Agenda item - New Bus Shelter requests - Priority list for approval

Report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture

1)           That the Committee approve the five bus shelter locations listed in Appendix B be implemented as soon as possible.

13.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture that set out five priority bus shelter sites for approval following the application of a robust methodology of over 100 potential sites.

13.2      Councillor West noted that a shelter had been ruled out at Stanmer Park due to its proximity to listed buildings and asked if any other options had been considered for a shelter more appropriate to the location.

13.3      The Senior Project Manager clarified that other options had been considered and what would be appropriate for the location would be a purpose made wooden shelter. The Senior Project Manager added that the priority list had a set timescale and it was not deemed likely that the location at Stanmer Park could be delivered within that timescale due to the possible need to obtain planning approval

13.4      The Chair stated that a suitable shelter could be considered as part of the wider Stanmer Park project.

13.5      Councillor Wares observed that there may be an anomaly in the initial criteria in that it was scored on number of requests received. Hypothetically, a shelter could be built in a location that had a low number of users but high number of requests and conversely, a shelter may not be built in a location with a high number of users due to a lack of requests. Councillor Wares added that he hoped a demonstration of how the scoring had been reached in future versions of the report as that would help Members explain the outcome to their residents.

13.6      The Chair confirmed that the scoring could be included in future reports on the matter received by the committee.

13.7      Councillor Atkinson welcomed the inclusion of New England Rise on the priority list as the area had a high number of elderly residents. Councillor Atkinson acknowledged the previous campaign work on the matter made by former Councillor Bob Carden.

13.8      RESOLVED- That the Committee approve the five bus shelter locations listed in Appendix B be implemented as soon as possible.