Campaigners are celebrating after a council agreed to postpone its decision to move a bus stop in a Cornish town.
Padstow Town Council had been due to remove the bus stop at the Railway car park in the town’s Station Road on 18 November and replace it with a new one about half a mile away because of unspecified ‘safety concerns.’
More than 1,250 people signed a petition in support of keeping the bus stop in its current location rather than having a new stop at the top of a steep hill, which would pose challenges for older residents and people with mobility issues. South West region organiser for the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) Barry West jointly organised the petition and organised and ran the campaign.
At a meeting of the town council on Tuesday 29 October, the council said it had agreed to requests by Cornwall Council and operator Go Cornwall Bus, to extend the deadline for a decision to 5 April. Barry said: “A significant number of people attended, the room was full and standing and there was not enough room to accommodate everyone so people were stood in the corridor. Members of the public were invited to speak and did. There was overwhelming support for retaining the bus terminus in Padstow and calls for improvements to be made. In the future, my thoughts are that we should create a fully accessible inclusive transport hub fit for purpose that would enable people of all abilities to use and benefit from.”
The RMT and the people of Padstow were able to accumulate the 1,250 signatures in seven days before presenting the petition to the Town Council.
”There was lots of talk in correspondence about local buses for local people,” Barry said. ”I, like many others, am concerned about this as it could likely exclude the very much needed park and ride, leaving many people stranded or causing gridlock in the town at peak times with increased carbon emissions and and increased safety risks because of more vehicles.
”There is now an opportunity for all parties to consider the options and look to see what safety improvements could be made and achieved. I believe there is room to accommodate all modes of transport at this important location and for everyone to work safely and ensure that the future for local people and tourists alike can continue to enjoy this beautiful harbour-side town, beaches and surrounding areas.”
