expensive to hire by the current membership at the present fee. Utilita, the venue today, is free and we are holding the Members’ Meeting here on a trial basis to see if it is satisfactory for members. Another possibility could be for members to make a £1 donation as they attend meetings, which may cover the hire charge for the Methodist Church Hall. Andrew Turner suggested that an alternative venue could be the Newport Conservative Club which has meeting rooms for hire although their accessibility would need to be checked. Sarah Innes (SI) suggested that subscription may be too low if it does not cover the room hire cost. JY replied that higher subscriptions tend to discourage renewals. JY also indicated that a recent member’s donation has made the financial situation less acute. A vote on options will be taken at the next meeting. RA asked if Utilita could be used for IWBRUG working group meetings.

 

  1. Secretary’s Report (JN)

The Ryde Interchange project is nearing completion. The restored station waiting room at Ryde Esplanade has reopened. However, the retail units have not yet been let.

Island bus services have been subject to an increased number of diversions in recent weeks. These have been caused by road works, utilities work, flooding, a landslip and work on Lake Hill railway bridge. SV have managed to maintain service levels adequately despite these diversions. SI reported that the diversion of buses 2, 3 and 8 away from Lake Hill is not announced on board, confusing passengers. SG reported that he had asked SV about informing passengers on-board about this diversion and Simon Moyes had replied that drivers are allowed to decide whether to announce it themselves. RM commented that the number of diversions, particularly unplanned ones, made it hard for drivers to keep track of them. DJ said that all diversions should be included on the NSA system. JY replied that this would require significant reprogramming work, which SV may not have the resources to do.


Member’s Questions

Chris Biles reported that a recent diversion of route 12 via Chale had added 20 minutes to the journey time. Arrival time in Freshwater was later than that of the subsequent departing route 7 service. However, passengers were not informed of this prior to departing.

Action: Announcements on diversions to be raised with SV.

RA noted that road access to Ventnor has been reduced with the recent closure of Leeson Road as well as the closure of Undercliff Drive in 2014. The roads from Wroxall and Whitwell now form the only routes into the town, which has just under 6,000 residents. Could consideration be given to the possibility of reopening the railway line, closed in 1966, to provide an additional connection to the town? JN replied that the possibility of reopening this rail line was considered for the DfT’s Restoring Your Railway funding programme in 2021. The IW Council (IWC) submitted a bid for £46m funding (including Optimism Bias) to reopen the line, but it was rejected by the DfT due to its likely poor performance in an economic appraisal. However, in the circumstances that Leeson Road is not re-opened, and most access has to be made through Wroxall, it may be worthwhile re-examining the case for reopening the railway. RM reported that the IWC owns the rail formation freehold, but the properties built on it are leasehold.

Action: Maintain a watching brief on the situation regarding Leeson Road and raise the rail reopening option with IWC when appropriate.

Cllr Stephen Parkes raised the following transport issues.

  • A lack of co-ordination of transport issues on the IW.

  • Reduced access to Ventnor following the closure of Leeson Road as well as Undercliff Drive.

  • The possibility of a single-deck bus service to the view-point car park using the operational section of Leeson Road to maintain public transport access to the area (SG has suggested to SV an extension of route 6 services to the car park).

  • Diversion of traffic away from Shanklin Old Village following closure of Leeson Road reducing local trade.

  • A perceived lack of co-ordination of traffic diversions by IWC/Island Roads.

Meeting closed at 12:25.

Next meeting on 27th April 2024 at 11:15 at Methodist Church Hall, Newport.



Minutes of The Isle of Wight Bus and Rail Users Group Annual General Meeting held on the 24th February 2024 in the Methodist Church Hall, Newport, Isle of Wight.

In attendance the following Executive Committee members – Stuart George (SG), Robert May (RM), Dina Jung (DJ), John Yunnie (JY), James Nevell (JN), Rodney Archer (RA) and 17 ordinary members.

The Chairman (SG) opened the meeting at 11:15. Apologies were noted from Don McCririck and Emily Brothers.

Items as per agenda.

 

Chaiman’s Report (SG)

The impact of Covid-related travel restrictions has caused a permanent reduction in English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) bus trips made by elderly and disabled passengers. However, the numbers of bus trips made by fare-paying passengers has now returned to normal.

Route 3 is now on a permanent diversion through Wroxall following the closure of Leeson Road, Ventnor, due to a landslip. The new timetable, which requires and extra 5 minutes between Ryde – Ventnor – Newport, is now in operation.

