Reader letter: Peterborough bus station move has caused chaos

Mr Broadhead said: “We have been talking to bus users and have been encouraged by the positive feedback.”

I very much doubt if anyone bothered to go over to the Acland Street bus station and ask the passengers there.

This move has made life very difficult for passengers who now have to cross three roads to get to Queensgate Bus Station or vice versa for their connections, no doubt resulting in missed appointments or being late for work, not to mention the elderly struggling an extra 150 metres, supposedly taking four minutes for those who are young, fit, and healthy... with good weather permitting.

When they do get there yes, there is a bus shelter said to be weatherproof. As its front is open and west facing, which is the direction we get most of the wind and rain, it’s not very practical nor is it really big enough for the amount of passengers using it.

So much for being a shelter!

One has to ask where are the official timetables, having to trail (not everyone can manage it) down to the Town Hall and be told they haven’t been printed yet, says it all about Peterborough: “We get what we are given, not what we want”.

One wonders at the wisdom of putting the Number 4 bus (known locally as the ‘hospital bus’ as that’s where it terminates) on Acland Street. Although the Number 4 is the most direct bus to the hospital I can’t see anybody crossing to Acland Street when the numbers 2 and 3 still based at Queensgate will eventually get them there.

Is this so-called temporary move for the passengers using the number 4 a way of making the numbers decrease? Thus giving Stagecoach and the council an excuse to decide it is no longer a viable service? What happens to the West Town and Netherton bus services then?

It is said this is a temporary measure, supposedly for 18 months, but, as with most building work, it could run over.

For this temporary period there are no toilet facilities for the drivers or passengers and the National Express coaches will be using this site as well thus causing a great deal of inconvenience for all.

As there are no electronic information boards at Acland Street, will it be a case of keeping our fingers crossed after the first month when the temporary marshals are withdrawn as to the bus times and what bay will be used?

As for getting more restaurants in the cinema complex what will happen to the numerous ones we already have? We have empty shops in Peterborough so why are we getting more retail stores as well? It all sounded wonderful on paper before the present situation came about in the retail industry.

One can only wonder what the future is for this project.

Mrs J Baker

Kirby Walk

Peterborough