PUPILS waiting for the school bus on one of the main roads in Cinderford now have somewhere to shelter after one of them took up the issue with the town council.

Ava Davis contacted Cinderford Town Council to ask if they could get a bus shelter installed on St White’s Road so she and her friends did not have to stand in the rain and wind.

The town council worked with Gloucestershire County Council, Cinderford-based Grindles Coaches and Forestry England to install a shelter.

Ava, a Year Nine pupil at John Kyrle High School in Ross, said she and her friends are delighted with the shelter which was moved from the Arle Court Park and Ride in Cheltenham to its new home on land managed by Forestry England opposite Buckshaft Road by Gloucestershire County Council’s integrated Transport Unit.

Ava said: “I was new to John Kyrle School and when I waited for the bus from Cinderford I was getting wet from the rain.

“I also noticed that Dean Magna children were getting wet from the rain too. I thought that other people from nearby can use a shelter when catching buses.
“I decided to send an email to Cinderford Town Council to ask them if there could be a bus shelter.

“I went to a council meeting with councillors and the bus company. They thought it was a good idea to have a bus shelter too. 

“I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped make this happen. It will make a big difference to everyone who uses buses nearby.”

Tom Grindle, of Grindle’s Coaches said “I was pleased to have been invited to a Town Council meeting following a request from a John Kyrle High School student who uses our services.

“It was a valuable opportunity for us to provide our expertise and recommendations on the placement of the new shelter, with careful consideration of the needs of all passengers.  “We believe this new shelter significantly enhances the comfort and safety of waiting, boarding, and alighting from the school bus.

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Cinderford Town Council and Gloucestershire County Council on potential future transport initiatives.”

Cllr Graham Morgan said “As Chair of Cinderford Town Council I am extremely pleased to see the excellent new bus shelter in St White’s Road.

“This work has been the result of a collaboration between Gloucestershire County Council and Cinderford Town Council.

“The project was asked for by a school pupil and their parent at a meeting with the town council.

“The town council working with Gloucestershire County Council managed to obtain a surplus to requirements shelter from Arle Court.

The 30 children that have been waiting in all kinds of weather in St Whites to catch buses to schools in Mitcheldean and Ross will be able, for the first time, to wait in the dry.”

Cllr. Philip Robinson, the county council’s Cabinet member for education and bus transport said: “I’m delighted that we were able to find a solution and I commend Ava for raising the issue.

“It’s great to see young people getting involved in the community and pushing for positive solutions. I’m also pleased we were able to find a solution and reuse an existing shelter.”

A spokesperson for Forestry England said "We are pleased to have been part of the project between Cinderford Town Council and Gloucestershire County Council to install a bus shelter on land managed by Forestry England.   

“This new shelter will make a huge difference to the local community using public transport this autumn and winter."