'Scrap danger bus route' plead Cirencester residents (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

'Scrap danger bus route' plead Cirencester residents

8:59am Tuesday 19th February 2013 in News By Laura Shack

HUNDREDS of angry Cirencester residents are calling on Gloucestershire County Council to scrap plans for a "dangerous" new bus route.

Nearly 500 people have signed a petition against the scheme, which would see buses accessing the new Kingshill South Estate via a new ‘bus gate’ off North Home Road in the Beeches.

Worried residents believe the bus gate access on to North Home Road, which is on a "sharp bend" and next to another sub road, is too dangerous.

As part of the new route, buses would also travel along Queen Elizabeth Road, which residents have complained is too narrow for buses and cars to pass simultaneously.

North Home Road resident Mike Jupp said: "It will be a nightmare. Cars will have to go up onto the pavement to go past the bus. The whole estate is against this."

Residents are also fearful that children will be put in danger by proposals to make the ‘bus gate’ a shared space with pedestrians and cyclists.

They want GCC to change the plans so that the new bus service enters and exits the Kingshill estate at the Tesco roundabout on the A419.

At last week’s Cirencester Town Council planning meeting, councillors listened to residents’ pleas and agreed to visit the site before submitting a comment to GCC.

Cllr Roly Hughes said the added bus service could benefit the local area, but added: "This is a very dangerous corner, not only for traffic but for the children that walk down there."

CTC did not raise any objections to the original plans, which were agreed in 2009, and have until February 18 if members decide they do now wish to raise concerns.

Chas Fellows, GCC's cabinet member for economy and environment, said: “Many of these issues have been examined already in some depth. We are looking at some proposed bus service changes that I hope will allay some of the fears expressed.”