BUS STATION

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The city council installed 28 bus shelters in Full Street, Corporation Street and Morledge as a temporary replacement for the bus station that closed in October 2005. Passengers have complained about a lack of seats and protection from the wind and rain, prompting the council to promise that 10 more shelters will be installed at cost of £108,000. Councillor Chris Wynn, cabinet member for planning and transportation, said, "When the temporary bus station was planned, it wasn't expected to be in operation for such a long period. I've been listening to the quite legitimate concerns of people and can only apologise for the inconvenience so far. These new shelters will improve things for people waiting for buses and we can all look forward to Riverlights delivering and improving things to give this city an excellent bus station." The shelters will be added to existing shelters rather than forming new stops. (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Dec/06)

The bus station has finally been demolished, but work on the new development will not begin for another year. David Osborne, of Derby Riverlights Ltd, has revealed that surrounding roadworks are top priorities, now the demolition is over. He is negotiating with the city council over the precise details of the layout alterations around the Cockpit Island, which are necessary for the development. Until these works are well under way, it will not be possible to start work on the new bus station because a stretch of the Cockpit Island road will be part of the new development.

The changes will mean the road ceases to be a roundabout. Instead there will be two-way traffic on separate carriageways to the east of the Cockpit. Project manager John Ramsay said, "It's very complicated, but we basically need to iron out the details of how the road changes will take shape. I think the middle of next year is a realistic target for us to begin work on site." Mr Osborne said, "We're very pleased with how things have gone so far. The demolition process went to plan, so now we've turned our attention to the next stage. It's full steam ahead." Well, not for 12 months it isn't. (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Jul/06)

I had previously supported the demolition of the 1930s bus station because I believe we need a bigger and better bus station. We are constantly being told we must make more use of public transport to help cut the number of cars on the road and reduce global warming. The Government claims its policy is to get more people out of cars and onto buses and trains. Derby city councillors are telling us that the recent increases in car park charges are not to be seen as yet another tax on the motorist, but are designed to reduce the number of car-users visiting the city centre.

As the Eagle Centre is to increase its car parking spaces to accommodate more than 3,000 cars, at the same time that the new bus station will be built to only cater for 28 buses at a time, it is obvious the authority is out to rake in as much as possible from motorists while reducing access to public transport. The 1930s bus station used to handle an average 1,000 buses per week (1970 Derby Corporation figures) covering dozens of destinations. The current artist's impression of Riverlights does not even show a bus station.

All that the citizens of Derby will get is the consolation prize of a 28-bay bus shelter as part of a massive conurbation that will ruin the riverfront, help to increase traffic pollution, and if the artist's impressions are anything to go by, break the Government's new lighting pollution. We were promised a new, modern, bus station that caters for 21st century needs and promotes public transport. The new developer should forget the bars, leisure facilities, glass towers and expensive apartment blocks and take this opportunity to consider the Bus Station Action Group's proposals. Christopher N Harris

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