by Alan Watkins
awatkins@thekmgroup.co.uk

Bus companies say that the final design for Chatham’s new bus station is “unworkable”.

Initial plans for the station in Globe Lane sparked protests because of the number of trees in The Paddock that would have been uprooted to make way for it. The design was vetoed by Medway Council.

But now a new plan for a smaller station, which will lead to the loss of only four trees in The Paddock and one on the waterfront, has been given the thumbs up by councillors.

They said it addressed the public’s concerns with the original design.
The scaled-down bus station will have three lanes of bus stops across the line of Globe Lane.

It will have five fewer bays than the Pentagon bus station, which bars Nu-Venture and other operators.

It will now include toilets and an office but the idea of an enclosed bus station with doors opening when buses were ready to load has been dropped.

Giant 'mushrooms’ will provide shelter from drizzle but will be open to wind and sweeping rain.

Bus companies have said that having a smaller station will make it harder to expand public transport in Medway in the future.

Norman Kemp, managing director of Nu-Venture, said: “It was unworkable before. It’s even more so.

“This now gives no opportunity to increase services in line with the council’s expectations.”

The main operator, Arriva Southern Counties, says it can make the bus station work “in the short term.”

Kevin Hawkins, the company’s commercial director, said: “There will be problems with the growth of Medway and the council’s expectation of increased use of public transport.”

Regeneration officers have been in crisis over the waterfront development since the planning committee threw out the plans in the summer.

The bus station is now behind schedule, putting at risk the £6million of government funds pledged to build it.

Cllr Geoff Juby (Lib Deb) said: “They [Medway Council] are rushing these plans through before the funding is grabbed back by central government.”