Newsletter March Newsletter
Arriva Aylesbury Website www.arriva-shires.co.uk
The longest running source of information regarding the Arriva Aylesbury garage, and has been reporting News and events since 2005
Website addresses http://arriva-shires.co.uk/ and
http://redroverbuses.wordpress.com/
Email address ansellsweb@googlemail.com
Check on site for weekly updates…you can submit your own News as well
Aylesbury Traffic light report Period 1
Acident’s Review
TREES (again)
•Who put THAT tree There?
•14 times we hit a tree or bush –
causing damage to OUR vehicles.
•We ran a campaign about this.
•Trees are like stationary objects –
we shouldn’t hit them.
•WE must adjust our driving technique
to avoid them.
DEFENSIVE DRIVING
Haddenham Station closures
On the following Sundays, Chiltern Railways are running a large Rail Replacement service from Haddenham & Thame Parkway Station forecourt. The last time this occurred it caused problems and delays to our service 280. Therefore for the dates below we have decided to not serve the Station forecourt, running direct via Thame Road. Passengers will still be able to board and alight for the station at the stops by the Station Bridge in Thame Road, only a few yards away from the Station.
Dates are:-
Sundays 7, 14, 21 March and Sunday 17th April.
Sunday 7th March High Wycombe town Centre
300 SERVICE
DELAYS 7TH MARCH 2010
There will be minor delays on the Service 300 in the Wycombe town centre from 12.30 to 13.30 due to a procession.
Staff Notice
STAFF NOTICE
UNIFORM ISSUE FOR 2010
YOU WILL FIND IN YOUR LOCKERS THE ORDER FORM FOR THE 2010 UNIFORM ISSUE.
PLEASE ENSURE YOU PRINT YOUR NAME AND PAYROLL NUMBER ON THE FORM BEFORE RETURNING TO ME. I NEED THE FORMS BACK BY 8TH MARCH 2010.
THREE NEW PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN ADDED, GLOVES, SCARF AND BELTS
AND I HAVE A SAMPLE OF THESE SHOULD YOU WISH TO VIEW THEM WITH THE INTENTION OF ORDERING.
PLEASE ONLY ORDER WHAT YOU REALLY NEED AND ENSURE YOUR SIZES ARE CORRECT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUERIES PLEASE COME AND SEE ME. THANKS
COMPLETED FORMS CAN EITHER BE GIVEN TO ME IN PERSON OR PLACED IN THE SILVER TIN AND THE DUTY MANAGERS WILL THEN PASS TO ME FOR PROCESSING.
LYNNE NAPPIN
23.2.2010
Social club draw results
January results
Dave Venn
John Duncalf
B Watson
C McCormack
P Asekokhai
February Results
Dave Ellis
Sarah King
G Gray
P Johnson
C Taylor
Branch election results
Photo competition
Our photo competition is open to Arriva employees across all our businesses. If you’re an employee and you’d like details of the competition, e-mail photos@arriva.co.uk
The next deadline for entries is 25 April 2010.
January 2010 winners
1. Harry Wend, Vogtlandbahn, Arriva Germany
2. Keith Myatt, Arriva Midlands, UK
3. Ronald Bos, Arriva Netherlands
January 2010 runners up
1. Stuart Lowerson, Arriva North East, UK
2. Riccardo Lavia, S.A.F. Autoservizi F.V.G. SA, Italy
Weedon Road closure
Courtesy of Bucks CC website
Work at the Horse and Jockey junction, Aylesbury, is ahead of schedule, resulting in the reopening of Elmhurst Road to through traffic on February 15 one week earlier than planned.
Its closure has allowed the first phase of improvement works by Transport for Buckinghamshire (TFB), needed as a result of further housing development at Weedon Hill, to go ahead speedily. TFB used the opportunity to improve the way the traffic lights work, and rectify construction defects on the approaches to the junction that emerged in the past 12 months.
