Plans for multistorey car park at Hereford bus station

THE good news is that Herefordshire Council will receive a grant of £3.257m to help extend current local bus routes.

This is on top of the government grant received by the council in 2023 of £2m for Bus Service Improvement Plan, which is yet to be spent.

Councillor Philip Price has said that “local bus services are vital for people in the area who do not drive, particularly the elderly and young people”.

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Bus services are also vital for people who wish to travel by public transport, which is the most sustainable form of transport for the environment, to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.

For reasons beyond my understanding and contrary to current planning laws, estates of hundred of houses have been built around Ledbury with no bus stops and no bus routes.

All the traffic has ended up in Ledbury High Street, causing gridlock and increasing air pollution. The same problem exists in Hereford as commuters and travellers from the county towns are unable to use public transport to reach the city.

In order to improve bus routes, buses from and between county towns and the city and between the county towns themselves, need to be increased to at least hourly, if not half hourly. This would double the number of buses so Herefordshire Council’s plans to route all buses via the new proposed transport hub at Hereford railway station would result in more traffic problems.

What are your thoughts?

You can send a letter to the editor to have your say by clicking here.

Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence.

The country bus station, near the county hospital, refurbished this year at a cost of £250,000, is a vital resource for passengers and bus drivers alike.

I do hope that Herefordshire Council will reconsider their plan to close the country bus station and turn it into a multistorey car park, which would increase traffic gridlock and air pollution.

JANETTE WARD

Tarrington, Rail and Bus for Herefordshire