Station: We're not there yet

By kgreen kirsty green kgreen@derbytelegraph.co.uk

A CATALOGUE of problems with Derby's bus station has been compiled by councillors just three weeks before its opening.

Members of Derby City Council's planning and transport commission went on a site visit to the new station to see its progress.

And they want a number of potential problems sorting out before it opens to the public on March 28.

They include:

Putting taxi ranks at the bus station so passengers do not have to cross from the station over the Morledge to the nearest rank;

Smartening up an unused piece of land by the entrance;

Installing a bike rack;

Properly sectioning off an unoccupied retail space;

Installing vending machines while waiting for the refreshments shop to open;

Bringing the Royal Derby Hospital shuttle bus into the station.

It has also emerged that there will not initially be an electronic system in the station telling people how long they have to wait for a bus.

The council said it was first waiting to see what real-time information systems were in place at neighbouring bus stations to make sure they were compatible.

Councillor Chris Poulter, chairman of the commission, said members were particularly concerned that no provision had been made for the hospital bus, which would continue to stop at the Spot.

"People coming from one of the suburbs wanting to go to the new hospital would have to go into the station on their service and then walk across the Morledge, up East Street and St Peter's Street to get to the Spot to catch the hospital bus," he said.

Mr Poulter added: "I can understand it not running at full capacity when it opens but it should be a transport hub and I would be looking for more services to be running from it."

There will be 29 bays at the station in total, 24 with direct access plus five outside bays for coaches.

Mr Poulter said he thought it was wrong that there was no taxi rank at the bus station and that people from coaches would have to walk through the station and cross the Morledge to find a taxi.

He added: "People have been waiting a long time for this station and it was important to look at it from a customer point of view, instead of from the viewpoint of someone who is so closely involved and focused on getting it open."

Tony Gascoigne from the council's transport department said many of the commission's points had already been picked up.

"There was never provision for a taxi rank within the station because there isn't the space but the taxi rank across the Morledge is clearly visible from the doors of the station," he said.

"The hospital bus was an issue we hadn't picked up on but we've been back to the hospital to see if they would like to reconsider and bring a bus in but they can't manage the service within the timescale. They also feel there are other services which provide opportunities to get to the hospital."

The commission will meet tomorrow to discuss their concerns with officers and make requests that the problems be resolved before the station opens.