The Island Line train service continues to have reliability problems.

 

Secretary’s Report (JN)

Bus services on the IW are mostly running well but with a concerning number of diversions in force, causing some passengers to have substantial extra walking distances to the nearest stops in use. Areas affected include Haylands/Swanmore (Ryde) on route 37 and Moreton Common (Sandown) on routes 2/3, as well as Ventnor. However, SV has generally maintained services well in the face of road closures.

Island Line trains have been affected by reliability issues recently and the service will be suspended for some days in March for track repairs.

On the near-Mainland, Southern Railway, operator of the West Coastway route between Portsmouth – Chichester – Brighton has announced its new timetable from June 2024. The new service will include the following:

  • Portsmouth Harbour – Chichester – Gatwick Airport – Clapham Junction – London Victoria (every 30 minutes);

  • Portsmouth & Southsea – Chichester – Brighton (hourly); and

  • Southampton – Cosham – Havant – Chichester – Brighton (every 30 minutes).

These services are likely to be useful to passengers travelling to/from the IW. As a result of these changes, South Western Railway will be altering their weekday service so that the fast trains to London Waterloo will depart from Portsmouth Harbour at XX:15 past each hour. This will connect with the Catamaran ferry from Ryde Pier Head, which arrives at XX:07. Travel times from Island Line stations to London will therefore be 30 minutes quicker than now.

 

Membership Secretary’s Report (JY)

Membership in 2022 was 44. However, in 2023 7 did not renew, leaving 36 at the end of the year. These included 2 life members and 2 corporate members (IW Association of Local Councils and Chale Parish Council). Some new members have joined at events such as the public meeting and “Ventnor Day” but these have not been enough to replace those lost.

 

Sarah Innes (SI) asked if there could be a membership card which could act as a reminder to renew.

Action: ECM to investigate.

 

SI also offered to run an IWBRUG “WhatsApp” group.

 

Phil Jelly (PJ) asked if some IWBRUG meetings could be held in Ryde/Sandown/Shanklin in order to capture the concerns about recent rail service reliability problems.

 

PJ also suggested that more press releases could be made to raise IWBRUG’s profile and attract members.

 

Treasurer’s Report (JY)

The IWBRUG accounts for 2022/23 are now published. The balance is reduced due to subscriptions being insufficient to cover annual costs.

Increased publicity has been made possible by donations. In particular a member has anonymously donated £400. This donation has funded £238 of press advertisements and £156 of publicity materials which are used mainly for events.

Most of the expenditure (£242) is for the hire of Newport Methodist Church Hall for IWBRUG meetings. This cost is considered to be too high.

A fee of £25 is paid for corporate membership of Railfuture, the national rail campaign group.

Administration costs have reduced as most members are contactable by email and do not require postal communications.

Lloyds Bank are providing better customer service than that previously available from Nationwide.

 

PJ asked if outside sponsorship of the group could be considered.

RM indicated that there could be an issue with independence of views if sponsorship was provided by only one public transport operator.

SG replied that it could be considered but careful handling of any potential operator funding would be needed to ensure that the group’s perception of independence is maintained.

 

David Barnard raised an £11 discrepancy in the accounts. JY replied that this is a misallocation which has now been corrected.

 

RA asked if members with access to email could assist those without, by passing on communications, in order to further reduce administrative costs.

 

The members present voted to accept the 2022/23 accounts with one abstention.

 

Marketing and Publicity (DJ)

During the past year a campaign has been undertaken, which has been funded by a member’s donation of £400. Around half of this has been spent on advertising and the balance on publicity material which has further use.

Advertisements have been placed in local newspapers, including the IW Observer, but these are very expensive. However, some free advertising has been obtained in “Next Door” and in some church magazines.

Publicity material acquired includes a professionally designed banner, printed posters and a microphone to enable online attendance at meetings. A logo for correspondence has also been designed professionally.

The group has attended events with a stall including the Ventnor Day where the banner and posters were displayed. Posters have also been displayed in IW libraries.

Any evaluation of the effectiveness of these items is difficult to undertake but they have proved to be useful.

 

David Barnard suggested that the library distribution service could be utilised to put up posters.

 

Andrew Turner said that the IW Observer newspaper now accepts “free” advertisements for its “events” page. This offer has recently been introduced.

