Pensioner pleads for bus shelter on town centre route
Bus stop may be moved after safety review
A pensioner has made a desperate plea – for the return of her bus shelter.
Carole Revell, 73, walks from her home in Hillden Shaw to the stop on Loose Road, just below Kwik Fit, every morning to take the bus into town to meet friends.
She said: “I have to travel early because I have bad arthritis and I struggle to move later in the day.
“This stop is the first one below the Wheatsheaf and so gives the best choice of buses.”
In February 2016, when shelters across Maidstone were being upgraded, the shelter was removed,removed butbut never replaced. In fact there is not even a bus-stop pole, and the only indication there is a stop at all are the bus markings on the road surface.
Since then, Mrs Revell has had to stand while she waits for her bus.
In December, she began writing to Kent County Council and Maidstone Borough Council pointing outoutthethatnewtheshelternewshelhad neverterhadbeenneverinstalled.beeninstalled.
She said: “I grew fed up hav- ing to wait in the cold and rain. Worse, the traffic that comes down this road is dreadful and lorries go by really fast and dangerously close to the kerb.
“You can’t stand back too far or else the bus driver doesn’t see you and the bus goes by. I no longer feel safe without the shelter.
“A lot of people I have spoken to say the same and a young schoolgirl said she hated waiting there to get to school.”
John Edwards, Maidstone council’s street scene manager, promised a new shelter would be installed on June 27. When it still did not appear, Mrs Revell wrote again.
This time Mr Edwards said: “Unfortunately my previous letter was incorrect.
“After conversations with local councillors and Kent County Council this location has been deemed unsuitable for a bus stop and therefore we will not be installing a bus shelter. A road safety audit deemed the location to be unsuitable. Kent County Council is working with local councillors to find an alternative location.”
Mrs Revell said: “Now, not only do I not have a shelter, but I’m worried the stop is going to disappear altogether.”
Arriva said it was a matter for Maidstone councilcouncil. to decide.