Please see the email below from Chris Burridge-Barney.  If you are able to help, please click on the link for the survey.  Thank you.

I am a Graduate Trainee Transport Planner at Devon County Council, and am being sponsored to undertake a part-time degree in Transportation Planning and Engineering at the University of Southampton. As part of this degree, I am producing a dissertation examining the impacts of Devon’s bus network, including removing barriers to employment, reducing congestion and pollution, and improving physical and mental health (by, for instance, reducing social isolation and providing transport for outdoor leisure trips).

I was therefore wondering if you would be able to circulate a survey I am using to collect data on why people use Devon’s bus network, what they would do if the buses were unavailable, and what impacts buses have on users (https://www.isurvey.soton.ac.uk/37229). Clearly, bus patronage levels are significantly reduced at present, but I would like respondents to focus on how they have used buses in ‘normal’ (i.e. pre-COVID) times. This is based on the assumption that the recent changes in travel patterns are likely to be temporary in nature, and so pre-COVID passenger data is likely to be a more robust basis for appraising the typical costs and benefits of the services, although I have included a section asking respondents whether they expect to make long-lasting changes to their use of bus services, to test this assumption.

I am also looking to conduct online interviews with bus users, to discuss some of the impacts in greater depth. If you have any contacts who would be interested in taking part in an interview, can you please ask them to send an email to my university email address (cgbb1e18@soton.ac.uk), so we can arrange a time and date.

If you would like any additional information regarding my research, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you in advance for your assistance,

Chris Burridge-Barney MPhys (Hons)

Graduate Trainee Transport Planner
Planning Transportation & Environment
Devon County Council

Chris.burridgebarney@devon.gov.uk
01392 383131

We have the pleasure of being able to share this wonderful poem, written by Stokeinteignhead Parish Councillor Fred Cornes. The poem was shared by BBC Spotlight last night (15th April) and we hope that it can bring some sunshine to you in these very strange times, just as it has to us!

STOKE  FOLK

I’m locked in by Corona’s Key
Life seems so hard but then I see
We have our Shop and volunteers
Without them,all could end in tears
Our Pub is lightening all our days
By opening up for “Take Aways”
So when all around is closing down
In City and in local Town
Our Village life is still a joy
Corona Virus can’t destroy
And as we step beyond our doors
If we stop awhile and pause
To look outside,take in the view
I know I’m lucky,don’t you too?
Fields and hedges all around
The birds are singing, joyous sound
All are doing their very best
To find a mate and build a nest
Horses and Riders trotting by
Buzzards wheeling in the sky
Their mewing call is striking fear
In all small mammals hiding near
Tractors working on the land
Farmers planting crops they’ve planned
Cattle now outside at last
Since the winter storms have passed
But when I was told to stay indoors
And  Corona Virus was the cause
My first reaction was of rage
To be locked in because of age
But on reflection that’s now changed
No longer do I feel deranged
Corona’s helped me really see
The beauty that’s surrounding me
And volunteers you’ve done a lot
To help me enjoy this lovely spot
I’m thankful for each selfless deed
That brings to me the things I need
To live here in my chosen place
It’s  put a smile back on my face
Oh what a joy to live in Stoke
Surrounded by such lovely folk
So many thanks to Shop and Pub
Plus Ed and Graham’s Deane Rd Hub
But the Shop has topped my personal polls
For sending me some toilet rolls.

Stokeinteignhead is a busy and pro-active council, with 8 parish councillors.