Phase two, involving rebuilding a 100 metre section of Weedon Road from its junction with Buckingham Road, will start on the same day. This section of Weedon Road will close for five weeks to ensure the safety of the public and the site workforce, and TFB aims to finish by 19 March.
The initial traffic delays significantly improved as engineers made alterations to traffic light phasing, and motorists found alternative routes. Throughout the second phase engineers will continue to monitor the junction and make alterations to traffic lights where necessary.
Brian Roberts, Buckinghamshire County Council spokesman for transportation, said: ‘We want to give residents and motorists as much notice as possible about these essential improvement works, and we apologise for any delays caused as a result. We really appreciate their patience and cooperation and we’re pulling out all the stops to get these works completed ahead of schedule. I’m optimistic that we can open the road earlier than planned.’
Cyclists in Oxford
A very interesting article regarding a cyclist views on the cycle paths in Oxford
Courtesy of the Oxford and Chiltern Bus page
www.oxford-chiltern-bus-page.co.uk
On the matter of cyclists
Paul who lives around Oxford has written with some more views on cycling in Oxford. He has some comments which are worthy of airing on this page which has recorded varying views on this matter.
As someone who commutes through Headington daily on my bike, I thought I might take the opportunity to try to answer the question you pose on your web page:
?? Can our cyclist friends therefore please tell us why, when beautiful new surfaces have been provided, STILL cyclists use the road going to and from Headington near Oxford?
The short answer is safety and convenience.
I assume you’re referring to the cycle path between Headley Way and Osler Road (by the Shell Garage), but this applies to most on-pavement cycle paths.
If I use the on-pavement cycle path, I am at risk from vehicles emerging from side roads, who typically do not stop at the give way line short of the cycle lane, but instead stop blocking the cycle lane. Further, I am required to give way at the pedestrian crossing (where the cycle path stops and continues 100m later) and I am required to give way again when the cycle path rejoins the main road.
Although the pavement has been resurfaced, it rises and falls with every side road and entrance, and is like riding over some of the worst speed bumps you have ever encountered. Where the path crosses side roads, the lane is reduced to half width because the council didn’t drop the kerb properly.
Another risk is posed by pedestrians, who rarely notice the marked cycle path. Next time you drive a long this stretch of road, see if it remains unobstructed for its entire length. I bet you it won’t.
Contrast this with staying on the road and using the lane that is clearly signed and marked as being both a bus and cycle lane. I may have to stop at the pedestrian crossing, but other than that, I do not have to give way at all, and can cycle in a lane that is flat, and unobstructed by pedestrians, parked cars or turning traffic.
?? With a 20mph speed limit now in force these cyclists now overtake those road users who obey the law.
Very few cyclists will exceed 20mph on the flat. Most will travel at 10-15mph.
?? Is this also another law which cyclists are not obliged to abide by?
Actually, yes it is. Speed limits do not apply to cyclists, but that’s beside the point.
?? Certainly for a vast majority they do not "see" red traffic lights, ride on pavements when it suits and generally behave as though they own the roads they neither pay for or contribute to.
Please do not tar us all with the same brush.
I stop at red lights. I do not cycle on pavements. I pay Vehicle Excise Duty on three vehicles.
Please try to see this from my perspective:
If I cycle on the road (as I am legally allowed to do) I am harassed by motorists who can’t understand why I wouldn’t use an on-pavement cycle path.
If I cycle on the pavement, it’s more dangerous (to both me and pedestrians), it’s less comfortable, and it’s slower.
What would you do?
Cyclists who don’t follow the rules make me angry too, because of the damage that they do to the reputation of all cyclists.
Unfortunately, it’s a vicious circle: for as long as the provisions that are made for cyclists remain substandard and in many cases don’t follow the rules laid down for road design, it’s easy to understand why so many cyclists don’t take the rules seriously.
"Speeding" is an offence that applies only to motor vehicles. Cyclists can be done for cycling "furiously", "dangerously" or "carelessly and inconsiderately". I’d be only too happy to see more cyclists done for the latter two.
