On this page you will find the latest edition of confirmed minutes of the Lochaber Transport Forum Meeting. The next meeting of the Transport Forum will take place on Monday 24th April 2006 at 14.00hrs in Lochaber House Council Chambers Fort William . To receive a Copy of the Forum's Annual Report 2005 - 2006 please contact Peggy

Minutes of the Lochaber Transport Forum Meeting Tuesday 27th September 2005 Lochaber House Council Chambers
Tuesday 27thSeptember 2005
14.30 pm
Council Chambers
Lochaber House

Present
Councillor Brian Murphy – Highland Council (Chair)
Jim Tolmie – Highland Council
Neil MacRae – Highland Council
Ann Martin – Voluntary Action Lochaber
Keith Gadsry - Shopmobility
Jim Tolmie – Highland Council
Frank Roach – Highland Rail Partnership
David Beaton – Rapsons Coaches
Benny MacDonald–Lochaber Community Car Scheme
Rod Johnston - HOST
Kalliopi Kourmoulaki – Lochaber Transport Forum


Councillor Brian Murphy chaired the Meeting


1. Welcome
Councillor Murphy welcomed everybody to the meeting.

2. Apologies from:-

Councillor Charles King – Highland Council
Sheila Fletcher – Community Transport Association
Helen Cameron – Lochaber Enterprise
Jo Cowan – Age Concern
Calum Smith – HOST
Mike Dean – Scottish Citylink

3. Confirmation of Minutes

Minutes of the last meeting held on 6th June 2005 were approved.

4. Matters arising

No matter arising which are relevant and not covered by Agenda items

5. Public Transport - Update

5.1 Bus - Update

David Beaton (Rapsons) was present at the meeting and informed that the 08.40 through service between Upper Achintore and Corpach was reinstated. The Forum was also informed that two weeks after the last meeting the 46E service from Upper Achintore to Corpach was also in use. New timetables including these changes will be circulated early October.

At the last forum meeting Alistair Goodall informed the Forum that Rapsons were testing demonstrators to see if they could manage the UA route reliably. The vehicles were tested and proved capable of dealing with the route so the operators now plan to purchase new vehicles and hope to reinstate the through service within three months.

5.2 Transport Interchange

JCT informed that there were would be no updates until the funding announcement had been made

FR informed that there had been various designs put forward for the interchange.
JCT and BM advised that there should be local input regarding the lay out since changes have been made.

5.3 Ferries


The Corran Ferry timetables are to be extended, the summer service is to continue into October. All year round timetable is being considered.

AM to attend Initiative at the Edge meeting and going to feedback too the next Forum Meeting if there are any issues raised concerning the Kilchoan ferry.

PK to attend next SoMTG meeting and Feedback to the Next Full forum meeting.

5.4 Rail

HITRANS, HIE, HRP are going to be undertaking a study of the Highland Rail Network. This will to determine the capacity in train part and no of seats.

HRP new development Plan regarding new shelters at Banavie, Roy Bridge and Corpach. Communities that have station in their area will be invited to discuss the future of the stations.

RJ commented that HOST had received complaints regarding the state of the carriages and that passengers were finding them off putting. FR informed that there were no plans to deal with tat issue any time soon.


6. Community Transport


6.1 Lochaber Community Car Scheme - Update
.
Volunteers booklet has been completed

The LCCF have decided that all volunteers should be police checked

Benny M attended training course on the protection of vulnerable adults, training for volunteers will be planned for the 25th October

RCTI application submitted for the 1st September 2005.

The Lochaber Community Car Scheme has undertaken 2,252 journeys and the percentage of FW journeys has risen.

6.2 RCTI- Update

The Lochaber Transport Forum’s bid to the RCTI for funding till March 2009 was successful.

Mallaig and District CTA have also applied to the RCTI fund their forms were also submitted for the September 05 round. Notice of the outcome is expected to reach the groups by early January.

BM enquired about the future of the RCTI fund. At present the Scottish Executive are still allowing groups to apply for up to three years of funding.

6.3 Shopmobility

KG informed that the funding for the shop mobility mobile unit would run out at the end of October. This service is mainly to provide rural areas with mobility scooters for days out, shopping and for games and fairs.

AM was currently searching for possible sources of funding to maintain the mobile service.

PK and AM to meet with Jan Jones, the coordinator for shopmobility, to discuss this issue further.

7. AOCB

The CalMac Summer service to North Uist is still in operation but not included in the timetables.

8. Date of Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting is to be set for mid November notice of the date and time will be sent out to the members.


9. Councillor Murphy thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 15.120hrs

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