Present: Councillors Gribble, Roberts and Warwicker and Tom Manship from Grant Palmer
We explored possible ways to overcome the cessation of the No. 27 service due to the road closure. These included:
1. Reversing the bus in either Becher Close or on the Green
2. Manoeuvring around the Green
3. Operating a smaller vehicle
Tom informed us:
1. They will not perform reversing manoeuvres, apart from in the depot, due to Health & Safety issues raised by their Risk Assessment (e.g., visibility) and that the drivers’ agreement also precludes such activities.
2. The bus is 8/9 metres in length and the Green layout and resident parking does not provide sufficient space for pivot-point turning. (This was obvious to all of us upon examination)
3. They do not have any smaller vehicles and cannot lease any due to the terms of their contract.
Tom also confirmed confirm that: ‘once the roadworks are complete our 27 service will return to normal line of route and serve Renhold. If Anglian Water are able to complete works with phased lights, we will endeavour to return prior to the finish date in September’.