FOLLOWING 15 years of Tory inactivity and now, after another four years of the coalition council, we have a plan for the transport hub near the train station – but it is flawed.

For decades, the Hereford Civic Society (HCS) has been pressing for action including presenting their own suggestion in summer 2019.

While some of the ideas have been incorporated, this proposal doesn’t meet all the necessary criteria.

RELATED NEWS:

Bus strategy: There are concurrent projects proceeding. The country bus station behind the old cinema in Commercial Road remains – surely easy interchange from train to country buses is essential?

Café: There are no proposals for access into a café accessible to both train and bus travellers.

Access: Access for some vehicles will be around the Hereford Medical Centre, but not all, and there will be an additional exit (junction) onto the City Link Road. There will still be two-way access for vehicles dropping off passengers.

Bus stops: The bus pick-up zone in the link road doesn’t deal with cyclist/passenger conflicts.

View of plans: The perspectives suggest a vast plaza together with a waiting area with a soaring triangular roof (it is, in fact, designed to be horizontal with no wind-beating walls).

OTHER LETTERS:

I would have hoped that the retained international consultants could have produced a more realistic rendering.

I do not underestimate the complexity of making a plan that is constrained by the presence of the student accommodation block and the medical centre – both on land previously owned by the council – but I despair about our decision-making processes.

JOHN BOTHAMLEY

St.Weonards, near Ross-on-Wye

What are your thoughts?

You can send a letter to the editor to have your say by clicking here.

Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence.