We waited four years for this but it's still not right
I REFER to the ongoing saga of the bus station.
Derby residents waited for more than four years for the promised station, which was to provide warm and safe conditions while waiting for transport. Sadly, for many people this has not happened and would-be passengers, including Allestree ones, have to wait outside in all weathers.
This is a totally unacceptable situation, especially during the winter months.
The claim of a bus every eight minutes for Allestree is misleading as it only applies if you live in the Blenheim Drive, Birchover Way or Park Farm area.
I have seen three buses at one time in Blenheim Drive – all en route to town in different directions. Some of these buses could be re-routed to other areas – Ford Lane and Lambourne Drive could use a service.
This also applies to West Bank and Woodlands estate, which once enjoyed a circular service which included Darley Abbey and the Park Farm estate. Now there are no buses after 6pm and nothing on Sundays.
Perhaps Derby will get it right some day. We can only hope.
Mary Middleton
Woodlands Road
Allestree
4 Comments
by Derby_born
Friday, January 27 2012, 7:38PM
“I do remember when I was still attending Secondary school in the late 60s, we always referred to Derby bus station as the Trent Bus Station as Trent was the largest transport provider at the time using the station.
Local (Derby Corporation) buses used the Market Place, Victoria Street and the Spot, the Market Place was the town's main terminus for local services, the bus station was used by these services after 1994 when the Market Place was pedestrianised.
Looking at the history of the old station, it was built to take the out of town services run by the various Motor Traction companies as no overhead trolley bus lines were present at the site. The Market Place was the main terminus for local trolley bus services. Photos of the Bus station taken from the day it opened until the day it closed show the lack of electric trolley lines at the site.
I have an advert for the bus station (in he 1972 Derby Guide) which informs readers that 1,000 buses to and from destinations across the UK, used the bus station each day of the week.
I found this amazing bit of Pathé unedited newsreel footage of the 1971 Rolls Royce crash. 4 minutes 17 seconds into the clip, here is a load of unedited shots showing the Market Place as a very busy bus terminal with two way traffic on Tenant Street, Market Place, Corn Market and Iron Gate. http://tinyurl.com/7e48cta”
by B_o_b1
Friday, January 27 2012, 3:44PM
“"The old bus station was also known as the Trent bus station" - not be me or anyone I know it wasn't.
I used the catch the corporation buses (in cream and green livery) from the 'bus station' plain and simple.”
by Ronfromderby
Thursday, January 26 2012, 6:41PM
“The old bus station was also known as the Trent bus station and this is why the Allestree services used it. Allestree was, and still is, served by Trent. Corporation bus services used the Market Place and Victoria Street with a collection of shelters around the Spot on Osmaston Road and London Road. The new bus station has not improved on the bus services available to users, it has probably reduced them. What a waste of money.”
by B_o_b1
Thursday, January 26 2012, 9:15AM
“Mary seems to confuse 'Derby' with 'Trent-Barton'.
The decision not to serve the bus station with the Allestree service was taking by Trent-Barton, not by 'Derby'. A city cannot make decisions. Unless you mean the City Council, in which case it was not that body either.
Your ire is aimed in the wrong direction.”