Edisford Leisure Complex Transportation Needs Report.
Introduction
As part of the Clitheroe Market Town Healthcheck, it had been identified that there was a need for a bus service to the Edisford Leisure Complex. A report issued earlier this year by Clitheroe the Future had looked at the practicalities of extending the Low Moor service to include Edisford. At a meeting with LCC bus co-ordinator and other LCC representatives it was agreed that a survey would be conducted at both Roefield Leisure Centre and Ribblesdale Pool to check if potential users would indeed agree to utilising such a service. This report details the findings of that survey.
General Conclusions
- 237 people completed the survey – 100 Roefield clients and 137 swimming bath clients.
- The main means of transport used by the customers of both Roefield and Ribblesdale Pool is car with 71% of people using this form of transport. Only 3% of people currently use the bus.
- 87% of the people surveyed are regular users making at least one visit per week.
- 45% of the users stated that morning was there usual time of day for usage. 31% stated that evening was there main time of use.
- Usage between weekdays and weekend was split 55/45%.
- 43% of people questioned said that if there was a link from the town centre to the leisure area that they would use it.
- 56% said they would use the bus if there was a direct link from their village or area of the town.
- 55% said they would be more likely to use the bus if there was a link between the fare and the entrance fee.
Clitheroe Usage Conclusions
- 114 of those questioned lived in the town of Clitheroe.
- 59% of people used their car and 32% walked.
- 92% of the Clitheroe sample are regular users making at least one visit per week.
- 50% of those questioned said they would use a regular service from the town centre.
- Similar percentages to the general pattern said they would use a direct link and they would be more likely to use the bus if the there was a link between the entrance fee and the bus fare.
Roefield/Ribblesdale Pool Comparisons
- Similar percentages of Roefield users and Ribblesdale Pool users chose car as their means of transport but more pool users chose to use a bicycle and more Roefield users chose to walk.
- There was a difference in the time of day that people choose to use the facilities with 59% swimming in the morning and only 17% in the afternoon. This may be affected by conducting the survey in term time when schools use the facilities in the afternoon.
- A large difference in the percentage of people who said they would use a bus from the centre was found. 57% of Roefield users saying they would use this service with only 33% of Pool users.
- There was also a significant difference in response to the question on whether they would use a direct bus link from their area or village. 75% of Roefield users said they would use the bus whereas only 43% of pool users answered this positively.
- A difference was also found in relation to the question on whether people favoured a link between bus fares and entrance fee. 66% of Roefield users were in favour of this and only 47% of pool users.
Recommendations
- Given the fact that a significant number of people said they would use a bus service from the town centre and the fact that most people surveyed are regular users of the facilities at Edisford, there seems to be a very good argument for extending the Low Moor bus service to cover this area. In addition to the sample surveyed there are also regular users of the tennis facilities who would provide some additional potential users.
- The extended bus service should be marketed not only to the Roefield/Pool users but also to visitors to the caravan park, which is mainly a summer activity.
- There would also be an opportunity to utilise this service as part of a park and ride scheme. Encouraging this would alleviate traffic problems in the town centre.
- RVBC would need to ensure that the Fair which uses the Car Park biannually do not park their vehicles in such a way as to obstruct the free turning of the bus on the car park.
- Further thought should be given to linking bus fares to entrance fees and also linking bus fares to parking tickets to encourage long-stay parking with a short journey into town.
Methodology
The survey was left with the reception personnel at both Roefield Leisure Centre and Ribblesdale Pool and customers were invited to fill the questionnaire in. This proved a rather slow process to achieve a sample size sufficient to draw conclusions from.
Analysis of the results was performed by Clitheroe the Future Personnel using basic statistics and pivot tables.
Results
Current means of transport
How often do you use the facilities at Edisford?
What time of day do you use the facilities most often?
Do you use the facilities mostly during the week or weekend?
If there was a regular bus service from the town centre would you use it?
Would you be more likely to use the bus if there was a link between the bus fare and entrance to the facilities?
Location and means of transport data.
