Cutting queues

A PROPOSAL to move parked buses from the town centre to Bingham Industrial Estate has been put forward.

Bingham Town Council has made the suggestion after receiving complaints from residents about buses parking on residential streets and in the Market Place.

Mr John Eagles said there was space available on the industrial estate that he did not think drivers were aware of.

He said buses were parking on streets such as Willow Road, which caused problems for residents.

Mr Richard Gillett, of Willow Road, said the street was not designed for buses and welcomed the idea of using the industrial estate.

He said: “It is dangerous. There is an accident waiting to happen.”

A councillor, Mr Rex Barnett, said at ten past the hour every hour there were three buses parked at the collection point outside the Co-op on Market Place.

He said: “If the first bus does not park correctly then the third bus is left in the middle of the road and this causes big traffic problems.”

He said there were problems with buses parking on the east side of Bingham, on Grantham Road and the Trees Estate, particularly when pupils were entering or leaving Carnarvon Primary School.

“There are no zebra crossings in that area and it can be quite dangerous,” he said.

He felt it was a good idea for the buses to park at the former glass recycling banks site on the industrial estate while they waited.

Mr Tim Chamberlin, the chairman of the action group, Community Concern, said there had been occasions when three buses were waiting for extended periods on Newgate Street.

“If there are that number of buses parked, it causes traffic problems and makes taking the corner into Market Place particularly dangerous,” he said.

He questioned how those working on the industrial estate would feel about the idea.

A member of Community Concern, Mr Dennis Briggs, said: “We need to do everything we can to unblock traffic in the town so this is a sensible idea.”

The brand manager for Premier Buses, Mr Jamie Swift, said his vehicles never had to wait more than five minutes, and when the did they used the bus stop on Grantham Road.

Mr Swift said the company had recently doubled the X1 service to meet demand.

He said there would not be enough time for his drivers to make it to the industrial estate and park up.

The council has written to Premier Buses about the space on the industrial estate.