 

“Free Public Transport” Campaign

RA outlined a proposed IWBRUG “Free Public Transport” campaign. World climate change caused by increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere requires urgent action. A part of this is reducing transport related CO2 emissions by diverting some car trips to public transport. This could be achieved by making all public transport free at the point of use but paid for from general taxes. This approach is currently taken in Luxembourg, which has a comparable population and size to the IW. The group should form a working party to develop this campaign.

JN disagreed with this, arguing that climate change does not require passengers’ bus/train fares to be paid for by other taxpayers. A vote was taken: 11 in favour, 3 against and 2 abstentions. DJ suggested that the group work with other organisations to progress the campaign.

 

Executive Committee Elections

SG stated that the Executive Committee Members are wiling to stand for re-election. No other nominations were received. The current Executive Committee was therefore re-elected en-block.

 

AGM Closed.

The next AGM will be held on 22nd February 2025

 

IWBRUG Members meeting

Bus and rail issues

  1. JY asked if IWBRUG had been consulted on the selection of route 5 Newport – East Cowes for potential service frequency enhancement (from every 20 to every 15 minutes) by Southern Vectis using Government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funds. He suggested that the rationale for this selection was not clear.

RM replied that BSIP funds can only be used for service enhancements that are financially sustainable and can continue to be run commercially after the funding is finished. SV have selected route 5 on this basis and an additional bus may only be needed to maintain a 15-minute frequency when there is a traffic queue on Fairlee Road approaching Coppins Bridge junction.

 

  1. Chris Biles reported that Next Stop Announcements on buses have become rare. The technical issues cited by SV to be causing this have still not been resolved.

Action: SG to raise with SV.

 

  1. JY reported that the bus stop flag replacement programme appears to have stopped progressing. Some of the older flags are no longer readable.

Action: SG to raise with SV.

 

  1. JY noted that Go South Coast, of which SV is a part, uses route number suffixes (e.g. 1A, 1B) on its networks in Southampton and Bournemouth – even though SV declines to use them on the IW on grounds of simplification. This has caused passenger confusion on route 9 with passengers for Wootton station (IW Steam Railway) unwittingly travelling on a service via Fairlee, missing their top.

Action: to be discussed at ECM before possible raising with SV.

 

  1. DJ reported that buses do not always “dock” in the same positions at stops, causing passenger confusion.

Action: to be discussed at ECM before possible raising with SV.

 

Meeting closed at 12:30.

The next members’ meeting will be held on 23rd March 2024 at “Utilita”, 121 High Street, Newport at 11:15 AM.

 

 

 

Minutes of The Isle of Wight Bus and Rail Users Group Public Meeting held on the 13th January 2024 at Newport Methodist Church, Quay Street, Newport.

On the platform were:

IWBRUG Executive members – Stuart George (SG), and James Nevell (JN).

Southern Vectis: Richard Tyldesley, General Manager (RT)

Island Line/South Western Railway: Mark Dunn (MD)

Also attending were IWBRUG Executive members Dina Jung (DJ), Robert May (RM) and Rodney Archer (RA).

 29 members of the public attended in person.

 

The meeting was opened by SG at 11:00.

 

Apologies were received from Isle of Wight Council (IWC): Stewart Chandler, Highways and Transport Client Manager.

 

 

Chairman’s opening address SG

A welcome to this IWBRUG Public Meeting. These are normally held twice a year. This meeting is open to everyone who uses buses or trains on the Island.

The IWBRUG represents public transport users on the Island. We meet Southern Vectis, Island Line, and the IW Council on a regular basis and, although we don't have any legal powers, we do seek to influence operators and the Council in the interests of passengers.

Details of our group and membership are available here. There is no obligation to join the group although the more members we have, the greater our influence. It costs £5 to join the group and, if you would like to, you're invited to talk to any of our committee members. 

  1. Introductions to the representatives of IWBRUG, Southern Vectis and Island Line. The format of the meeting is the speakers will outline their news and they should not be interrupted. After they've all spoken, they will be available for questions and comments.

 

Southern Vectis update: Richard Tyldesley

  1. Passenger numbers have now recovered to around 2019 levels after the lifting of Covid travel restrictions. The number of passengers travelling for leisure purposes is now higher than in 2019 although the numbers of passengers with English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) passes is now 85-90% of 2019 levels. The £2 fare cap scheme funded by the Government has helped with the recovery by reducing travel costs. The rates of patronage recovery vary between bus routes but overall, the trend is positive.

