Results for Forest Hill Bus Needs Survey November 2016

Approximately 215 questionnaires were distributed around the village of Forest Hill. 43 surveys were returned.

These represented 7 children under 12, 7 aged 12-18 and 86 adults.

CURRENT BUS SERVICE

74% of respondents said they currently use the bus service.

What times do you use the bus?

What reasons do you use the bus for?

The majority of respondents use the service for shopping (84% of users) or visiting the doctors (56%).

PREVIOUS BUS SERVICE

We then asked whether people used the previous bus service.

5 households which used the bus before the changes no longer use the bus.

What times did you use the bus?

What reasons did you use the bus for?

Again the majority of people use the bus for shopping (86% of users) and doctors appointments (62%).

CURRENT NEED

What needs do you currently have for a bus service?

This was an open text question so many had a range of times which have been grouped.

The majority of people want to go to Headington or Oxford with some wanting to also go to Wheatley.

Again this was an open text question so answers have been grouped.

Open Text questions:

How would having no bus service impact you and your household?

Would not be able to get to the doctors, hospital or dentist or shopping other than on my bike.
If you go by car you can’t park anywhere so buses are the only other way if there are none what do people do
I already walk to park and ride in the morning, I would have to find alternative way of getting home
Yes it would impact on our family. We also accommodate over sea students.
More use of the car to Barton / P&R to connect with bus to Oxford
No immediate impact but to have the option to use the bus is good
No real impact
No impact for us
Currently we only use it with guests or for trips into Oxford however I would expect our children, au pairs, guests to use it regularly in the future. The lack of a bus could be isolating and make everyone more reliant on cars.
Need service if car is out of action. Wife needs independence (can’t drive). I cannot walk to a bus stop further away from home.
Increased car use. Increased expense. Decreased independence for under 18s. Elderly relatives more isolated.
AM nothing / PM awful
At the moment I am mobile, can walk, ride a bicycle. Could walk to Forest Hill Turn and back so having no bus would make me more mobile / fitter, I also can drive and have a car so am very fortunate.
No Shopping, no paying bills, collecting money from bank or post office, no getting to the doctors surgery or hospital
I would have to depend on lifts or taxi or walking to 280 bus stop – across A40 – as I am 89 and of poor health it could be very dangerous
If no buses we will have to move as we rely on hospitals
I wouldn’t be able to get out to meet my friends as I go out most days
Drs appointments and hospital appointments would be hard to arrange. Work I would have to try and sort and maybe change hours if possible.
I would be like a prisoner in my own home. I won’t be able to go doctors, hospitals, shopping or see any friends
No way to go shopping as (no shop). Seeing friends – and going to doctor very important
I am not driving at the moment due to no car. So as I am disabled I rely on the bus – no bus would mean I would not be able to go out for shopping, doctors etc. I would be very isolated.
Increasing reliance on getting across to 280 service to avoid driving on congested roads in Oxford. Some isolation socially and loss of access to Oxford based public transport e.g.trains.
It would force us to use the car much more – bad for the environment, expensive to park.
Wet weather arriving college soaked. Unable to attend appointments.
At the moment my husband can’t drive through illness and we have no car at the moment.
Having no bus would mean – an absolute nightmare! Being cut off from everything. I don’t drive, don’t own a car, using a taxi would cost the earth if I used it every day.
Interfere with family schedule
Reduction in mobility
Yes because it would affect my mothers work having to take me to school
We’ll lose some of our independence. We’ve already lost home help due to reduced service.
It would mean making more journeys by car. In the longer term it would mean walking to catch buses on the A40 as I have a degenerative eye condition which will eventually prevent me from driving altogether. Crossing the A40 for Oxford-bound buses such as the 280 and U1 is dangerous for someone of my age.
Having to drive everywhere. Especially to park and ride so access to Headington / Oxford. Do not want to do the ‘death run’ across the A40 to get a bus!
It is a serious infringement of all villagers rights not only to have a reasonable bus service in terms of frequency and accessibility but also to make the choice not to use private transport to maintain work, health and social links in the outside world. If a reasonable bus service existed I would greatly reduce my use of private transport. As it is where possible I use a moped or a bicycle.
In practice not very much
It would mean having to rely on the 280 bus more which means crossing the bypass
We will use other means eg car
We would drive however this adds to traffic congestion and air pollution
It will seriously effect my health and my sons
If we have no bus I can not to get to work. I do not know watt I am going to do when they stop on 2.12.2016. This is also means I can not go out of the village. I use the bus five days a week to go to work. If the bus stop I will not be able to get into work. We need to have a bus in the village so people can get out and go to work.
I am 86 years old. I will be house bound
Would have to have a taxi
Have to use park and ride
Entirely negative – bus needed for one of us to commute to work in town – there are no parking facilities there. For a grandparent to easily get around to the shops, town , help with childcare

