Man behind Angel Link bus hub responds to company’s claims

The man behind a £30,000 plan to turn part of a car park into a bus hub has responded to claims that the region’s main service provider will not use it.

Philip Eden, operations manager at Anglian Buses, told the East Suffolk Travellers’ Association (ESTA) on Saturday that operating from the site in Halesworth’s Angel Link car park would cost them an extra bus in lost layover time.

But Waveney District and Suffolk county councillor Tony Goldson has responded, saying Anglian Buses were “very much in agreement” with the plan. He said: “Andrew Pursey, the previous operations manager, was very supportive of the scheme as it provided a facility for his drivers to stop, obtain a drink if they wanted one and use the toilet without blocking Saxons Way.

“Until recently, bus drivers used Bramfield Road as a stop to urinate against the hedge as there was nowhere else for them. We (Suffolk County Council) had to repair the verge and block it off, as we received so many complaints. It would seem from his comments to suggest his crews will not use the facilities – where does he intend to pick up and drop off passengers since part of the new scheme is to do away with the bus stops on Saxons Way?

“The Saxons Way bus stop near the Thoroughfare car park is approximately 50 metres from a Pelican crossing with a roundabout five metres on.

“The buses waiting on either side of the road are causing congestion and have contributed to many accidents.

“Residents of outlying villages wishing to shop in the town or connect with another service to travel further afield will be dropped off and picked up in a safe, central location, increasing footfall in the town.

“This scheme also creates an opportunity to increase tourism and the trade it brings to the town as coaches will for the first time have a place to park.

“The people of Halesworth have waited a long time for such an improvement and are supportive of the scheme, recognising that it can bring positive change.”