Buses not stopping at 1950s shelter after protest

Bus passengers still face disruption, despite protesters leaving a 1950s shelter they were occupying to save from demolition.

After a sit-in at an Art Deco eco-style bus shelter on Station Approach in Sheringham, Norfolk, town councillors voted to stop it being knocked down.

A scheme to replace the brick structure – described by the county council as unsafe – with a new transport hub is now on hold.

Meanwhile, a town council spokesperson confirmed the shelter, in an area called Ottendorf Green, was "not currently operating as a bus stop".

They added: "Norfolk County Council and [bus operator] Sanders have confirmed that the Wells and Holt-bound buses will continue to stop at the bus stop opposite Tesco while the overall situation is reviewed.

"Therefore, Ottendorf Green is not currently operating as a bus stop."

The statement said that, now the bus shelter was being kept, improvements including widening the pavement were "no longer achievable".

Norfolk County Council, which said the 1950s shelter did not meet "modern accessibility standards", had drawn up the transport hub scheme.

A spokesperson said the authority was "disappointed" by the decision to save it.

They added: "We will respect that decision and will now stop all work and withdraw from the site as soon as possible."

Katie Hart, one of the campaigners, said she wanted to discuss the transport hub plan with the county council.

"It is a victory we have saved this Art Deco shelter from demolition.

"However, it is a little disappointing now they are saying the bus stop on Station Approach is no longer safe to serve buses there," she said.

She said one solution might be to incorporate the bus shelter into the transport hub plan.

Ms Hart hoped that, if it could not be used as stop, it could become a community hub or meeting point.

She said: "I just think it's important for people to understand how much that shelter means to the community."

Some are disappointed the transport hub is on hold.

A resident who did not want to give their name said: "Significant investment like this is rare and I was looking forward to a scheme that would considerably enhance one of the busiest areas of town."

They said the town council had surrendered to "intense local pressure and media scrutiny".

"Local issues such as the travel hub and bus shelter shouldn't be decided by online petitions or social media, especially if they are fuelled by misinformation and misrepresentation of the wider scheme," they added.

"It isn't fair that the actions of a loud minority should eclipse the views of a quiet majority, most of whom are too afraid to speak out."

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