August 2021

Councillor Mike Barnacle

An email from Cllr Barnacle to Brian Cargill sent on 07.07.21

Dear Colleagues, In April and May 2021 I sought clarity on the adequacy of the budget to complete the agreed measures and did not obtain that! Also we are now in the school holidays so is there any sign that the long awaited School Road junction improvements work is scheduled to start since I am tired of asking.

Regards,

Cllr Mike Barnacle

REPLY from Brian Cargill, Traffic and Network Service Manager at PKC received on Thursday, 8 July.

Councillor Barnacle, firstly I must apologise for the delay in replying to you. It has been, and it still is a very busy time for our staff but we should have at least replied to your latest correspondence and this was an oversight on our part. I honestly do not recall a more challenging time during my career and our staff resources are absolutely stretched to the maximum. Our Traffic and Road Safety team are still fully employed trying to deliver the last of the 20mph speed limits and the School Exclusion Zones. Over 70 no. 20mph speed limits, 30 no. 40mph buffers and 10 School Exclusion Zones have and are being provided. I appreciate that you have heard this a number of times but because of our limited staff resources we really are still flat out dealing with these projects at this time. There is light at the end of the tunnel, these projects will soon be completed and we hope to make inroads into other priorities very soon.

A977 Gateway Signs

During the Covid pandemic we still managed to do some work on the A977 earlier this year and the gateway signs should now all be in place. This was a significant visual part of the project and we should now have a consistent signing approach along the route.

A977 School Road

Because of our limited staff resources we employed consultants to carry out the design work of the School Road junction on our behalf. Unfortunately due to Covid and the restrictions on essential travel the consultants were unable to carry out site investigation work as planned. This has resulted in a delay to the initial and final designs for the School Road project. We have been in regular discussions with the consultants and a further meeting is to be held tomorrow where we will get an update on their progress. It is hoped that the final design is very close and then a definite date can be programmed for delivery of this project. As advised previously a programme meeting was and still is to be held with Tayside Contracts to discuss and programme the School Road signals project. As soon as we have the final designs from the consultants we will discuss the project with Tayside Contracts and we will be able to advise you on the programme date.

A977/B9097 realignment

This project as always going to follow the above School Road project and because of the delays and our current work pressures and priorities this project will again have to be passed out to consultants. We will consider how best to address this and advise you in due course of likely timescales.

Available Budgets – In relation to the available budgets I can advise that when we have final designs for School Road we will be able to obtain more accurate costings. This will allow us to assess whether the current available funding for the remaining identified projects is adequate or not. It is our feeling just now that this wont be the case but until we have more accurate costings that is only speculation.

The Spaces for People project as well as the 20mph speed limit trial have taken up our staff resources for the last year. In addition staff redeployment has also decimated our teams and only last week we were once again requested to provide staff for redeployment to our colleagues in Social Care. From the outside worlds point of view the pandemic is nearly over but it certainly isn’t from the Councils and our teams perspective. We will continue to try to deliver as best we can in the circumstances and hopefully we will have more positive news and dates for you in the coming weeks. As soon as we have more concrete information we will provide you with this at the earliest opportunity.

I trust that the above brings you up to date with the current position.

Best regards,

Brian

An email sent from Cllr Barnacle on Friday 16 July:

Dear PKC Roads Colleagues,

I forward an email frae my constituent in Drum & ? what has happened regarding the proposed 20mph limits for Crook of Devon & Drum that we were assured were progressing. I note & welcome the successful trial in Kinnesswood so presumably there is nothing to hold matters up, pandemic permitting; however I note the recent arrival of Gateway signs for Drum with 30mph thereon, presumably part of A977 funding, which suggests a lack of joined up thinking re the programme? Whilst writing I note Brian’s reply to me of 8th instant re A977 mitigation & timescales and I request ASAP confirmation on the available budget to cover the Drum Xroads project in case we have to find further capital provision later this year. Clarity please gentlemen?

Regards,

Cllr Mike Barnacle

Kinross-shire Community Transport Group

Zoom Meeting 27 May 2021, 7pm

News from the May Meeting

Present: Cllr Barnacle, Cllr Watters (P&K Council), Malcolm McFarlane (KMGO), Paul Appleby (Cleish CC), Michael Haigh (Fossoway CC ), John Fallon (Local Resident Rumbling Bridge), David Aird (KVG), David Colliar (Kinross CC), Phillip Lord (Muckhart CC), Douglas Fraser (Glenfarg CC ), Margaret Roy (P&K Council PTU)

Apologies: Cllr Robertson, Cllr Purves (P&K Council), Carol Farquhar (Fossoway CC), Margaret Ponton (Glenfarg CC)

Matters Arising

Cllr Barnacle advised that Sarah Brown had issued transport survey to her pupils at KHS, all agreed that SB should be asked to re-issue survey when there was a full return of pupils to KHS after summer holidays. Cllr Barnacle will contact Sarah and request this. MR offered that PTU would tweak the survey so it was bespoke for the young people of Kinross High School.

