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Bus passengers left in the rain as station works continue
Passengers standing in the wind and rain on Tuesday morning in Acland Street coach park were critical of the timing of the maintenance work at the bus station. Photo: Paul Franks/Peterborough ET
ANGRY bus passengers have criticised Peterborough City Council after being forced to wait for buses in pouring rain and driving wind.
Parts of the city’s bus station outside Queensgate have been closed since January 17 while £45,000 maintenance work and repairs are carried out by the council.
As a result, buses due to depart from the closed bays have been re-routed to leave from nearby Acland Street coach park instead, leaving passengers waiting outside without shelters.
Many passengers waiting at the coach park for their bus in the driving wind and rain yesterday morning questioned why council bosses agreed to carry out the work during the winter.
Peter Squires (58), from Werrington, said: “Surely it would have made sense to do the work in the summer instead.
“Having to wait around in the freezing cold isn’t ideal but what can you do? You’ve just got to grin and bear it.
“I’ve only been waiting for five minutes and I’ve seen some people shivering.”
Sally Lawrence (33), from Stanground, added: “I wish I had brought my umbrella with me today, I’m soaked through. I think a lot of passengers are really counting down the days until the work is finished.
“The council and the bus companies are trying to make the best of a difficult situation but it’s days like this when the problems get highlighted.”
Ian Francis (42) added: “You do have to wonder whether these things are properly thought through.”
Jessica Loock, general manager of the nearby Brewery Tap pub, added: “I was concerned that when the temporary bus stop opened we would get people coming in to wait or just use the toilet.
“But to be honest that hasn’t happened. We wouldn’t encourage people coming in just to loiter anyway.”
The council has said that the works were held off until after Christmas so the bus shelter could be used in the festive shopping rush.
A spokesman added: “This is a temporary project which will last for weeks and as such there are no plans for shelters to be installed there.
“We apologise for any inconvenience that being exposed to the elements causes people.
“We are working towards building a bigger and better bus station and are asking people to bear with us.”
Work schedule
THE maintenance work on drains and the road at Peterborough’s bus station is expected to last until February 20.
Phase one of the work started on January 17, with the station’s bus bays 1a to 10 closed.
From Monday to Saturday up until 6pm buses due to depart from those bays will depart from Acland Street coach park instead.
Phase two is set to start on February 13 and will see bays 10a to 20 closed, with buses due to depart from there from Monday to Saturday up until 6pm departing from Acland Street coach park instead.
What do you think?
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Weather for Peterborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Comments
There are 11 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
wigwam
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 04:14 PMI used to live in Acland street when I was a child. The houses were demolished in the mid 70's to build Queensgate.
gs61
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 08:09 PMjust be glad we haven't had winter this year. Take a brolly or use a bus stop with shelter. This isn't the only city centre stop!!
rebel woman
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 09:52 AMsurely people have to stand in the rain at bus stops to catch the bus TO town. Stop moaning and take a brolly and wear a coat
Ma Hubbard
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 09:14 AM@giger (#6) Prior to the bus station works, I had also never heard of Acland Street despite having lived in Peterborough for many years.
Lazy Daisy
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 08:06 AMThis is England- check the weather forecast and dress appropriately.
giger
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 08:02 AMMy wife started using the bus for work this week only to be greeted by signs saying that the bus stop she needed was closed and to go to Acland Street. Pinned up was a badly drawn blurry map with no landmarks and difficult to read directions. I wonder how many people have heard of Acland Street?! Why not also say in the coach park BEHIND THE BREWERY TAP which is a landmark thjat everyone knows. Idiots. All the indications are that the local council had no involevment in setting up directions and maps, and that it was left up to contractors who have no knowledge of the local area. She also got soaked - good work PCC
Hound of the Watervilles
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 07:44 PMPeterborough City Council - offering 21st Century solutions to your public transport needs.
henry
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 04:05 PMHow dare you criticise the PCC - I have said it before you and me are just tax payers - they couldn't care less.
Dalek Sec
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 01:02 PMThe problem is, that those not forced to take the bus won't while this is going on - and once you've lost passengers it's difficult to win them back. the message from the council doesn't help - "tough, you have to put up with it". Shows how much they care, doesn't it? If the work goes over the timescale due to the weather people up and down the city will say "I told you so, it's stupid doing this in the winter."!
Rob-B
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 12:51 PMThe Inbetweeners have got it right...
aressee
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 11:44 AMWhen thinking of planning by Peterborough City Council p..s up and brewery come to mind.
Page 1 of 1
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