 

  1. Bus service delivery (reliability and punctuality) is now good. The old “red” (ex-London) buses, which had reliability issues have now been withdrawn. However, road closures are causing diversions in several locations currently, leading to some passengers having longer walking distances to reach a stop.

 

  1. Seven new double deck buses have recently been delivered and are now in use on route 1 Newport – Cowes. They have been well received by passengers.

 

  1. Some mid-life double deck buses, with exhaust emissions to Euro 6 standard, may be transferred to the Island in summer 2024 to replace vehicle on routes 7 and 12 Newport – Alum Bay, which only have Euro 5 standard exhaust controls.

 

  1. Southern Vectis has partnered with the IWC to submit a bid for Zero Emission Bus Regional Area route 2 (ZEBRA2) funding to the Department for Transport (DfT). This would secure the delivery of 23 battery-electric double deck buses for use on routes 1 Newport – Cowes, 5 Newport – East Cowes, and 9 Newport – Ryde, together with battery charging equipment and suitable electricity grid connections. If successful, this would be delivered in 2025.

 

  1. The summer 2024 bus timetable will have no major changes compared with 2023. The frequency on route 5 Newport – East Cowes could be increased from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes. This would be funded by the IWC’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funds received from the DfT. However, the IWC have yet to confirm this funding allocation, but discussions are continuing.

 

  1. The present diversion of route 3 between Shanklin – Ventnor via Wroxall may continue for the medium term depending on the ground conditions under Leeson Road.

 

  1. Bus ticket machines are to be upgraded from Windows Tablet to Android. This should speed up transactions and therefore reduce passenger boarding and bus stop dwell times.

 

  1. The DfT £2 fare cap scheme is currently scheduled to run until the end of 2024. However, Go South Coast (of which Southern Vectis is a part) have only agreed to participate until the end of June 2024. Subject to the DfT reimbursement levels being satisfactory, it is likely that Southern Vectis will participate until the end of 2024. A General Election is likely to be held in 2024. Subsequent Government policy towards the scheme is not yet clear but after December 2024 it could be increased to £2.50 or discontinued.

 

  1. The £2 fare cap scheme has resulted in a big shift to the use of “tap-on tap-off” for fare payment. The ticket range is now being reviewed.

 

Island Line update: Mark Dunn

  1. 2023 was a challenging year with a range of issues affecting service delivery.

 

  1. Storms in October 2023 caused flooding with the depot under 6’ of water and 14’ in the tunnel. On Ryde Pier the conductor rail and walkways were damaged. Further storms affected the line in December 2023 although some pre-emptive measures were taken to protect depot equipment.

 

  1. Only 1 train (out if 5) is now serviceable. Two trains had their on-board equipment damaged by flooding and are awaiting spare parts. The other train has developed an electrical fault. However, repairs are in progress and more trains should be available for service within the next 2 weeks.

 

  1. Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) is being installed at the stations currently without it. Posts and RSJs have been installed at Brading and Sandown stations. It will be fully commissioned in February 2024.

 

  1. At Pig Leg Crossing, between Ryde St John’s Road and Smallbrook Junction, a signal alarm to warn pedestrians of approaching trains has been provided. Installation was delayed by the need to consider the findings of an enquiry into an incident involving a similar system in Norfolk. This has enabled the line speed restriction to be removed in the southbound (down) direction saving trains 30 seconds.

 

  1. Timetable development discussions with the DfT are continuing. Details should be published in the next 4 weeks. The target for introduction is Easter 2024. The aims are to improve rail-ferry connections at Ryde Pier Head and make the timetable more robust.

 

  1. Work on Ryde Esplanade station is continuing as part of the Ryde Interchange project. The heritage waiting room is being restored with former church pews being refurbished for use as seats and should open at the end of February 2024. The pier walkway is being extended into the station and should open in February. The tower remains to be completed and the café and retail unit are also to be finished. The target for completion of these is summer 2024.

 

Questions and comments

 

  1. Andrew Turner asked if there had been any progress in investigating whether inbound services to Newport could stop on South Street or Church Litten to improve access to trip attractions such as the multiplex cinema and Marks & Spencer supermarket.

 

Richard Tyldesley replied that this possibility has been discussed with the IWC and no stop locations have been identified yet. Also adding stops would increase journey times for passengers travelling to the bus station. However, this possibility will be pursued with the IWC.