Paul
I am pleased to publish Paul’s views as they reveal something of the views of many cyclists in our city. No doubt there will be those who do not agree with all of what Paul says but it might be worth the authorities looking at the cycle lanes provided which do not seem to offer what cyclists need. Until this is resolved we will have cyclists mixing with buses in Headington which cannot be totally safe.
Stagecoach launches UK’s first ‘Healthy Heart’ Bus
Courtesy of the Oxford and Chiltern Bus page
- Free cardio checks for employees provided by BMI Healthcare
- Thousands of employees to benefit from £2m screening project
- Brian Souter pledges £1m personal contribution towards initiative
- Staff in Scotland to take part in first stage of programme
Transport group Stagecoach has joined forces with the UK’s largest independent hospital provider BMI Healthcare to launch a voluntary heart health screening programme for employees in its UK Bus division.
A state-of-the-art ‘Healthy Heart Bus’ – the first of its kind in the UK – will tour Stagecoach’s bus depots, providing free heart health check-ups for thousands of staff.
The double-decker vehicle has been specially designed in partnership with BMI Healthcare and was refurbished by Plaxton Limited as a mobile cardio-screening unit equipped with patient consultation facilities and the latest exercise electrocardiogram (ECG) equipment.
The £2m initiative is being funded by Stagecoach Group, with support from Chief Executive Brian Souter who has personally pledged £1million towards the project.
Employees in the North-east of Scotland are the first to be invited to take part in the programme, which gets underway this month and is designed to encourage heart health awareness among employees.
Over the next three to four years, all Stagecoach UK Bus employees with more than three years’ service will be given the opportunity to undergo a voluntary assessment of their cardiovascular health, as well as receiving advice on ways to maintain and improve their heart health.
Heart and circulatory disease is the UK’s biggest killer, with someone dying of a heart attack every six minutes. However, early detection and treatment increases a person’s chance of avoiding more serious complications.
The Stagecoach initiative will allow staff to find out their level of cardiovascular health and potential risk areas, receive individual advice on ways to improve their heart health and access further medical tests through their GP if required.
Fully qualified BMI Healthcare doctors and nurses will run the service, carrying out assessments at Stagecoach depots around the country. Employees’ health information will be kept completely confidential.
Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Brian Souter said: "This kind of personal health check is often only available to senior executives. We felt it was important to extend the service to our frontline employees who serve our customers every day and the Healthy Heart Bus will allow us to do that.
"We are delighted to be launching this ambitious employee benefit which is targeted at preventative healthcare as early intervention can save lives."
There are two stages to the project:
- Stage 1 – Employees will be invited for an appointment at their local depot where a healthcare professional will provide basic health screening and blood testing, and determine the employee’s risk factors. The test results and factors will then be used to make an assessment of the employee’s heart health. Based on the results, some employees will be invited to take part in the second stage of the process.
- Stage 2 – Employees will be invited to an appointment on the ‘Healthy Heart Bus’ where they may be asked to take part in an Exercise Tolerance Test, using an exercise bike, to explore their heart health in greater detail. They will then either be provided with information on ways to reduce their risk factors or they will be advised to seek further advice and/or treatment from their local GP.
BMI Healthcare CEO Adrian Fawcett said: "We believe delivering top-quality healthcare is not just about providing the best treatments but also about providing effective prevention strategies. It is important to give people the information and advice they need to identify health risks before they become too serious. We are pleased Stagecoach shares our passion for preventative healthcare, and we look forward to working with them on this unique and exciting venture."
The state-of-the-art bus contains an "eBike" and software provided by GE Healthcare. GE Healthcare’s CardioSoft™ software controls the speed and resistance for the eBike, monitors the subject’s vital signs and sends the ECG data securely and wirelessly to GE Healthcare’s MUSE® ECG database system where Dr Barry Vallance, Healthy Heart Bus Clinical Lead and Consultant Cardiologist for the NHS and at BMI Ross Hall Hospital, will analyse the results and advise on any required course of action.
