Calls for Wharf bus station rethink

Newbury Town Council say the plans will cause “significant damage” to the town

WEST Berkshire Council has dismissed a request to reconsider plans to relocate Newbury’s bus station to The Wharf, despite town councillors claiming the move would cause “significant damage” to the town.

Last week, Newbury Town Council voted through a motion, which asked that West Berkshire “fundamentally reconsider and re-submit” the application, which was granted approval in February.

The plans will see the bus station moved from its current location in Market Street to The Wharf ahead of the planned multi-million pound Market Street regeneration scheme.

The move will mean buses and coaches will use the same station, with just three spaces designated for coach parking.

The town council, which had already objected to the plans, has again raised concerns over the effect on market traders who currently use the site for parking, as well as a reduction in the number of waiting areas for coaches.

The motion, submitted by chairman of the planning and highways committee Anthony Pick, states: “We consider that the harm potentially caused to Newbury by this application to be so great that we request that it should be fundamentally reconsidered and re-submitted, and that West Berkshire Council should work with the town council to find satisfactory solutions for both of these problems.”

Mr Pick also accuses West Berkshire Council of being “ignorant or indifferent to” the potential damaging effects to the town.

Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News, he added: “It’s disappointing that this was not sent to committee and that the concerns of the town council don’t seem to have been taken into account.

“Currently there isn’t an answer to where the market traders will be able to park.

“At the weekend we have between five and eight coaches stopping each day so that’s roughly 400 people coming to this town to shop and use the facilities and getting to know Newbury.

“What this motion proposes is that West Berkshire Council should work with the town council to look at all possible solutions.”

Managing director of Newbury BID Russell Downing said he believed the provision to have only three coaches parked at the interchange at any one time would have an adverse effect on the number of visitors to the town.

He added: “It’s important to find an alternative, however it happens.

“With high streets across the country, fighting for footfall it’s vitally important that we do whatever we can to attract visitors, rather than deter them.”

However, West Berkshire Council has said this week that the plans will not be reconsidered as the level of objections received did not warrant such action.

A statement from West Berkshire Council read: “We have exciting plans for the Market Street regeneration and the new gateway it will create into the town centre.

“As with any plan of this size, we have engaged with a wide range of partners from a very early stage including, Newbury Town Council.

“Through these discussions and the subsequent planning application, we have not received the level of objections that would justify taking the application to committee.

“The decision was made earlier this year, followed the appropriate planning process and still stands.

“As we move to the next phase of the project we remain committed to working with Newbury Town Council and our other partners to deliver this project for the town.”

Last month, fears were raised for the town’s economy when it emerged fewer coaches were choosing to stop in Newbury following the closure of The Wharf public toilets.

It was estimated around 1,000 coach passengers per week use Newbury as a stop-off point to make use of the public conveniences, and then to eat or shop.

The toilets have since reopened on a temporary basis to see if a pay-per-use system is viable.