PEOPLE living in Alton’s Eastbrooke and Wooteys wards are being urged to take part in a survey to determine the demand for a community bus service to supplement the existing conventional bus services in the town.

Organised by Alton Eastbrooke and Wooteys Residents’ Association, the survey has come about as a result of a public meeting in June which looked at the need for a bus service to serve the eastern end of town following the withdrawal by Stagecoach South of both the 65 and 38 town centre services.

While they have been replaced by a new service - number nine - this only operates for two hours Monday to Friday, offering four round trips between 10am and noon.

For anyone without a car, it leaves less than two hours to shop and access facilities and services, and at the public meeting it was clear that this wasn’t good enough.

The meeting was attended by Tim Houghton, chief executive of Community First, who had delivered a clear message that if people wanted Community First to help, they must be prepared to put their full weight behind a campaign for a community solution to their bus problem. And this they could do by taking part in a public survey, to ascertain the level and type of service required, with a view to acquiring a service that meets local need and which everybody uses.

Speaking on behalf of Alton Eastbrooke and Wooteys Residents’ Association, town councillor Graham Titterington said: “The public meeting that we held in June showed that there is a considerable need for improved transport services and this survey will help to shine the spotlight on where the need is greatest.

“There are still many obstacles to overcome but the residents’ association is determined to give it its best shot in association with East Hampshire District Council, Alton Town Council, Radian Housing, and Community First.”

The survey can be found online at bit.ly/altonbussurvey. A paper version will be distributed across the two wards in the next three weeks.