YORK Bus Forum has hit out as members believe that improvements to the worst bus stop in the city have made it even worse as "it blocks disabled access and has no lighting".

Back in June 2021, the forum identified the Number 10 service from Poppleton to Stamford Bridge stop in Piccadilly as the worst one in the city. Forum members said that the last two years have been spent lobbying the council officers, elected representatives, bus company management to do something for the users of this service.

To improve the situation, there was the promise of a new shelter. This has now arrived but the forum said it "significantly blocks the pavement impeding disabled access, seats only four people, has no lighting and no passenger information board".

The forum said this is a "very poor" example of the ability of City of York Council to invest the £17.3 million from the Bus Services Improvement Plan to encourage the people of the city and the visiting population to use the bus network.

Doreen Magill, chair of the York Bus Forum, said: “It is very disappointing when so many people in the city have raised this matter to see such an inadequate response, it is vital that matters such as this are raised and discussed with bus users."

Forum members said the logical improvement was to move the stop from its temporary location, whilst the decision on one-way Coppergate traffic was being made, to the less used stop at the end of Merchantgate.

"This could have been achieved at very little cost and very rapidly. Instead, we are now faced with the demolition of the old Banana Warehouse site, the location of the temporary stop which will involve months if not years of construction traffic and dust," a spokesperson added.

York Press: The temporary bus stop in Piccadilly in 2021The temporary bus stop in Piccadilly in 2021 (Image: Newsquest)

 

A spokesperson for City of York Council, said: "The Piccadilly shelter cost £3,295 plus VAT, less than 0.02 per cent of the BSIP grant awarded to City of York Council.

"The Bus Forum were advised the current shelter will be temporary, pending installation of a permanent, fully networked shelter in due course."

York Bus Forum continues to push for the necessary improvements to public transport in the city, to increase use and improve reliability. One of the key goals of the forum is to improve the provision of good facilities at the city's bus stops in line with the Bus Stop Charter.

"It is not unreasonable for passengers in the city to expect shelter, seating, lighting and accurate timetable information whilst waiting for their next bus," the spokesperson added.

The group was formed eight years ago and provides a means by which bus users can meet and discuss issues with representatives of the bus operators, City of York Councillors and the Council Transport Team.

It has over 50 members and several affiliated parish councils, usually meets monthly and is now a recognised stakeholder in the city’s enhanced partnership for buses.