11:30am Thursday 18th March 2010
By Alexandra Womack
Yate Town Council is demanding to know what has happened to the town’s bus shelters.
Two shelters are being held in storage in London and the council has received a number of complaints from worried residents.
Town councillor Chris Willmore said: "This is simply not acceptable.
"South Gloucestershire Council has caused the havoc by taking out existing bus shelters. They have the liability but they are trying to blame the town council for this shambles."
Yate is due to receive four new replacement bus shelters, with real time information, as part of the Greater Bristol Bus Network.
However, Yate Town Council wanted to keep two of the existing shelters and use them elsewhere in the town but both structures have been taken to the capital. Other reported problems with the replacement programme in Yate include one shelter being installed the wrong way round in Blaisdon so waiting passengers have been splashed by passing traffic.
A South Gloucestershire Council spokesman said: "During discussions with Yate Town Council, South Gloucestershire Council was made aware that the town council wanted to retain two of the existing shelters and relocate them elsewhere. However, it proved impossible to move them without damage and they have since been taken to the contractor’s yard for storage.
"South Gloucestershire Council has agreed with the town council that two new shelters will be provided.
"The claim that shelters have been installed the wrong way round is incorrect. They can actually be placed either way around and this is usually dictated by the proximity of underground services in the footpath, such as telephone and broadband cables. In the case of the shelter in Blaisdon, a waste bin also needed relocation, as the width available on the footpath was insufficient to allow a wheelchair to pass."
Call have also been made for a new bus shelter outside the elderly people’s development which is nearing completion in Cambrian Drive.
The spokesman added: "Every effort is made to accommodate requests for additional shelters within the resources available to the council and the request for a new stop at the Cambrian Drive extra care housing scheme will be considered alongside other requests. "Presently there are four bus stops within a very short distance of Cambrian Drive.
"If residents have any issues about bus shelters, please contact South Gloucestershire Council on 01454 868491."
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