Draft Transport Situation Report

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Current Situation Nov 2005 written by Andy Whitaker

Will need updating frequently as changes occur

Overview

1. This note is a brief summary of the current transport situation in Yateley. It deals with the public transport ie commercial buses, rail, and community transport. Excellent published bus and train time-tables are available from the Town Council.

2. The M3 motorway Exit 4a is some 5 minutes away from Yateley. There are local private airports at Blackbush and Farnborough. There are several licenced taxis and private hire firms in Yateley. The “London Link” coach service to London has been recently withdrawn.

Trains

3. Train services run ½ hourly to Basingstoke and London with stations at Fleet and Farnborough. To the north of Yateley ½ hourly trains run to Reading, Guildford and Gatwick from stations in Blackwater and Sandhurst. Camberley has a service to London but it is slow and involves changing trains at Ascot.

4. The preferred London station is Farnborough which has a fast service. All stations have parking problems. The commuter train bus service to Fleet from Yateley was withdrawn some years ago. There is no direct service from Yateley to Farnborough station.

Bus Services

5. Yateley is served by the 1/2 hourly Stagecoach 3 service to Camberley, The Meadows shopping area, and Frimley Park Hospital; a journey of some 30 minutes. Additionally Sainsbury provides a free service several times a week to its centre in Watchmoor Park. The 200 bus service connects Basingstoke to Camberley hourly via the A30, but diverts through Yateley in the morning and evening. School buses, public (435) and private, run to Farnborough colleges on weekdays in the morning, and return in the afternoon.

6. The Hart Call & Go demand responsive accessible scheduled service, run by Hart Voluntary Action, Hart District’s Council for Voluntary Services, provides a 4 x per day service to the same Stagecoach 3 destinations; and has recently taken over the Rushmoor Dial-a-Ride service to Yateley; the Saturday DAR service, and the recently cancelled route 25 service.

7. Increasingly the local buses are accessible ie have low floors and steps, and can take wheel-chair(s). In April 2006 public bus transport looks to be ‘free’ to the over-60s and other eligible categories; but many in Yateley are be unable to get to the bus stops. A local ‘taxi’ feeder service and maybe a ‘bus station’ facility, is needed to take advantage of these improved travel opportunities.

8. .The public transport situation in Hart District( and Yateley) is currently under review by Hampshire County Council, and is expected to report by April 2006.

Community Minibuses

9. Yateley has 4 accessible community minibuses (ie with a tail-lift and subsidised). The Yelabus Association has 2 buses, St Peter’s church have another vehicle, and the Frogmore Day Centre has a dedicated minibus, which is potentially available when not being used by the Day Centre. Co-operation between these groups is facilitated by the Transport for Yateley Forum.

10. There are many more minibuses in Yateley run by special interest groups, mainly in the schools, Scouts and similar organisations, but they are not “accessible” and tend not to be hired out to other users. From time to time Hampshire County Council produces a list of community transport vehicles in the county (available from the town Council).

Voluntary Car Schemes

11. Yateley Neighbourcare, with some 60 volunteers and 40 drivers, run a voluntary car scheme for those who cannot use public transport. Predominantly the work is biased towards getting people to NHS, ancilliary health appointments, and essential shopping. The faith groups in Yateley also provide transport for their members.

Cycleways and Pavements

12. Yateley has no cycleways. However the town is permeated with footpaths which provide convenient short cuts for pedestrians.

13. The state of many pavements is now a hazard for the elderly pedestrian, and for the increasing number of electric ‘buggies’. Road traffic is such that cyclists also feel pressed to use the pavements.

Congestion

14. Road traffic congestion is a significant problem in Yateley before 9am, and in the afternoon at the end of school.

15. Car parking outside schools, and around the central Church End Green area contributes to traffic congestion. In this respect, the large car parks at Yateley Manor School (?) and St Swithun’s church (?) are at present under-utilised assets.

16. Initiatives to address these issues by Home-to-Work and Home-to-School schemes, as part of the Hampshire Local Transport Plan, are in hand but have as yet to deliver tangible results.

Andy Whitaker 21Nov05