Update on Current Subsidised and Commercial Local Bus Services in Kinross-shire Margaret Roy (MR) confirmed that usage of Service 55 continues to be consistent despite the current CV19 situation. MR confirmed that recent changes to the Ember service timetable had resulted in Service 55 now being able to connect with it at Kinross P+R. MR had highlighted this to the company and they will take this connection into account for any future timetable revisions.

Cllr Barnacle and Michael Haigh both noted they had noticed passengers using Service X53 in the Kinross-shire area of late.

Future Planning for Public Transport Provision in Kinross-shire

MR confirmed that PTU had drafted a suggested off peak timetable between Kinross and Powmill and this can be progressed once the true travel demand is known once we enter recovery. Cllr Barnacle noted that his preference would be that if this service were to come into fruition that it extended to Blairingone.

MR advised that she had submitted John Fallon’s suggested timetable to this end to First but had still not received a written response from Andrew Jarvis. However post meeting it transpires that AJ has been promoted to First Portfolio Director for Scotland and North England. MR has sourced the appropriate First manager to liaise with in regard to this matter and will hopefully have an update for the next meeting.

KMGO

Malcolm McFarlane of KMGO introduced himself to the group and gave the background to their work and aspirations. Malcolm explained that the main areas they were concerned with were environmental impact, local economy activity, active travel, car share schemes, white chair scheme, e-bikes and joining up with other transport modes. MR agreed that links between PTU and KMGO would be useful and she will contact Malcolm in this regard. Malcolm also requested a copy of the Kinross-shire Transport survey that was undertaken pre-CV19 and its results and MR agreed to provide this to him.

Date of Next Meeting All agreed to meet again in two months and Cllr Barnacle will confirm actual date nearer the time.

Councillor Michael Barnacle

Attendees: Cllr Barnacle, PKC; Cllr Purves, PKC; Cllr Watters, PKC; Paul Appleby, Cleish CC; Michael Haigh, Fossoway CC; John Fallon, Local Resident Rumbling Bridge; Margaret Ponton, Glenfarg CC; David Aird, Kinross-shire Volunteer Group; David Colliar, Kinross CC; Carol Farquhar, Fossoway CC; Phillip Lord, Muckhart CC; Douglas Fraser, Glenfarg CC; Margaret Roy, PKC PTU.

Apologies: Cllr Robertson, Perth & Kinross Council; Andrew Warrington, ACBuG; Sarah Brown, Kinross High School; Doctor McCracken, Loch Leven Health Centre Matters Arising Cllr Barnacle advised group that Sarah Brown had issued transport survey to her pupils at KHS, all agreed that SB should be asked to re-issue survey when there was a full return of pupils to KHS after summer holidays. Cllr Barnacle will contact Sarah and request this.

Cllr Barnacle advised group that currently there are only four members of Portmoak Community Council so they have been unable as yet to assign anyone to represent them on this group at this meeting. Cllr Barnacle will write to Sue MacGregor to ask who would be able to attend this group in the future.

Update On Current Subsidised Local Bus Services In Kinross-Shire

Margaret Roy (MR) confirmed that further to the Service 55 trial up to and including 31 March, usage had been consistent, albeit lower than the potential due to CV19 restrictions, thus the decision had been taken to extend the contract up to and including 31 March 2023. Some tweaks to the timetable had been requested and MR will progress these. Once results from pupil survey already issued and further one after summer, any further requests to revise the timetable can be investigated. Future Planning For Public Transport Provision In Kinross-Shire

Paul Appleby confirmed that there is no demand for public transport provision in the Cleish and Blairadam area. Cllr Purves suggested the group should therefore focus on the areas where there is a demand. MR confirmed that PTU had drafted a suggested off peak timetable between Kinross and Powmill. MR can share this timetable with the group.

All members of the group in support of improved public transport links to Halbeath. MR advised that she had submitted John Fallon’s suggested timetable to this end to First but had not received a written response from their MD at this point but he had verbally explained to her that this was not a service First could look at operating commercially at this point.

MR explained issues regarding sourcing funding for this requested service but she would speak to colleagues in Fife and Stirling/Clacks PTU and seek their views on progressing this matter.

CF noted that the DRT provision fulfils an important role and Cllr Watters agreed and noted his support for this scheme. Cllr Barnacle added that he agreed DRT should be retained.

All agreed that due to current situation the Kinross-shire Community Transport Group would be maintained as a steering group. Once we started moving out of CV19 restrictions and future transport demand was established then the group could progress implementing/revising transport services.

Cllr Purves suggested inviting KMGO to future meetings of this group. All agreed. Cllr Purves will contact KMGO and ask if they would like to join this group and attend future meetings.

AOB And Date Of Next Meeting

All agreed to meet again in two months and Cllr Barnacle will confirm actual date nearer the time.

Councillor Michael Barnacle Independent Member for Kinross-shire