
SevernNet Buzz featured on BBC Points West
SevernNet Buzz was featured on BBC Points West on Monday 18th December 2017.
The service attracted the attention of the local news programme because of its innovative features including personalised passenger timetables, routes which adjust over time to passenger demand, and employer-led business model.
Becky Meadowcroft lives in Shirehampton and works at Nisbets. Although it’s not a long daily commute, it would be difficult to make by public transport if her employer, Nisbets, didn’t support her journey via the SevernNet Buzz.
Avonmouth and Severnside is an Economic Enterprise Area but growth is threatened by the area’s difficulty to attract people to work there. The number of people passing their driving test in the UK has fallen 20% in the last 10 years, in part because of the cost (learning to drive and insurance). Businesses in remote locations, like Avonmouth can no longer rely on the assumption that everyone has access to a car to get to work. This service enables businesses to widen their choice of candidates to those who want to work in the area but wouldn’t otherwise be able to get to these jobs.
Currently, the SevernNet Buzz can only be used by people who work for businesses that sign up to the service. Nisbets committed from the beginning:
“One of Nisbets engagement objectives has been to recruit, attract and retain local colleagues” says Zoe Joyner, Nisbets Engagement Manager, “We are surrounded by local villages; it’s all about making it as simple as possible to travel into the industrial area and we will utilise and develop colleague’s skills once they get to work. Nisbets supports colleagues travelling locally and in doing so also promotes sustainable travel into Avonmouth.”
“It’s fantastic,” says Becky “it collects me almost outside my door and takes me straight to the office.”
You can watch the Points West feature here