Tuesday 7 January 2014

The Imp: What do you think? Make sure your views are heard!


Planning permission has been sought for the right to build 18 flats at the Imperial Hotel site in Oxford Street

Local residents are able to submit their opinions on these plans and can be done via the Rugby Borough Council website at www.planningportal.rugby.gov.uk/ by the 9th Jan 2014. Residents should still submit letters after this date demanding their right to be heard given the ‘consultation’ took place during a holiday period.

Steve Wright, who is a local resident and Benn Ward Greens in Rugby are calling for a meeting between the owner of the IMP, the council and local residents to investigate;

• If the IMP could be saved?
• Should the council uphold the designation of this once thriving business as an asset of community value?
• Maybe the site could contain a licensed community hub to be used, owned and run by the local residents?

If you would like to express an opinion please do not hesitate to contact us by email – rugbygreenparty@gmail.com

Sunday 5 January 2014

GREENS CALL FOR BUS SERVICES IMPROVEMENT IN RUGBY

Writing in a letter to the local papers in Rugby, local Green Party spokesperson, Steve Wright has added the voice of Rugby Green Party to concerns that have been raised by local residents over the current reliability of the local bus services and has suggested positive improvement that could be made - including a Bus Station in the town center and also an interactive GPS system enabling local residents to find out the actual real time arrival time for the bus they are waiting to catch.

He writes;

Improving Rugby’s Bus Service
Letters Page

Rugby Green Party share many of the concerns about the recent decline of the bus services in Rugby in terms of bus arriving late even not all – if this was to take place on the railways the companies would have to pay to compensation to its customers!

In Coventry the National Express operator has installed a GPS tracking scheme on each of their buses, to allow prospective passengers the ability to check the arrival of buses by text for a small fee of 25 by typing the individual code which is on each bus stop.

This is likely to increase use of buses as people will know whether a bus will turn up on time or is running late. This is a system that Rugby Greens believe should be introduced in Rugby and Warwickshire.

Rugby Greens  are also calling for a Bus station in the town centre at either the old Granada Cinema site or the old market site off the top of Railway Terrace – local planners must ensure any improvements to the town centre includes the requirement of a modern bus station.

Rugby Greens are also calling for refurbishment  and improvements to bus stops in the Rugby by placing electronic GPS arrival panels on key bus stops and also providing more stops with shelter from the elements. We would like to see a discussion in the community take place about where additional bus stops should be placed to meet local need - near for example the junction with Barby Road for the 86 Bus.

Finally, the bus service times must be better integrated with other bus service times in respect of times to enable a passenger to catch another bus in the town centre and also those bus services near the railway with rail services.

The excellent bus services in London  show that reliable service with affordable fares is the way 
forward.

Regards
Steve Wright

Rugby Green Party