Bamber Bridge bus stop move 'will block entrance to pub'
A Bamber Bridge bus stop is to be relocated - in the face of a claim it will make it difficult to get in and out of a local pub.
The existing boarding point outside the Hospital Inn on Brindle Road is on a blind bend and close to a level crossing.
For safety reasons, Lancashire County Council's cabinet has agreed to move the southbound stop to a point in between the entrance and exit to the hostelry’s car park.
However, members were told that the minor proposed change had generated an objection over concerns that a “potential obstruction” would be created whenever a bus was stationary.
The same complainant also warned that the change would mean the repositioned stop would now stand directly opposite its northbound counterpart - meaning the entire road would be blocked should buses travelling in opposite directions pull up at the same time.
Cabinet member for highways and transport Rupert Swrabrick said that the brief period a bus would be waiting in front of the car park meant the issue was “unlikely to be a material consideration”.
His colleagues also heard that the staggered nature of the bus timetable operating in the area meant that the chance of both stops being visited by a bus at the same moment was low. The chosen site was said to have been selected on the basis of its “excellent accessibility and visibility”.
As part of the changes, the newly positioned southbound stop will get a bus shelter, while the shelter for the stop on the opposite side of the road - which was destroyed in an accident - will be replaced.
So-called “bus stop clearways” will also be introduced at each stop - meaning waiting or parking by any vehicle other than a bus will be prohibited - along with raised boarding levels to improve accessibility for passengers.
The £10,000 cost of the scheme is being funded by contributions made as part of the planning process for a local housing development.
In a statement after the meeting, County Cllr Swarbrick said: "Upgrading the bus stops on Brindle Road will support the wider £41.9m investment in public transport being made through our Bus Service Improvement Plan to make services more frequent, reliable and affordable.
"Relocating the stop outside the Hospital Inn away from the blind corner will improve safety, and the clearway markings for both stops on either side of the road, along with raising the height of the kerbs, will make it easier for people to get on and off, and help the service to operate smoothly and efficiently.
"I'm grateful to South Ribble Borough Council for working with us on the replacement of their shelter to allow us to slightly relocate it and make it more accessible for people with mobility difficulties in future.
"This is a good use of the funding which we receive from developers through the planning system to ensure our infrastructure supports sustainable transport as our economy grows."