Strontian man hits out over bus shelter delays
A STRONTIAN man has hit back at the company tasked with rebuilding the bus shelter at Fort William Medical Centre after an update was issued last week explaining that there will be more delays, writes Neill Bo Finlayson.
A temporary bus shelter was erected at the site in February after the original shelter was knocked down by a bus last July.
The Lochaber Times contacted Bidwells property consultants, acting on behalf of the owner of the land on which the shelter sits, to get an update and they explained that there had been further delays to the works.
Bidwells’ response has left Tony Dobson, a regular bus user from Strontian, frustrated.
Hitting back at the company’s response to passengers’ complaints, Mr Dobson said: ‘Having read the item in last week’s Lochaber Times I am absolutely appalled at the incompetence of Bidwells and the anonymous company they claim to represent.’
‘The temporary timber shed erected as a shelter is a disgrace and provides no seating to replace the seat fenced off.
‘After over a year they have not had the decency or the respect for the locals to tidy up the site and make it safe for bus users. This disgraceful state would not be allowed on a public highway.’
Mr Dobson then went on to argue that the need for a bespoke bus shelter, which Bidwells are hoping to erect, is ‘utter nonsense’ and that the Highland Council had replaced all of its standard bus shelters in recent months with ease.
He continued: ‘The Highland Council have over the past few months replaced all of their bus shelters and I am sure that one could have been made available if requested.
‘It strikes me as odd that the NHS allows such a dangerous and unsightly mess outside the only medical centre in Fort William and I cannot understand why they have not come to the public’s aid.’