"Flawed" plans for new bus interchange are approved

Newbury Town Council blasts district council for "rushing through" proposal

Newbury Town Council has accused the district council of rushing through “flawed” plans for a new bus interchange at The Wharf, after the redevelopment was given the go ahead.

West Berkshire Council recently approved the creation of a new bus interchange at Newbury Coach Park to facilitate a planned future regeneration of Market Street in lieu of the existing interchange.

At a recent town council planning meeting, councillors objected to the new bus interchange at The Wharf criticising its design and raising concerns over a potentially harmful impact on Newbury’s market.

Newbury historian David Peacock also raised concerns over added congestion and access issues.

Speaking of the decision to approve the site, Julian Swift-Hook (Lib Dem, Pyle Hill) said this week that it was both rushed and premature.

He said: “There is a long list of things still to be sorted out, so it seems premature to have approved the application.

“West Berkshire Council Highways are still concerned about the space available for buses to manoeuvre, even though the layout apparently meets the minimum standard, and the design of the shelters has yet to be agreed.

“With all of these things outstanding, I don’t understand why it was necessary to rush to a decision to approve the application.

“The planning report dismisses the town council’s concerns regarding the market traders’ parking as a non-existent obligation on the district.

“While this may be legally correct, it’s quite shocking that the district council is apparently happy to disregard this threat to the viability of Newbury’s centuries old market.”

Fellow Newbury town councillor Adrian Edwards (Con, Falkland) said that he too was “disappointed” with how the decision had been made.

He said: “Despite our objections which I supported – including my own about the awful design of the waiting area, the decision was made by delegated powers.

“Apart from an architect being employed to design a better waiting area, it went through.”

He downplayed the potential impact on the nearby market, however, and sounded a note of cautious optimism instead.

He said: “I do not think it will have much of an impact on the nearby market, indeed, it may be better for those coming to Newbury by bus to go to the market as it is closer than from the current bus station.”

Now the redevelopment has secured approval the site to the south of the library and west of the A339 will accommodate six bus stops on the western edge of the site with customer seating, shelters and a small single-storey building for drivers’ facilities.

To the east will be a concrete upstand for coaches visiting the town, with four additional bus stands adjacent to the A339 retaining wall, together with two pedestrian crossing at both access points to the west.