Bus shelter farce

The scheme to replace bus shelters on the "Showcase corridors" like the A432 with ones capable of being equipped to display "real time information" has not been without its problems. In Coalpit Heath, a number of the new shelters had to be resited, in one case only after months of badgering from a resident with the help of local Councillor Claire Young.

Now you Lib Dem Focus team is shocked to learn that some of the replacement shelters won't be displaying "real time information" after all.

Cllr Ian Blair said, “I was appalled when perfectly good bus shelters in Yate were ripped out and disposed of without warning, replaced by what I believe is a lower standard of shelter, and shelters were erected at new locations without consulting any of the residents affected.”

“The justification we were given was that the new shelters could be fitted with kit providing ‘real time information’ for bus users about when buses would be arriving at the stops. We are now told that not all the shelters will get this equipment which begs the question, why did they take the old ones out? This is a shocking waste of tax payers’ money, especially at a time when every penny of spending needs to be justified. Why did the Council’s Conservative Cabinet Member responsible for transport let this happen?”