NEWS BITES

ESTA has congratulated First Bus on the changes to their services in the Halesworth area from July 23rd. Service X41 from Norwich to Bungay will be extended every hour to Halesworth six days a week.  Service 99A will then become a shuttle along the Blyth Valley between Halesworth and Southwold with an improved frequency. These revised services will call at Norwich Rd bridge bus stop for Halesworth rail station. ESTA produced a paper in 2019 which largely recommended such a service.

As one of the 750,000 objectors to the plans to close most station ticket offices, ESTA has welcomed the Government's change of heart. Lowestoft station ticket office will remain - not only to sell tickets to anywhere on the national network, but to help customers in a range of other ways as well.

ESTA committee members have been e-mailing, writing to and in some cases meeting with prospective Parliamentary candidates in each of the five constituencies in our catchment area.

We have sought their views on

- some through trains between the East Suffolk Line and London;

- what they see as priorities for local public transport;

- local rail investment to improve speed, capacity and reliability;

- should trains and buses compete or be better integrated;

- easier ticketing, better information, parking and EV charging at stations;

- demand-responsive or community transport.

ESTA is, of course cross-party and independent and will seek to have constructive dialogue with each successful candidate.