A suggestion for STAR - away days

[weybridgewanderer]

"Operators are asked to comply with these guidelines on a voluntary basis. However if the police inform the Traffic Commissioner of any failure on an operator’s part to comply with them the Commissioner will consider applying them as a formal condition to that operator’s licence under the authority of Section 16(3) of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981.â€

[Scrappy]

Correction, STAR hire the coaches from the operator.

[Whistle]

STAR coaches do stop at a pub once a year - Buxton usually - by arrangement - for a meal and drink.

I believe there is an informal "democracy" on the coaches and the majority don't want to stop. Of course those would like to don't travel!

Organising the 'legal' pub stop takes a bit of effort - have to get the pub sorted in advance, has to be a certain distance - over 10 miles from the ground etc, you have to have a meal I think too (and accompany a few minors.)

So it could be done if someone new was prepared to put the effort in. STAR travel may welcome responsible volunteers?!? But don't think there is a demand from current travellers.

[anR]

Seems that STAR could, if their members brought this up at a future meeting, seek to find an alternative operator, or if their current operator is prepared to run a "party bus".

Now I'm gutted I can't be at the meeting, as this is a point I would like the chance to at least have 'pointed out why it can not happen' in public. Perhaps someone that is planning on attending can bring it up?

[STAR Liaison]

I do suggest that if STAR members want "change" this is raised at a STAR meeting and discussed in a constructive manner in order to try and meet the requirements of all memebers (STAR is run by its members for its members). anyone proposing change should seek out facts and come with a proposal rather than just a list of gripes.

a few grumbles on a message board will unlikely change anything -just like Tom Hark - and does not make it the "overwhelming majority" of members wanting change.

STAR may want to take note of some of the comments made here and make coach travel an agenda item at their next meeting.

How right you are, I have constantly fought for people to even mail an individual mail rather than thinking that posting on HNA? is where their effort stops.

STAR is a democratic organisation run by members for members but so far in all its existence has not had an election because there have never been more candidates than places. If a few more people who want STAR to do things differently were willing to put some time in to make their proposals happen they may be pleasantly surprised at how they would be welcomed. And there can be no notion that a member is unaware of the elections as it is mentioned in Reading Matter well in advance and every renewal post has an election form attached as in addition to any repsonsbility to encourage new candidates we would like new blood to volunteer.

I am sure we will discuss this aspect of travel at the next STAR meeting but in case you are not aware of how much time and effort the coach organiser puts in already I can assure you that the STAR Board would be reluctant to ask him to do more. With over 2000 members it is easy for everyone to assume someone else will do it - but it remains to the same few who do volunteer to do all the work, all of it unpaid.

Rant over - but as work has been very pressured for the last few weeks my fuse is rather shorter than usual when it is implied that I or other Board members should do more.