REQUESTS have been made to return a Salisbury City Centre bus stop back to its original position due to a lack of available seating in the waiting area for elderly passengers.
Users of the P&R7 service from the city centre to Bishopdown saw their stop outside Lloyd’s Bank on Blue Boar Row, which has ample seating and shelter, diverted to outside the Tesco Express store on Castle Street throughout the Fisherton Street improvement works.
This Castle Street stop has been described by users as lacking seating, with only a perch bar available which does not offer the same relief as a bench for elderly or frail passengers.
Concerns were also raised that the Castle Street stop creates pavement congestion at the supermarket entrance, which has caused particular difficulty for people with mobility aids.
Now, Salisbury Reds plans to move the bus stop to a new location on Endless Street – expected to take place later this month – but this does not provide seating, merely a perch bar that does not offer the same relief.
Many passengers raised these concerns with Lesley Waller from Laverstock & Ford Parish Council.
“While I appreciate that Salisbury Reds are moving us from the crowded pavement outside Tesco, this won’t solve the problem,” she said.
PICTURES: HM Queen Camilla comes to Wiltshire – and enjoys Salisbury sorbet
READ MORE: “Really bad decision”: Wiltshire Council slammed for selling off council homes near Salisbury
“We need to return to our original bus stop L on Boar Road, which has shelter and seating for elderly passengers. The P&R7 is important for tourists, so they deserve the best stop — Endless Street isn’t ideal.”
The Blue Boar bus stop – with additional seating Picture: Lesley Waller
She added that Endless Street “is not the place that showcases our wonderful medieval city of Salisbury, it isn’t the most salubrious area of Salisbury and nor is it as prominent and easy to find for visitors to the city.”
One bus user presented their concerns to cllr Waller, and told her that as they have a cardiac condition they require to sit down when waiting for a bus.
Another user, Alan Coombes who frequently uses the service from the city centre to Bishopdown, has a back problem and struggles with the perch bar.
He said: “Perching is better than nothing, but it is not good enough.”
Despite these concerns, Salisbury Reds said it is not possible to move the stop back to Blue Boar, as there “is no extra capacity” due to high-frequency routes leaving from there.
Salisbury Reds general manager Andrew Sherrington said: “We work hard to accommodate the needs of our customers – whilst taking into account the logistical requirements of our services – when locating bus stops.
The Endless Street bus stop Picture: Lesley Waller
“We took the decision to move the original bus stop, following customer feedback that there was a lack of seating at the Tesco stop.
“After working closely with Wiltshire Council, we found that there was capacity for services on Endless Street – which has the seating.
“Moving to Endless Street also met the objective of harmonised services going in that direction, departing from the same area of the city.
“Unfortunately, there is no extra capacity on Blue Boar due to high-frequency routes leaving from there – and the increasing need for a set down stand.”
Cllr Waller disputes the fact Salisbury Reds claims there is seating.
She said: “Reds claim there is seating in Endless Street, but this image [shown below] shows only a narrow bar, which may not comply with the Equality Act or aid passengers with health or mobility issues.”
We have a lot of elderly people living at Bishopdown Farm including me the best bus stop is Blue boar rd I couldn’t understand why it was moved outside Tesco
Sadly Salisbury is lagging way behind many similar towns/cities some much smaller like Andover for instance with a quality bus station with ample seating and facilities for the travelling public it was short-sightedness to remove the bus station regardless of how antiquated it was and not replace it with a modem purpose built station that a tourist city like Salisbury deserves
I use Park&Ride most days my husband and l are both in our Eighties and find waiting at Tesco very intimidating as we are in the way.also when people come from other towns and cities must feel the same not the cleanest of area to wait.l see moving to Endless Street will ease the problem slightly the original bus stop had seating cover and space.
Proves we reallyneed toreturn to having a propper bus station.
I totally agree with everything Councillor Weller says. I tried to ‘sit’ on the bar that Reds say is for seating. Totally useless when you have mobility problems. Please move to the original stop.