Bus users are urging councillors to back their call for a new bus station in Crewe – claiming the current one is an ‘accident waiting to happen’, writes Stephen Topping.
Cheshire East Council says the station will be improved as part of wider regeneration plans for Crewe’s Royal Arcade, which it bought in 2015.
But Carol Jones, chairman of the Crewe and District Bus Users’ Group, wants Cheshire East members to support their cause for a replacement for the ‘unsafe’ station.
Speaking at a scrutiny committee meeting on Monday where CEC’s draft transport plan was discussed, Carol said: “Whilst we welcome the local transport plan we are very concerned about the dilapidated state of our bus station.
“We’ve looked, we have taken photographs, and we feel that irrespective of the regeneration that unless some kind of action is taken, sooner rather than later it is going to be an accident waiting to happen.
“Therefore, we would like the scrutiny and overview committee to look at the regeneration of Crewe bus station because there is so much health and safety risk there that I would not like anybody to have an accident – none of us would.”
The council held a public consultation on its draft local transport plan from May to July.
It revealed that one of the biggest concerns residents had about transport across the borough was the reliability of buses – and the number of services which have been cut.
Cllr Nick Mannion, Labour member for Macclesfield West and Ivy, agreed the experience of bus passengers could be improved – and suggested that better stations could play a part in that.
He said: “These services often start and end in bus stations that are dirty, smelly, squalid, unstaffed, and hotspots of anti-social behaviour – especially in Macclesfield and Crewe.
“Congleton’s a lot better, Knutsford’s a lot better – even though its roof looks like it is about to fall off at any time – but we don’t make the alternative to the car attractive.
“I wouldn’t want my mum using her bus pass to get the 38 to come and visit me at Macclesfield bus station in the winter because it is not a pleasant place.”
In a statement issued following the meeting, Cllr Ainsley Arnold, cabinet member for housing, planning and regeneration, said: “While CEC has the freehold ownership of the Royal Arcade site, the bus station – including the former toilets and garages – is the responsibility of Arriva, as part of a lease arrangement.
“As previously stated, a new bus station is an important part of major plans to revitalise Crewe town centre and redevelop the Royal Arcade site.”
Plans for the £50 million Royal Arcade site also include a new cinema and car park.
A simple mop and bucket wouldn’t go amiss!! And why so many fag ends around when it’s a no smoking zone!!