Petition bid to save city bus shelter
RESIDENTS are campaigning to save a city bus shelter following calls for it to be removed due to anti-social behaviour.
Dozens of residents in Barley Mount, Redhills, have signed a petition to save the shelter, which they has been sent to Devon County Council.
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APPEAL: Barley Mount residents are campaigning to save a bus stop from being scrapped. From left, Linda Radford, Rodney Browning, Margaret Gresham, John Gresham, Vera Parkhouse, Joyce Ley, Beryl Warren and Ian Warren
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SPLIT OPINION: The story in Monday's Echo about residents calling for the shelter to be moved
As reported in the Echo, some residents claim that the shelter has been a magnet for instances of anti-social behaviour for years and complain about the noise from footballs being kicked against it by local youngsters.
The county council has recently consulted residents as to whether they think the shelter should stay or go.
But resident Vera Parkhouse, who has lived in Barley Mount for 51 years, said many residents did not have their own cars and the bus shelter was “absolutely essential” in bad weather.
“We are doing all we can to oppose its removal,” she said. “Our argument is that it’s an anti-social behaviour problem, and that’s what they should be sorting out, not taking away the bus shelter.
“That’s giving into the yobs who are guilty of the anti-social behaviour.
“I am 87 and there are a few of us in the road who are over 70. There are three who are disabled.
“The bus shelter is something we desperately need, especially if it’s raining. Even in cold weather, it’s a bit of a shelter for us. It has been there for 40 years.”
She said she was horrified at the very thought of it being removed.
“She said: “When I heard about it, I couldn’t believe they were considering doing that. I can’t imagine what it would be like without it.
“It would be absolutely terrible and we are doing everything in our power to make sure they don’t remove it.
“The police are in favour of removing it as well. I just can’t understand them giving in to anti-social behaviour.”
Joan Gresham, who has lived in the road for more than 40 years, said: “My husband’s 80 and I’m well into my 70s and we catch the bus very often, so we’re against the bus shelter being removed.
“It’s a problem with the children and it should be solved with the children. If they took the shelter away, the children would still play football around there.
“They would still kick the ball across the road to each other and it would go in the gardens. I think it’s to do with the parents controlling their kids.”
14 Comments
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by Dave, Exeter
Thursday, March 18 2010, 9:02PM
“What a bunch of busy bodies with nothing better to do. These people don't even live near the bus stop. This bus shelter is an open one anyway so doesn't exactly protect the one elderly person who uses it a week from the weather. That's if they actually wait more that 2 mins for a bus on this route. By the way, the shelter is only being moved into Higher Barley Mount so nothing stopping you from walking a few more metres or is that asking to much.”
by Chris, Exeter
Thursday, March 18 2010, 5:52PM
“Good for this group trying to keep a facility, once taken away they wont get it back. there are other areas wanting shelters. Perhaps the Police and Councillor should get their act together and try to improve the area, not just take the easy option. I dont know if these people use the bus stop but like wise I havn't seen the kids 'playing' here when I pass. Just seems a no brainer to hit the vunerable because of a the police cant be bothered to do their job properly.”
by Caz, Barley mount exeter
Thursday, March 18 2010, 5:21PM
“I live in one of the houses behind barley mount and therefore don't only have to put up with the noise and balls going in the garden but also the balls hitting my car. I'm all for it being removed and I'm sure the people in the picture would soon change their tune if the shelter was outside their house!”
by Stuart, exeter
Thursday, March 18 2010, 4:54PM
“redhiils, barley mount
So are you saying you're a curtain twitcher keeping an eye on the bus stop 24/7? And you know for a fact that none of the people pictured have never caught the bus from that stop?”
by Roy, Redhills Close
Thursday, March 18 2010, 4:35PM
“Never seen any Children hanging around that bus stop
and i pass the stop ever day.”