 

 

  1. Phil Jelly asked if live train departure boards could be provided in a suitable location at Ryde Pier Head for viewing by passengers alighting from the ferry. Also, at Ryde St John’s Road, as there is no level access to platform 2, could all trains be diverted to use platform 1?

 

Mark Dunn replied that signage and information provision at Ryde Pier Head is to be reviewed as the ferry-train walking route has been made longer. At Ryde St John’s Road an application to the DfT’s Access for All fund to provide a fully accessible crossing to platform 2 has been rejected and there will be less funding available next year. Maintenance work on the footbridge is to be undertaken and other options for improving access will be considered. However, there are no plans for single track working as this would impede access to/from the depot.

 

  

  1. Simon Perry asked for details of the proposed battery-electric bus charging infrastructure, which would be funded if the ZEBRA2 bid is successful.

 

Richard Tyldesley replied that the charging infrastructure would be installed at Nelson Road depot (Newport) and would be able to charge at 175-200 kW per hour. The electricity grid is complicated but based on the Go-Ahead Group’s experience in London, a connection can be provided, and sufficient power is available. However, if more battery-electric buses were to be operated in future, another depot site would be needed. Hydrogen powered buses may be an option for other Island bus routes in future.

 

  1. Diana Coyners representing Ryde Town Council (RTC) and the IW Association of Local Councils.

 

  1. Next Stop Announcements (NSAs) have ceased to be provided on many buses. When will it be reinstated?

Richard Tyldesley replied that there have been issues with 3G telecommunications. An upgrade to 4G should be completed in the next 2 weeks enabling NSAs to be reintroduced. SV are working towards fitting NSA equipment to all of its fleet.

 

  1. Passengers travelling from Ryde to St Mary’s Hospital have to pay 2 x £2 fares in each direction because a change of route is involved. Before the £2 fare was introduced a single through fare was provided – could this be made available?

Richard Tyldesley replied that the £2 fare cap does not cover transfer fares. The price of transfer fares should be the same as before the cap was introduced.

 

  1. Buses on routes 2,3,8 and 37 departing from Ryde Interchange are delayed by traffic signals before reaching George Street, eroding the time saving benefits gained from avoiding the double-run along the Esplanade. Could this issue be addressed?

Richard Tyldesley replied that he would investigate this with the IWC.

 

  1. Ryde Interchange toilets: RTC has agreed to clean them, but not undertake maintenance because it does not own the facilities.

Mark Dunn replied that the toilets at Ryde Esplanade station were originally for rail passengers only. However, the IWC wanted toilets to be available up to 23:30 – after rail services have finished. The Western Gardens toilets were subject to vandalism damage. SWR/Network Rail did not want to incur the additional costs of security, locking, maintenance and repair of damage. No agreement between SWR/IWC/RTC has been reached, so the toilets will not reopen, but discussions are continuing.

 

 

  1. Rodney Archer stated that climate change is affecting all people and there is an imperative to reduce carbon emissions, particularly from transport activities. In Luxembourg public transport is free of charge to passengers to help attract car users. Could this approach be introduced on the IW?

Richard Tyldesley replied that a large annual subsidy would be needed to make all public transport free. DJ indicated that other Government funds could be used.

 

  1. Stephen Parkes, Councillor on Sandown/Shanklin town council said that Bob Seely MP had promised to secure Government funding to extend the Island Line to Ventnor. Following the recent landslip Ventnor could be isolated as double deck buses may have difficulties passing each other on Ocean View Road. Also, electric vehicles are not suitable for use on the IW due to insufficient power availability.

 

  1. Sarah Innes

 

  1. The route 9 connection with the last evening car ferry arrival at Fishbourne Harbour (23:59 ferry from Portsmouth arriving at 00:44) is not always made. Could the bus driver be instructed to wait until passengers have arrived if the ferry is late arriving?

Richard Tyldesley replied that he would investigate although the bus is required to continue to another duty after arriving in Ryde.

 

  1. Notices at Ryde town centre tops advertising bus diversions due to road works and alternative stops have been removed by vandals and some passengers are waiting unaware that buses are not coming.

Richard Tyldesley replied that he would investigate.

 

  1. Debbie Frost from Wroxall reported much quicker travel times from Wroxall – Shanklin (10 minutes) following the diversion of route 3 services away from the coastal road. Could a permanent direct Wroxall – Shanklin service be continued even if/when the coastal road is reopened?

Richard Tyldesley replied that this would be investigated, but there are other passengers to be considered.

