Plans for two new bus stops have sparked a row over their expensive price which costs “more than a flat in Hanham”. The new stops will soon be installed on the Haymarket and Rupert Street in the city centre, costing £75,000 each.
The new bus stops are expected to be installed between July and April next year. “More convenient and attractive” shelters could encourage drivers to switch to public transport instead, including with real-time information that “reduces uncertainty of arrival times” of bus services.
Transport bosses at Bristol City Council say they opt for “very good quality” bus shelters, which is one reason for the high price tag. An update on the plans was given to councillors on the transport policy committee on Thursday, February 6.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Nicholas Coombes said: “I did check, you can actually buy homes in Bristol for less than that. If public procurement has got us to a place where we’re spending more on a bus stop than you could do on a flat in Hanham, then we are just wasting public money.”
The bus stops are funded through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, a huge pot of money from the government, which must be entirely spent by March 2027. Labour and Greens defended the decision to invest in new bus stops, regardless of their high cost.
Labour Cllr Kaz Self said: “I spent time at a bus stop to get down here today. There was an elderly lady at the bus stop. She had been waiting there for half an hour, no shelter, no information when the bus was going to arrive. I think in some circumstances, £75,000 spent on a bus stop would be good value.”
Green Cllr David Wilcox added: “Spending £75,000 on a bus stop and improving the public realm is a useful enhancement. We’re not all expecting to be living in a flat in Hanham — not that I want to decry living in a flat in Hanham, because I think that’s a good thing. But putting that level of investment into the public realm is a good thing.”
Other costs associated with installing a new bus stop include elevated kerbs, changing drains, and different paving to mark the area. The council also chooses “very good quality” bus shelters, which cost a premium.