Eastwood new bus bay created to tackle selfish parking

Residents in Nobles Green Road, Eastwood, have praised the council after a new bus bay was created and the words “bus stop” were painted on the floor in bright yellow.

For years, residents have claimed selfish drivers parking in-front of the bus stop have meant buses have been unable to stop and they have been left stranded waiting at the side of the road.

The bus stop is part of the Arriva number 9 route – a key transport link stopping off at the hospital and Southend city centre.

Heather Feather, 85, has been outspoken in voicing the concerns of those living along the road and praised the move which puts an end to “years of nightmares for bus drivers.”

Ms Feather said: “Buses can finally stop, and we can wait at the stop now, we have been dealing with this for years and it was even worse years back. It was a nightmare for bus drivers, if you waited on the stop, it was often covered by cars and on the number 9 to Rayleigh and Southend, the driver would stop on the other side of our avenue.

“The footpath isn’t wide enough and for the elderly, it was difficult for people to get off the bus.”

Liberal Democrat leader and Eastwood ward councillor, Paul Collins, has also been a vocal part of the campaign.

He said: “People just weren’t caring where they parked down this road, I nagged the council and we managed to get a bus bay installed that everyone was happy with.

“Residents told us that buses would not stop, to either pick up or drop passengers even when signalled to do so.

“The council agreed that a Bus Bay was needed and it was implemented.

“People really wanted it, it is the little things like this where buses aren’t stopping.

“Residents are elderly, and it was not good, they were having to get off elsewhere because the bus couldn’t pull in.

“The road was a total mess and we have managed to do something good here, crucially, because residents wanted it done.”