 

  1. Don Cruick asked if additional resources (buses and drivers) are needed to operate route 3 services with the Shanklin – Ventnor diversion? Also, are the newer buses to be cascaded to routes 7 and 12 coming from the Go South Coast fleet?

Richard Tyldesley replied that no additional resources are required to maintain route 3 services. The buses expected to be cascaded are from Go South Coast and are currently being used to operate route X3 Bournemouth – Salisbury.

 

  1. Iris (?) from Ryde and Don Vincent complained that the seats in the new Ryde Bus Station shelters are too high and uncomfortable.

Richard Tyldesley replied that the IWC were going to investigate this issue. Diana Conyers reported that RTC has raised this with the IWC.

Action: report to Stewart Chandler.

 

  1. Simon (?) asked how long the Vivarail trains now in service on the Island Line would remain serviceable for now that Vivarail has ceased to trade?

Mark Dunn replied that the First Group, parent company of SWR, has bought some of the stock for use as spares for SWR. 4 trains are at SWR’s Strawberry Hill depot to provide spare parts for Island Line trains. Although Vivarail is now defunct this will have no impact on the longevity of Island Line trains.

 

Stuart George closed the meeting at 12:25.

 

 

 

 

I.W. Bus & Rail Users’ Group

 

MINUTES of a meeting held on Saturday 25th November 2023 at 11.15am in the Methodist Church Small Hall.

 

Present: Stuart George (Chairman), Robert May (Vice-Chairman), John Yunnie (Membership Secretary & Treasurer, Dina Jung, Rodney Archer (Executive Members) plus 10 members.

 

5 Apologies received including the Secretary.

 

Chairman’s Report.

 

Island Line. Mark Dunn was expected to have had a discussion regarding the new proposed timetable, but to date nothing had been heard. There would be no closures on the pier before Christmas, but a long closure would be expected in the new year (probably summer or next winter).

 

Southern Vectis. Six of the seven new buses for route 1 had arrived, but the seventh had had to return to the factory having experienced an accident on delivery. Some of the new ones had early problems but these had now been rectified. In the meantime a few of the ex-London red vehicles were still in service.

 

Change of Meetings Venue . It has proved to be unsustainable with the level of current membership to continue at the present venue. The AGM in February 2024 would remain as at present, but for the March meeting we would move to Utilita in the High Street to see if that would be a good venue for the future meetings. The alternative choice would be to meet less frequently in the present venue (possibly every three months)

 

Public Meeting - will be on Saturday 13th January 2024 at 11.00am.in the main Church . Posters are available now, and more can be sent if required.

 

Committee Members Reports. There appeared to be some confusion regarding a new leaflet for the tap-on/tap-off facility. The Chairman would take the matter to Richard Tyldsley for an answer. The possibility for return ticketing was also mentioned.

 

Members Questions and Comments. a) A question was asked about the destination boards for all rail stations. Nothing more had been mentioned to date.

 

b) Asked about step free access at all stations. The response was that it would cost too much to implement. It was suggested this matter be taken to the next public meeting for further discussion.

 

c) A franchise for the provision of a cafe at the Esplanade had been granted to Graces’ Bakery.

 

d) Asked about the problems with the proposed new toilets and the cleaning of them at the Esplanade, there was a problem between SWR, Ryde Town Council and IW Council as no one wanted the responsibility.

 

e) The committee were thanked for all their work during the year. This was endorsed by general consent of all present

 

Next Meeting – noted above – Saturday 13th January 2024 at 11.00am in the church main building.

 

The meeting closed at 12.05pm.

 

 

 

 

 

IWBRUG MEMBERS MEETING 23rd SEPTEMBER 2023

Minutes of the meeting held at the Methodist Church Hall, Newport.

In attendance: the following Executive members – Stuart George (SG), Robert May (RM), James Nevell (JN), and Rodney Archer (RA) plus 15 ordinary members.

Apologies from Dina Jung and John Yunnie.

Meeting opened at 11:15.

 

  1. Chairman’s Report SG

The Island Line manager, Mark Dunn, has indicated that suggestions for reducing the train travel time from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin and running all trains to Ryde Pier Head, made at an Island Line staff meeting on 14th August, have been considered. Some of the options have been selected and will be presented to the Department for Transport (DfT) for agreement and possible delivery.

It is hoped that the line speed restrictions between Ryde St John Road and Smallbrook Junction could be eased by December.

