A BUS user is furious at plans to move a bus stop 30 metres further away from the shops.

Ann Paterson and her partner Norman Harrison live in Didcot and are both in their 70s. Mrs Paterson does not drive and relies on public transport every day especially when carrying shopping bags home from Aldi supermarket.

When Mrs Paterson originally found out that plans for a new nursing home near on Broadway would mean two new bus shelters she was thrilled.

She said: “Bus-passengers, mainly OAPs, have waited patiently for four years, for missing end-panels to provide some protection from foul weather, when waiting in our half-bus-shelter, in Orchard Shopping Centre.”

However, she is not happy that the new bus stop will be moving 30 metres down the road.

Read also: Festival firm gets vital culture grant to keep virtual event space afloat

She said: “Bus drivers that I have spoken to say they think the bus stop will be placed too close towards the bridge. It is going to hold back the traffic because people won’t be able to overtake the bus.”

The County Council said the works relating to the bus stops are due to the development of a new care home along Broadway.

The council said: “The Southern bus stop is not changing location and the Northern bus stop is moving East by approximately 30 metres. Both existing stops had bus stop flags but no markings, no additional hard standing to widen the width of the footway, no shelters and were opposite one another.

“Upon Road Safety Audit advice and from reviewing the planning permission, the location of the relocated Northern bus stop has been agreed and was deemed to provide a safer bus stop location than the existing. Both bus stops will be improved by having line markings, hard standing provided, bus shelters and are now staggered as opposed to being opposite one another.”

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on news@nqo.com or 01865 425 445.