Residents welcome new bus shelter
Undercover campaign pays off at last
Long- suffering Houston residents have hailed the opening of a new bus shelter in the village after a long campaign.
The shelter, which has been in the works for several years, was finally installed by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), to the delight of locals last week.
Councillor Jim Sheridan, who represents the Houston Crosslee, and Linwood ward at Renfrewshire Council, says the move will benefit elderly people and pupils of Gryffe High. He said : “Long-suffering residents of Houston and pupils at Gryffe High School are relieved to have a bus shelter installed on old Bridge of Weir road.
“There is a large concentration of elderly and disabled residents living in this area who do not have car and are dependent on public transfer.
“I has campaigned alongside them and the Linwood/Houston elderly forum to have this bus shelter installed. I have been lobbying SPTA for almost a year on this issue.
“Elderly residents and Gryffe pupils are exposed to the elements as this location is rural with no shelter nearby.
“Given that there is a limited bus service running through Houston any wait for a bus can be quite lengthy.”
A local resident, who had campaigned for the shelter was quick top praise the former MP for his efforst on the issue.
Pensioner Chrissy Kerr, 78, of Houston has campaigned long and hard for a new shelter.
She told the Paisley Daily Express: “We are so grateful that Jim managed to get the shelter put in. We have been asking SPT and Renfrewshire Council for years for a shelter and after Jim took the issue on, we got a shelter.
“There are lots of elderly people who live in the are who have to stand out in the elements waiting for a bus.
“It’s the school playing field in front so it is an exposed spot.
“We are all really pleased that we now have a this shelter which will make going out and about that bit easier.”
Councillor Sheridan is currently suspended by the Labour Party as it investigates claims he posted anti-Semitic messages online.
We are so grateful that Jim managed to get the shelter put in