Ryde Pier will be closed to trains again from 7th October for further structural renewal works. The expected duration of these is not known.

The winter Southern Vectis (SV) bus timetable includes new additional evening services on routes 6 (Newport – Niton – Ventnor) and 12 (Newport – Brighstone – Alum Bay) on Mondays – Saturdays, funded by the IW Council (IWC). The original intention was to run these on Fridays and Saturdays only, but additional funds have been found to support services on all weekdays.

SV bus routes 2 (Newport – Shanklin – Ryde) and 3 (Newport – Ventnor – Ryde) will revert to winter schedules, reducing their journey times by 15 minutes.

The 7-day paper bus tickets are to be withdrawn from sale due to fraud.

The IWBRUG has received a letter from the IW MP Bob Seely regarding the proposed rail ticket office closures. This letter, which acknowledges our concerns about this issue, will be posted on the IWBRUG website.


Secretary’s Report

Island Line trains have been running a normal service more often recently, although ticket checks remain sporadic.

The summer bus timetable is now in its last few weeks of operation. There are few road closures and/or works affecting bus routes currently.

Delivery of the 7 new double deck buses ordered by SV has been delayed due to problems at the manufacturer. However, eight SV double deck buses have been transferred away to Southampton and Poole, within Go South Coast operation. As a stop-gap measure, seven ex Go Ahead London double decker have been transferred to SV, until the new buses arrive. However, these buses cannot be used on routes 2 and 3 because they are too high to fit under the railway bridge at Moreton Common. Also, these buses still display Transport for London advertisements in their saloons. These include a notice that “kids under 11 travel free” (not true on the IW) which could confuse passengers.

Action: SG to raise with SV.

The Secretary attended, in a personal capacity, a Wightlink Customer Forum meeting at Fishbourne on 20th September. Issues regarding train-ferry connections at Ryde Pier Head and Portsmouth Harbour were discussed. The Wightlink Commercial Director disclosed that rail tickets are no longer sold at Wightlink ticket offices because South Western Railway have removed the machines, claiming low usage during/after the pandemic. The possibilities of providing better signage at Ryde Pier Head directing ferry passengers to the trains and for offering a combined ferry/bus family ticket to encourage visitors were raised.


Members’ questions

Sarah Innes (SI) reported that the sporadic train ticket checks (see above) have resulted from staff training and machine availability issues.

Diana Conyers (DC) reported that some train passengers had complained about leaking carriage roofs.

DC had also received reports that buses normally used for school services were also being used on normal services. Some of these vehicles have insufficient space for wheelchairs/pushchairs. SI also reported that these vehicles do not have stop buttons upstairs, possibly raising safety issues. RM reported that other Go Ahead operators’ buses had stop buttons next to every seat.

Action: SG to raise with SV.

Phil Jelly (PJ) reported that no rail replacement buses will be provided during engineering works between Havant and Brighton. Rail tickets will not be valid on parallel bus routes. Also, an online rail journey planner produced a very long (15 hour) and useless route plan from Portsmouth to Brighton. He noted that ticket office would almost certainly not have recommended this to passengers.

DC had been asked (possibly by a Ryde resident) if the IWBRUG could write to the IW MP to ask if the DfT fare cap, due to rise to £2.50 from November, could be kept at £2 on the IW. The justification would be that IW residents have average incomes below that of England and are therefore more in need of lower fares. However, such an approach was not supported at this stage. Also, SV/Go Ahead have not yet agreed to participate in the scheme from November. This decision will depend on the level of subsidy provided.

Action: SG to raise with SV.

DC reported issues arising with the Ryde Interchange project. Works on the rail station have yet to be completed. Network Rail (landlord) and South Western Rail (tenant) have not agreed to the part removal of a wall to give direct access to the new pier walkway. Although the new toilets have been installed, agreement has not been reached on who should clean and maintain them – which is delaying their opening. The previous lavatories were cleaned but not maintained by Ryde Town Council, following the IWC’s decision to cease providing these facilities. The Project Manager is now Peter Hayward.

Action: SG to enquire to IWC about project progress.

PJ informed the meeting that the IW Bus and Coach Museum in Ryde will be holding a “WightRider” bus running day on 14th – 15th October. Vintage bus rides on non-SV routes will be provided. Programmes can be purchased at the museum.

 

Meeting closed at 12:15. Next members meeting on 28th October at 11:15 at Newport Methodist Church.