BRIGHT yellow bus shelters in Chester city centre are ‘vivid’, unsafe and don’t provide enough shelter from the weather.
That’s the view of Labour councillor Samantha Dixon who has dubbed Cheshire West and Chester Council’s revamp of Princess Street bus exchange ‘a shambles’.
Her criticisms are in stark contrast with the stated aim of transforming the bus exchange into a modern, clean and safe entrance to the city – and follow earlier concerns that delays to the project are hitting city centre traders.
Cllr Dixon, who slammed the council for failing to consult anybody over the works, said: “The new layout leaves large gaps between shelters which do not prevent pedestrians from stepping out into the path of oncoming buses.”
She is also concerned the ‘flimsy’ structures would not stand up to being clipped by a bus.
Cllr Dixon, who represents the city centre, added: “There is insufficient shelter to accommodate the numbers of passengers waiting who will get soaked during wet weather.
“The new shelters offer no protection against the full force of the winds coming across from the Welsh Hills.
“Last week the wind ripped the roof off one of the new shelters and threw it against the back wall of the library. It could have seriously injured someone.”
Cllr Dixon has asked officers if planning consent is needed for the yellow shelters but has so far not received a response.
“The colour is vivid, it’s not a colour I would have chosen,” she added. “It is a conservation area, but maybe there’s a very good reason for them being bright yellow!”
Work started on the revamp on February 11 but so far only half the work has been completed with many bus services being re-routed, causing a loss of trade for Chester Market.
Cllr Dixon, who has started a petition calling for affected traders to be compensated, said: “This appalling shambles has impacted drastically on the livelihoods of our local traders..
“But not just businesses have been affected. An 87-year-old lady from Newton described to me yesterday that she is now unable to get into town to do her shopping because her bus doesn’t go to the town hall and market.”
The council has apologised for the delays. The six remaining bus shelters were delivered yesterday and the bus exchange is scheduled to be fully operational on or before May 20.
Spokeswoman Shirley Wingfield said bus shelters did not require planning consent. The bright yellow colour was chosen because it is: ‘the preferred colour for people with visual impairment.’
Mrs Wingfield accepted there was no consultation with the public or disability groups about the structure but explained that they are “only temporary anyway” and will be removed if the Northgate Development is forthcoming.
She said there was no consultation over the timing of the works but explanatory notices were put up at the bus exchange and leaflets handed out.
Mrs Wingfield said the supplier was ‘surprised’ the roof of one shelter had blown off during high winds because there had not been any other instances. She explained that walkways would be marked out and railings fitted to improve pedestrian safety.
The Chronicle understands contractors originally installed the bus shelters ‘the wrong way round’.
This meant the openings used by passengers to enter and exit the buses were at the start of the shelter.
If there were three buses using the same bay, the last vehicle would have been partly out of the bus exchange.
Adjustments were made without the need to dismantle the structures.
