PLEASE GIVE US A NEW BUS STOP! But transport chiefs reject campaign to help elderly

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), Feb 21, 2008

Byline: By SAM CASEY

CALLS for a new bus stop on a housing estate have been turned down.

A group of passengers wanted the extra stop put at the junction of Alandale Road and Staynton Crescent, Bradley, between two current stops used by the 328 service into Huddersfield.

Carol Carrig, 62, of Wilton Avenue, said there had been problems since one of the stops had been moved to the bottom of the hill.

She said: "There are a lot of elderly people who use the bus to go into town to do their shopping.

"All the elderly people's flats are in the middle of the hill and it's a long way to walk if you are carrying bags and you're in your 70s or 80s."

But a spokesman for public transport coordinator Metro said the request was not feasible.

He added: "An officer from Metro, together with representatives from the police, Kirklees Council's highways department and bus operator First visited Alandale Road recently to see if an additional stop could be introduced.

"Unfortunately, on-street parking on that road means there is no safe location at which to add a stop."

Ashbrow ward councillor Ken Smith, who met Metro officials, said he sympathised with both sides.

He said: "There are some elderly and disabled people's maisonettes on both sides of the road. One of the stops serves one side very well, but not the other.

"But there are problems putting the stop where they were asking for it, largely because some of the houses don't have off-street parking.

"We have got everyone together to try to find an answer, but we just can't see an easy solution."

CAPTION(S):

REQUEST STOP: Residents calling for a new bus stop by the junction of Alandale Road and Staynton Crescent with campaign leader Carol Carrig (front left) (PC190208Bbusstop-1)