Petition against station closure (From Stroud News and Journal)

Petition against station closure

THE battle has begun to save Stroud's beleaguered bus station.

Town cllr Ron Nichols has started a petition against the proposed closure of the bus station - and the first person to sign up was MP David Drew.

Mr Nichols, who says he is acting as a concerned citizen rather than as a Labour councillor, has collected almost 300 signatures from people who want to change the fate of the bus station.

He plans to hand the document to Stroud District Council next week and is confident he will have no trouble finding plenty more people who are more than happy to sign up to his protest.

"Only four people I have spoken to have been in favour of the plans," said Mr Nichols.

"I've been stopping people in the street, asking people at the bus station and even going from door to door.

"It annoys me that a council can do these things."

The News & Journal's own survey, which attracted an unprecedented response, revealed the majority of people want the station improved, not moved.

A sizeable minority said they would like to see the buses moved close to the railway station as part of a carefully thought-out scheme.

Only two readers who took the time to fill in the survey thought the current proposals were acceptable and one suggested demolishing the whole of Stroud and starting from scratch.

Stroud District Council has faced much criticism for not consulting the public about the plans for the Merrywalks site.

But now the people are being given a chance to comment on the plans for the new cinema and leisure complex.

An exhibition explaining the proposals will be held in the Subscription Rooms in November.

The display will include the council's plans to locate four bus bays in front of the Rowcroft Medical Centre and another four will be kept at the western end of the current site.

"We have always said that we would welcome people's views on these very important issues," said Nigel Studdert-Kennedy (Con), the district council's cabinet member for economic development.

"I hope that people from the town and the surrounding area will take this opportunity to have their say."

He said the exhibition would give people an insight into what Stroud might look like in a few years' time.