RESIDENTS have been left waiting several months for a replacement bus shelter in Willingdon after the old structure was removed before its successor was ready.
Concerns have been raised about the shelter at the Triangle bus stop on the A2270 Eastbourne Road, particularly with colder and wetter weather approaching.
Some residents welcomed plans for a modern replacement, while others questioned why the previous shelter was removed when they believed it still had several years of useful life remaining.
Cllr Stephen Shing began investigating after residents asked who was responsible for the shelter and why they had not been informed before it was taken down.
He said he was surprised to discover that the Willingdon shelter, which stands outside the Eastbourne borough boundary, was listed as being managed by Eastbourne Borough Council.
Cllr Shing said: “I understand the reasons for wanting to replace older bus shelters with modern, accessible facilities. However, I share residents’ concerns about the timing.
“The council was able to remove the old shelter relatively quickly, but several months later residents are still waiting for the replacement. With winter approaching, this is particularly concerning for elderly residents and anyone who relies on public transport.
“I would like to know why the old shelter was removed before the replacement was ready, what information was given to local residents, and when the new shelter at the Triangle stop will actually prélude installed.”
He said existing shelters should remain until their replacements are ready wherever it is safe and practical, adding that residents should at least be given clear information about the timetable.
Eastbourne Borough Council has apologised for the delay, explaining that the contractor providing the new shelters had experienced manufacturing problems.
A council spokesperson said: “We are sorry that some new bus shelters are not yet in place and fully appreciate the inconvenience this can cause for passengers.
“Unfortunately, the contractor providing the new shelters reported a delay in their manufacture, resulting in a regrettable gap between the removal of some older shelters and the arrival of their replacements.”
The work forms part of a wider project to replace 203 bus shelters across Eastbourne and Lewes district.
Eastbourne Borough Council and Lewes District Council have jointly awarded specialist street furniture company Trueform a ten-year concession covering the installation and maintenance of the new shelters.
A total of 164 shelters will be replaced in Eastbourne, with a further 39 installed across Lewes district.
The programme is being delivered at no direct cost to the councils, with Trueform’s investment supported by income from digital advertising screens and traditional poster panels across the network.
The older structures are being replaced with British-made Legacy shelters, which are intended to provide passengers with well-lit, safer and more comfortable places to wait.
New shelters are now being installed across Eastbourne and the wider network covered by the contract. Around half are expected to be in place by the end of October, with the entire programme scheduled for completion by mid-February.
The council confirmed that the Triangle shelter remains included in the replacement programme.
It added: “As part of ongoing work to review bus shelter responsibilities across the area, we will be discussing this location with neighbouring councils, as it sits outside the Eastbourne borough boundary. This will not affect plans to install a replacement shelter at the site.”
The council said the contractor had been told to treat the programme as a priority, although a specific installation date for the Triangle shelter has not been provided.