Dr Vallance said, "Each day I treat people whose conditions could have been slowed or prevented through earlier detection and treatment or lifestyle changes. Taking the initiative to seek health advice when you’re feeling seemingly well is easy to deprioritise, especially when you’re busy at work, but this carries risks. The beauty of this project is that it brings nurses and doctors to the employees, making it much easier to access the tests, advice and guidance that can improve their chances of a healthier, longer life. It’s a brilliant undertaking, and I am very proud to help lead the effort."
Graham Stevenson, National Organiser Transport for trade union Unite, said that they were pleased to support the free medical screening project that should benefit its members.
"We are especially pleased that our members will have this opportunity to have an assessment of their heart health, which will enable potential risks or problems to be identified and addressed via their GP," he said.
"Participation will be voluntary and all results of the screening will be confidential, even to the employer. It is rare to see such a service being offered by a major employer to its employees. Unite has no hesitation in applauding Stagecoach’s initiative and we would encourage all of our members to take up this chance."
Councillors give thumbs up to High Wycombe (Handy Cross) Coachway just off the M40
Courtesy of the Oxford and Chiltern Bus page
PLANS to build a “gateway” coach station, park and ride, 150-bed hotel and “high quality” office facilities at Wycombe Sports Centre have been given the green light by councillors.
Wycombe District Council’s planning committee agreed on Wednesday to approve the multi-million pound Handy Cross development, subject to planning conditions. The six-bay coachway would provide frequent services into London, Oxford, Reading and Slough. The interchange would also run services to Victoria, Heathrow and Stansted Airport.
The Cressex island park and ride would be relocated to the site, providing regular trips into High Wycombe bus station at Eden and the train station, with 556 car parking spaces. The outline proposal also includes plans to build an eight storey, 150-bed hotel and up to five “high-quality” business developments which could create 1,655 jobs. A concourse building is intended to be a “landmark” structure, forming a “main entrance to High Wycombe”.
The council will need to submit detailed applications for the hotel and business park. These would have an additional 964 car parking spaces, with the number of parking spots at the sports centre being cut from 377 to 271 spaces.
WDC council leader Lesley Clarke said the scheme would be “hugely positive” for the town and the council would be “silly” to miss out. She said: “I am very pleased with the outcome and very pleased that people saw the benefits of the coachway because it is needed.
“Obviously there are still a few issues to be ironed out, such as the residents parking up at Fair Ridge, but the county council are working very closely with them. It means that we’ll get more people investing in the town, the business park will create those middle management jobs the town is crying out for, meaning younger people can live and work in the town and of course improve transport links, so it will be of huge benefit to High Wycombe”.
The council received eight objections to the scheme, citing concerns about the impact on residential properties, traffic problems, and that all sport facilities should be based on one site. Wednesday’s planning meeting had three public speakers against the plans – Mike Chadwick from the Chiltern Society and Fair Ridge resident Mike Evans discussed the impact the development would have on traffic and environment.
Brian Mapletoft, chairman of the Hazlemere Residents Association 2009, spoke out against the council’s controversial plan to move the sports centre’s athletics track to Sir William Ramsay School. For the Handy Cross scheme to go ahead, WDC needs to find a suitable site to play host to the running track which needs to be moved to make way for the coachway, as well as the synthetic pitch currently at the site.
And Sport England has threatened to “call in” the coach way project to the Secretary of State if the Ramsay application is turned down or another site is not found.
One of course wonders how capacity will be provided on existing services or will new services be introduced. Currently The Oxford Bus Company and Oxford tube run services past junction 4 on the M40, serving London, Heathrow and Gatwick and National Express operates the 737 through High Wycombe. If this service was to use the new coachway then one wonders if it would cease to call in Stokenchurch.
All food for thought.