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Snapshot of learning: Have Coach, Will Travel

Summary of the action taken

On the 30th October 2024 Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) decided to have a demonstration in Parliament Square. This date coincided with the Chancellor announcing the budget details and was a good opportunity to remind the government of the outstanding WASPI issue.

Once the demonstration was announced there was enthusiasm to attend by around 25 women in the Devon WASPI group.

This Snapshot tells the story of how we organised ourselves to attend the demonstration.

 

 

Details of what happened

I got a quote from 3 different coach companies for a 53 seat luxury coach – this featured a toilet, extra leg room and air conditioning. All 3 companies were located near the starting pick up point. Price difference between different companies was hundreds of pounds so a very worthwhile exercise.

Before making a final decision I made contact with the lowest price option to ensure they would be able to cater for all our needs. I also selected five pick up points. These were as centrally based as possible along the route of the journey and were chosen to take account of parking, major routes from other locations and suitable for coaches including somewhere safe for a coach to stop. Once this was agreed and our needs agreed I booked Roselyn Coaches from Liskeard and Plymouth.

Pick up points were Plymouth, Newton Abbot. Exeter, Tiverton Parkway and Bristol.

Places were first offered to the Devon WASPI group and once wider interest in attending the demonstration started to grow I advertised on the WASPI Facebook page. The response was immediate and the coach filled up very quickly. I kept a waiting list and if someone dropped out I simply approached the next person on the list to offer a seat on the coach.

I appointed bus monitors for each pick up point. The main duty of bus monitors was to act as a mustering point and to inform the next bus monitor on the coach progress on the route. Bus monitors were given a list of passengers from their pick up point but it was made clear the coach would not be able to wait for late arrivals.

To calculate timings I used Google maps to establish journey times and added 20 minutes for each pick up point. I used the same method to calculate the full journey time and then discussed the timeframe with the coach company. This gave a start time of 05.30am (also known as half past dark) from Plymouth and an estimated arrival time of 12.00 noon in Westminster.

One of the issues in hiring a coach for a longer journey are the rules surrounding drivers hours. A day return to London from Devon requires two drivers so it is generally better to hire the biggest bus you think you can fill.

Another issue to consider are pick up points. Each pick up point adds approximately 10 – 20 minutes to the journey so when you already have an early start then each pick up point creates an even earlier start time.

Accessible coaches are available and are worth considering if any coach goers are likely to have mobility issues. Some coach steps are high and narrow and it is sometimes difficult to get sufficient spring in the legs to get on the coach comfortably.

 

Outcome and thoughts about why things turned out the way they did

One of the real benefits of hiring a coach is that everyone can be dropped off right where they need to be, Not having to navigating London transport or trying to get a large group of people across London is a real plus point.

A real success was the introduction of bus monitors. Each one did a fabulous job in keeping everyone updated – particularly the next pick up point bus monitor.

Timings were perfect, each pick up time was spot on or a few minutes early which was remarkable given the distances and midweek rush hour traffic. We arrived beside Parliament Square about 10 minutes early and after collecting banners, pans, whistles and other demo necessities everyone crossed the road to join the throng.

When I organise a coach I generally calculate 3/4 occupancy and price accordingly. If we fill more seats then refunds are offered. On this occasion Devon WASPI had secured financial assistance to pay for coach hire so a minimal contribution was all that was required.

Passengers really valued travelling in a group, some were travelling alone and were unfamiliar with London. Joining an organised coach offered a sense of safety and community. A number of passengers approached me concerned with travelling alone and from previous experience I could say with confidence that there would be a warm welcome for all. This proved to be the case and the picture demonstrates the sense of camaraderie  that quickly developed.

Things you would do differently or do again in similar circumstances

I would definitely consider hiring a bus with a lift. There were a number of passengers who after standing in the cold, with the wind from the river whistling round their legs, found their spring had gone when they returned to the coach. This led to a slight delay on the return journey and some discomfort as a few struggled to get up the steps into the coach. Another alternative would be to ensure a half step was available to help navigate the steep, narrow steps into the coach.

As the coach organiser I commandeered the front nearside passenger seat, this allowed me to use the coach loudspeaker to make necessary announcements. This worked well as trotting down the aisle of a moving coach is a little risky.

I would always organise bus monitors for the various pick up points, it is very reassuring to know that the coach has left the previous pick up point and helps speed movements of passengers onto the coach if the bus monitor knows the coach is almost at their stop. It also helps spread the organising load a little. I think for any future events I would have little badges made

Submitted by

Sandra Broadbent

If you have any questions, you can contact the author on devonwaspi@gmail.com

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