As you will recall, SSEB recently laid cables along the London Road and the bus stop outside Dorset House was taken out of action. We have been trying to find out how the communications process can be improved when this happens.

The utilities company should liaise with the County Network Supervisor over all works affecting the highway, and where this work might affect a bus stop, the Bus Team at the County also needs to know. They ensure that the bus operators inform users of the alternative stop and  place the information in the shelter with the assistance of the bus team.

The county puts details of roadworks on their Streetworks Register. The bus companies can pick up the information from there and can access privately operated webpages (although the latter don’t include works to pavements, only to highways) 

In this case there was a communications breakdown at several points in the chain, and we are working with county officers to improve communications with residents and with local councillors in future