I have received complaints about the fact that the 17 service no longer serves Tesco in South Road. The Acting Director of National Express Dundee has advised me :
"The change to the 17 service has been made to improve the punctuality of the route overall and to help the City Centre to Whitfield service.
Prior to 6th March the 15 and 17 were causing problems for passengers on the Whitfield side of the City because they were bunching together and running late. One of the reasons for this was that the 15 was being delayed in Albert Street.
We changed the service from 6th March so that the 17 served Albert Street and not the 15. We were able to give the 17 more time to cope with the congestion on Albert Street by shortening the route and missing out Tesco at South Road. The benefit of this to the people on the City Centre to Whitfield section outweighs the disbenefit of those people wanting to access the Tesco store which is still served by the 14 and 28/29
I hope this explains the reasoning and I do understand that some people will not like the change but it was made to try and benefit the majority of people."
I have responded :
"Thanks Simon; the problem with this is that, whilst I appreciate the benefit to the people in the Whitfield area in the east of the city, it disadvantages those in the west of the city, particularly those not served by the 14/28/29 but who would like to get to Tesco on South Road. I’d be grateful if this could be reconsidered, although I do appreciate the sense in the change in the Albert Street area."
It would clearly be beneficial if the 17 service again covered Tesco South Road and I hope that National Express Dundee will re-consider.
A number of constituents have also raised the issue of the service 5 route at its western edge - all Service 5 buses are routed in an anti-clockwise direction around Ninewells Hospital and the Technology Park - and the following comment from a resident is typical :
"… this provides a very unsatisfactory service pattern along the most westerly section of Perth Road (4 per hour inbound and none outbound) and a long winded journey time for passengers travelling to the Tech Park. With four buses per hour, surely two could be routed clockwise, thereby giving a half hourly headway in each direction and perhaps generating some patronage from the Old Folks' Home, the flats and the two Housing Estates."
National Express Dundee's Acting Director has promised to look into this issue and respond soon.