Bus shelter a lure for yobs

NO shelter here . . . Sarah Mitchell is fighting plans

A NURSE has set up a petition to stop a bus shelter being being built outside her flat because, she says, it will be a magnet for louts.

Sarah Mitchell, who works at North Manchester General Hospital, says the shelter is not needed and will encourage youths causing nuisance to congregate outside her ground-floor kitchen and front room windows.

The 25-year-old received a consultation letter from Greater Manchester Passenger Transport (GMPTE) about the planned shelter in Lord Lane, Failsworth.

Miss Mitchell, said: “Buses stop at the pole outside, but a shelter is a massive anti-social issue.

“There are already problems on Lord Lane with youths smoking and drinking.

“It will just be used as a shelter for them when it is raining.

“As the bus stop is just outside my windows, people already bang on them when they are waiting.

“Having a shelter will definitely affect being able to rent the flat and I won’t be able to sell it.

“I don’t want any form of shelter outside my property, none whatsoever.”

Miss Mitchell successfully opposed plans for a shelter in 2005.

Now she is hoping to repeat her success and has submitted both an online and written petition to GMPTE.

Failsworth West councillor Ian Barker said: “I see the main disadvantages as the shelter being a focus point for potential anti-social behaviour which we have had a history of in the Lord Lane area.

“The bus shelter outside Tesco has been smashed to smithereens at least twice since its installation and I would not want this to happen outside residents’ houses.”

Councillor Barker said he was not opposed to investment by GMPTE and would be supportive of bus shelters where required.

He said: “I am in agreement with residents on this that the shelter is not required and would have more drawbacks than advantages.”