Bus stop set to finally be replaced (From Brentwood Weekly News)

Bus stop set to finally be replaced

8:00am Saturday 15th September 2012 in News

A REPLACEMENT bus shelter could finally come to a street in Brentwood, three months after a car crashed into it.

The structure in Cherry Avenue was destroyed when a motorist, who was reported by Essex Police as drunk, ploughed into it last June, leaving passengers open to the elements while waiting for a bus.

Because the damage to the shelter was caused by a drunk driver, the insurance firm of the vehicle which hit the structure had to cover the costs of replacing it.

However, the process of getting the company to approve the costs have taken longer than normal due to an “administrative problem”.

Now, the payment has been approved and work to replace the shelter is set to start soon.

Brentwood South councillor Julie Morrissey, who had made enquiries to Brentwood Council regarding the status of the repairs, said it was good to see the plans finally moving forward.

The Labour councillor went on to say she was disappointed it has taken so long for the process to go through.

Mrs Morrissey said: “I understand there is an issue of claiming the cost of replacing the bus stop from the driver’s insurance company. “Residents who use that bus stop are often elderly, the buses do not run terribly frequently and as the colder weather is approaching people could be standing in the cold and rain with no protection.”

Since the crash, people waiting for a bus at the stop have been forced to stand inside an area near the spot of the shelter which is sectioned off by roadwork barriers.

A council spokesman said: “We needed to get our insurers to speed up their processes and agree to our claim. This has now been happened, our claim has been agreed and the shelter is being replaced.”