Third time lucky - bus shelter finds its resting place on a Banbury residential street

Residents of Springfield Avenue were perplexed when a newly installed bus shelter disappeared, only to be replaced not once, but twice.

Contributors to a post on Banbury Info social media group began a discussion about why the shelter had needed to be moved and who would foot the bill. Some even said the bus route would be axed before the shelter was permanently sited.

However the local councillor for the area including Springfield Avenue said there has been no cost to the taxpayer – the contractors had soaked up the extra work which had been caused by a misunderstanding.

Cllr Kieron Mallon told the Banbury Guardian: “I had a report about an elderly resident who had nearly taken a tumble because of a disintegrating kerb at the bus stop so I requested that the county council put in a new base with a shelter if we could have one.

"We were offered two shelters from routes elsewhere in the county that no longer had bus routes.”

The contractors first installed one of the shelters but it was too big for the location.

"They replaced the first with a smaller shelter but unfortunately the contractors put it up against a private hedge,” said Mr Mallon. “So I contacted them to say that was wrong and the shelter should be relocated where it would protect people from splashes from the road.

"They duly turned it round - all at their cost, so no burden on the tax payer. What we have now are two shelters on Springfield Ave where there were none before, both in the right place and with the pavement area, where the people get on and off, re-surfaced and refurbished.“It was a misunderstanding - but the upshot is we have the two shelters, which were saved from being scrapped and have been recycled. I'm pleased as punch there's better facilities particularly for the residents. A few residents had contacted me and I have visited them and talked them through the process,” said Mr Mallon.