Wick bus stop change 'just replacing one problem with a worse one'
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The change of location of the main bus stop in Wick has been branded "ridiculous".
Local bus campaigner Brenda Herrick said she couldn't believe what she saw when she looked at the new bus timetable and found the main bus stop in the town was shown as Bridge Street instead of St Fergus Road.
"Why on earth someone would want to change it, presumably not knowing the area, I have no idea but this is ridiculous," she wrote in an email to Wick councillor Nicola Sinclair.
Mrs Herrick continued: "As you know, Bridge Street is all double yellow lines and there is no room for a bus stop, let alone a bus shelter, both of which are currently opposite the Norseman. It's like a small bus station as there are frequently two or three buses stopped there. Can you imagine that in Bridge Street?"
In response to the concerns, a spokesperson for Stagecoach Highlands said: “We made a minor adjustment to the route our buses take in Wick from August 10, in order to be able to safely operate our services.
"The adjusted route avoids parked cars which have created challenging conditions for our team of drivers to navigate round in our buses. We will be closely monitoring the revision in the weeks ahead. Should any bus users have feedback to share on any of our routes or services they can get in touch with us at Highland.enquiries@stagecoachbus.com.”
Responding, Mrs Herrick said: "They obviously know nothing about Bridge Street. However, I have complained to local councillors a few times about the parked cars at the top of Whitechapel Road and said the double yellow lines should be all the way down from High Street to the junction with St Fergus Road.
"Cars, of course, should not park so near a junction anyway and it's not necessary with the car park so close. Buses have to turn down Whitechapel Road from High Street... it's a nightmare at the junction when there are cars parked right up to the top – there simply isn't room.
"I can't help wondering why Stagecoach didn't point out the problem a long time ago. If they were aware of it then maybe councillors would have done something."
Despite the problems with bus access to St Fergus Road, Mrs Herrick felt the two existing stops in Bridge Street would not be able to cope with the number of buses that go through Wick, often stopping at the same time and taking a while to allow passengers to get on and off with luggage.
"This is just replacing one problem with a worse one," she said. "It is annoying when the solution was so simple and obvious. Stop all parking in Whitechapel Road."
Alexander Glasgow of the local transport group Buses for Caithness voiced concern about the lack of shelter during cold and rainy conditions for passengers waiting in Bridge Street.
He also pointed out that some passengers had missed buses recently as they were unaware of the changes. One passenger missed their bus to Inverness on Thursday morning due to the alteration and had to get a taxi to Dunbeath.
Posters put up in the St Fergus Road shelter by Stagecoach, notifying people about the new stop, appear to have been defaced and no message has been left on the electronic display.
Mr Glasgow added: "We also are aware of prolonged reduction to the town service in Thurso as well as in landward areas. This is increasing social isolation for those reliant on these services."
He explained that many of the service users contacting the group came from a demographic less likely to use the internet to check for changes.
