SUGGESTION boxes have been placed in two villages on the Bere Peninsula to encourage people to drop in their requirements from a flexible public transport system.
The idea of the boxes came from the first meeting of the recently-formed Bere Peninsula Transport Working Group held this month in Bere Ferrers Parish Council offices.
The group's aim is to identify, consider and find solutions to the public transport problems which currently beset the Bere Peninsula.
At a public meeting last month, villagers made it clear to representatives of the First National bus company and Wales and West, which runs the Gunnislake to Plymouth railway line, that their timetables were unacceptable.
Group chair Cllr Christine Grills said the first bus of the day leaves the area for Tavistock at 9.10am and the last returns at 3.50pm.
'These times are unacceptable,' said Mrs Grills. 'And apart from Friday and Saturday, there is no transport available in the evening so people can't even attend evening classes in Tavistock.
'It is also difficult for people to visit family or friends in hospital on Sundays as there are no buses or trains running, apart from during the summer.'
We want to know exactly what people want — we need some feedback.'
She said one possible idea was a 'flexi bus', utilising the minibus provided by Devon County Council, that takes Bere Ferrers childen to and from school.
'For the rest of the day it is idle so we are looking at using it so that people do not feel cut off.'
The suggestion boxes are in the Pharmacy at Bere Alston and the Lanterna, Bere Ferrers.
'This information is needed by December 6 so we can collate it for our next meeting — it is up to the community to make their needs known now,' said Mrs Grills.
There is extra funding available at the moment — the Government has allocated £1.4 million for Devon's rural bus services.
The next meeting of the working group is December 16 in Bere Ferrers.
For further information contact Clive Charlton on 01822 840497 or Ray Bentley on 01822 840732.