Additional comments or information you feel would be useful

Just seems to me Barton and Wheatley have them every half hour and their less than a mile from us. Its all about profit not people
The option to use A40 buses to Oxford is dangerous – footbridge needed.
We use park and ride so a bus going from the village to Thornhill would be excellent and provide a number of options for shopping doctor dentist hospital appointments
Even though we don’t use the bus I would love to see some alternative provision for those that are losing this valuable service
A regular service is essential in particular for young and old who would be isolated without it. The times need to be regular enough to make it useful and a feasible option. Crossing the A40 for buses or walking alone along the path to park and ride does not offer a safe alternative to cars.
Having no bus service at all will affect the whole village. Not everyone has a car.
These bus companies have made a fortune from free bus passes. OAP get off in Headington charged to Oxford city centre plus return journey. The elderly people could not walk down the hill let alone get across the A40 / M40 then have to walk back up the hill on return. I do it but sometimes it’s dodgey and I am younger.
Those who are not mobile, have no car, have medical needs, they require help to gain access to needed services. Perhaps we should set up a voluntary service to help those in need.
Taking pensioners independence away from them and having no social time meeting friends. Having no shops or post office have to have transport to go somewhere to get food and money, also not safe to have to cross the A40 plus no footpath to walk down the hill to get bus and road is an utter disgrace just runs in water.
Older people will be unable to get about in winter and bad weather. Bad for mental health. Payment for some kind of transport would be acceptable for most people. Those in real hardship could be subsidised?
My husband is unable to walk down to the dual carriage as he has cancer and COPD. My daughter is partly sighted so it would be unsafe for her and she has problems with her legs.
I am not walking down the hill and crossing the main road. I am 80 years old. I don’t mind paying half fare to keep the bus.
At present we seem to be paying our council tax for nothing so hopefully something can be arranged.
Its alright if you got a car, but if not you are trapped. I can’t walk down the hill to catch a bus.
Think of us over 60ish
I am concerned that a group of villages all of which are around Oxford will have no bus to get there. Also the amount of socialising on the bus would not be replaceable – isolation of elderly and other residents. More car usage on already congested roads.
We will feel and be cut off from many things. The bus service has helped people get to know each other, especially when new to the village or when getting elderly and more restricted in mobility.
There is always an occasion when its easier to take bus parking Oxford nightmare, with Christmas approaching
I already feel cut off from the world, being a fairly active person I just can’t imagine life being cut off from all. The village would be a dead place to be in.
Thank you for your help in the past and good luck
I believe that operating costs can be reduced by lateral thinking – thus making it profitable to operate a more / better tailored service. My contact details are…………
A letter from FH parish council and SSJ PC to ask arriva to divert and parallel 1 or 2 bus a day past the crematorium right to SSJ and through Forest Hill and back onto the A40 at Holton (280 bus) to save walking along an unlit or no pavement lane to get to Wheatley on the busy B4027. If you don’t ask and badger you don’t get!!
Although the members of our household rarely use the bus service we are all concerned about the impact of reducing the service upon those who do. It is an essential service and will severely affect the village if it were reduced further.
I feel that losing the bus service will have a big impact on all the locals in the village
A round trip by taxi 2 weeks ago from Powell Close to Wheatley and back home was £17.50
No friendly chats with villagers on bus!
The bus connects Forest Hill to the greater Oxford connubation. It affects people’s decisions about housing, schools, nurseries, health care etc. Cutting the bus simply puts more cars on the roads in an already congested area. This is neither environmental nor economically sensible.