One resident, Alan Stone , has written to us as follows:
Although we now have another bus (3a) serving Rawreth, which is welcomed, the new timetable is not conducive to the quick run into town for shopping, clinic, doctors etc. as this takes over 2 hours.
The reason being that if one takes the 10.05am bus from Bedloes Corner, the first available return bus departs Rayleigh at 12.01pm and arrives at Bedloes at 12.12pm.
The crossover times of buses at Rayleigh are 10.19am from Chelmsford and 10.01am from Southend (with similar repeats during the day) hence the 2 hour round trip.
Obviously Regal Travel are operating a two hour only service on the grounds of profit and economy but it is of little use if the timetable does not meet the needs of the traveller.
I have a need to drive a 4X4 but until now I have always used the bus to visit Rayleigh as it was convenient and reduced conjestion. My only alternative now is to use the No.20 from Hullbridge and walk the mile to my house in the middle of Rawreth Lane or use the car.
He also suggest a better way to run a service:
Buses to run hourly as before but after passing Rayleigh Railway Station they alternate using a circular route via Rawreth.
For example:
Hour 1. Rayleigh Station. – London Rd. – A1245 – Bedloes Corner. – Rawreth Lane – Downhall Road – Rayleigh Station.
Hour 2. Reverse of the hour 1 route.
This would mean that people wishing to catch a bus in Rawreth Lane could take one in either direction to Rayleigh or onward to Southend.
This seems a good idea but it’s up to the bus operator to decide what they want to do!
Can anybody tell me why people living in an urban / semi rural environment ( like us ) NEED a 4×4…..
Depends exactly where you live – there are lots of unadopted, unmade roads in Rawreth – try them after heavy rain!
If you are to go down Trenders Ave, No Faster then 10MPH or you will be sent the bill for the repair to the road
Admin,
Fair point but I’m not sure that all of the mummies I see taking kids to the local schools in 4×4’s live off of Rawreth Lane, the only off-roading they have ever done is up the kerb.
Sorry – should have said don’t try them after heavy rain!
This is becoming a stereotypical response on this site, hence a distinct lack of comment from me recently. One person has made a suggestion that should receive comment, instead another is using it to have a winge.
I once owned a 4×4 for the simple reason that the driving position (the way you are sat) is different from a main stream car – having had 2 operations on my knees in as many years, I found that driving the Polo I had at the time caused immense pain – but not so in a 4×4. Now that my knees are pain free, I have gone back to driving a more economical car. So before getting on your “green” high horse, ascertain if there is a reason why some people are driving 4x4s.
Corey – your comments are always valued ! Please don’t give up!
…. and what do you drive Rayleigh Resident? Before you ask me, I drive a very economical Fiat Punto.
I am also aware that several of the School Mums do live along Trenders Avenue or similar unmade roads – BUT not all!!
So – apart from sore knees and negotiating muddy puddles off of Rawreth Lane why does anybody need a 4×4 in an urban / semi rural area ?
Let’s a have a bit of honesty here guys, these “cars” are no more than a statement in the same way that people buy goods with designer labels. They have off road capabilities that would scare the pants of most drivers and are never used as intended unless I’ve missed any really steep muddy hills in the area that people need to drive up.
And let’s get rid of a few old chestnuts –
1. “I can see more of the road and it’s safer”. I assume that readers of this site that have a license to drive a motor vehicle are aware of the Highway Code, rule 126, this states that you should leave a space between you & the vehicle in front so that you can pull up safely. If you need to see over the top of the car in front you are driving too close – end of story.
2. I need a big car for the family, there are a host of small medium size MPV’s on the market that match and exceed the load carrying capacity of the average 4×4 and are much more economical to run
Re the Canterbury Close resident and the Fiat Punto, yes it’s a fine economical car but it has, as does nearly every other “normal” modern car, a side protection bar in the door roughly in line with your hips. If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in a side impact collision with a large 4×4
( and I sincerely hope you are not ) then the 4×4 will override the side bar with potentially serious consequences for the passenger cell.
But hey, it’s a free country and we are able to buy whatever we want ( thank goodness ) but please let us also have a bit of honesty and perhaps a conscious about driving private cars that do, on ave, 20-23mpg in an age when most sensible people are doing there best to conserve energy. Including the Lib Dems I assume ?
What ever people think my view is that these vehicles have had their day, sales are down 50% over the last 6 months as fuel prices increase and this will have a knock on effect on second hand values.
One final point to Corey, in the very short time you have lived in the area you have been very active on this site ( and good stuff it’s been too ) but I think you do yourself a disservice with your response to my original point ( my second was a bit tongue in cheek ) it’s not a whinge and to call it that was a bit unfair. Just trying, like you in the past, to stimulate some good debate.
I personally may have only lived here for 2 years, but my partner was born and raised in this district, and the comments I post on this site, are spoken for both us. We could say in combined years we are in our 42nd year living in this area!!!!
However, I have lived in many parts of this country (Braintree and Chelmsford Disticts in Essex, Sussex, Wiltshire, London Boroughs) as well as in the United States, and have to say that the politics in Rochford are the pettiest I have come across. Constant bickering and a blame culture that puts the American political system to shame.
My own personal political views have changed twice since moving to Rayleigh – the first time was from Conservatives to Lib Dem, thanks to this site. But are now moving away from the Lib Dems, again thanks to this site!
I would suggest that if people have issues against policy or plans that affect them and their homes, rather than wasting time tapping and clicking on a keyboard, they actually stand up and make their voices heard – if RDC actually started to receive the number of complaints that are posted on this site – they might just start to sit up and listen!
Personally, I can’t wait to move away from what has been the biggest mistake of my life – buying a house in Rayleigh!
Corey says:
“My own personal political views have changed twice since moving to Rayleigh – the first time was from Conservatives to Lib Dem, thanks to this site. But are now moving away from the Lib Dems, again thanks to this site!”
Alison says:
Are you really changing your political views because of comments made by the public, some of whom are not LibDems, on this website?
Corey says:
“I would suggest that if people have issues against policy or plans that affect them and their homes, rather than wasting time tapping and clicking on a keyboard, they actually stand up and make their voices heard – if RDC actually started to receive the number of complaints that are posted on this site – they might just start to sit up and listen!”
Alison says:
This website is part of the democratic process in that it is hosted by democratically elected councillors, councillors whose job it is to listen to the views of their constituents. Some constituents choose to raise their concerns by making use of the facility afforded by this website.
Just to get back to the actual subject of this post , I have emailed Regal Busways and asked for their comments…. They have quite a good website , by the way,
I read a lot about Trenders Ave it was alway a rough old road and i have good knowlrdge of that as i was born in Sunny Side Cottages i dont know if they are still their or not as i came out to Austraia 57 years ago.
As for 4x4s we have about 20% of them on our roads and they are a blasted menice ,not the vehicle but some of those that drive them especially those Mums takeing junior to school, maybe if the Juniors legged it now and then they would be much healther and there would be less smoke poluting the air from these fuel gusseling
monsters.
We had to walk from Coventry Corner to the Hullbribge School, No buses and could not afford a car.and still walking at 82
Roy From OZ
Hi Roy.
Thank you for writing!
Have you ever come back to Rawreth since you went to Oz?
Chris Black