Council to spend thousands on bus shelters – even though services no longer run

Bus services calling at Manor Rise, St Vincent’s Road and Whitemill Lane were withdrawn several months ago, Stone Town Council heard on Tuesday.

But the council has agreed to continue maintaining the bus shelters in these Walton streets – and also considered taking on the maintenance of another shelter in the town centre.

Stone Town Council’s latest budget has earmarked £4,600 for maintaining bus shelters and street furniture during 2019/20. with a further £3,900 proposed for 2010/21 and £4,000 for 2021/22.

Council clerk Les Trigg said the maintenance involved repainting the shelters every two years and cleaning them three or four times a year – but one of the biggest expenses was replacing them following any vandalism.

He added that there had been complaints about drugs and people gathering at the shelters. And bus services could return in the future.

But Councillor Mark Hatton said: “Can we imagine a time when we are going to have any investment in local buses? I can’t imagine the county council funding any investment in buses in the next few years.

“As a result I’m going to propose we get rid of them or could put them in storage.”

He later changed his proposal to delay any decision to remove the shelters however, and councillors agreed to refer the issue to its estates committee to be considered at a later date.

'Prettying it up'

Councillor Jill Hood said: “By coincidence I have had an email from a lady who has asked if we as a council would have any objection to her tidying up a bus shelter – she calls it ‘prettying up’. I think it would be a shame to get rid of a good opportunity.

“You have had the email saying young people are congregating there – goodness me, young people acting like young people. Why shouldn’t they congregate? If it is pouring with rain why shouldn’t they stop and have a bit of fun?

“Everyone immediately assumes drug dealing is going on in bus shelters – it beggars belief. I don’t agree with taking them down when a person is taking pride in a bus shelter.”

Councillor Jonathan Powell said: “I don’t see any problem with them staying up and I would echo Councillor Hood’s comment on young people. Three of them are within 150 yards of me but I’m yet to see young people hanging around being poorly behaved.

At least one has a bin attached and if a bus service is ever to be replaced the cost of putting some bus shelters in would be more expensive than maintaining them for a couple of years.”

Councillor Jim Davies added: “If people see us getting rid of bus shelters it doesn’t give a good message to the town that we want to get shot of them.”

The condition of the bus stop at Granville Square, outside the town’s J D Wetherspoon branch – was highlighted as an issue by residents who attended the council’s annual public meeting in April.

The town council maintain at least eight bus stops – but the Granville Square shelter was the responsibility of Staffordshire County Council and was on their programme for refurbishment.

Councillor Hood said: “I think all of us look at Wetherspoons and see how beautifully they maintain that building. To have that monstrosity standing outside the building must be really awful for them.

“It’s the most popular bus shelter in our town – more people use that bus shelter than any other. When visitors come to the town the square is stunning – then they see the manky old bus shelter.”

Councillor Hatton said: “If we took on some of these (other bus shelters) there may be some finance for us to maintain it. I wonder if we should request information.”