We believe there has been some amount of concern regarding what steps might be taken to make the bus shelter at Kippen Cross more accessible to those with wheelchairs, or otherwise handicapped. The following statement from Derek Parry in reply to a concerned resident’s query may help to inform as to current plans.
“There is no intention to remove the bus shelter in Kippen. To the contrary, we are hoping to make the bus shelter more accessible for everyone and to improve its appearance.
We intend to dismantle the existing bus shelter and relocate it a little further forward from its current location, at the same ground level as the pavement nearby. This will make the bus shelter more accessible for disabled and elderly residents and parents with prams or buggies, as the bus shelter can currently only be accessed by climbing steps. Installing ramp access to the existing location was considered, but discounted as a direct ramp would have been too steep and the only ramp design that would have complied would have been far too long and inconvenient. The existing stonework will be re-used and the flat roof will be replaced by a pitched one.
As this is a conservation area, the relocated bus shelter will be designed and constructed with this in mind and we are being advised in this regard by our Conservation Planning Officer.
Several site visits have taken place, attended by Stirling Council Officers and representatives from Kippen Community Council, First Midland Bluebird Ltd and the Stirling and Falkirk Area Disability Panels.
We hope to engage a contractor in the coming weeks with a view to the work being carried out early in the new year.
I trust that this information will allay your concerns and those of your fellow bus passengers, but please do not hesitate to come back to me if you require any further information.
Derek Parry
Public Transport Co-ordination Team Leader
Stirling & Clackmannanshire Councils Transport Coordination Centre
The Wee Vine 