Thursday, June 05, 2008

Still Waiting


On Wednesday I visited St Francis' Hospice in Havering-atte-Bower. the bus stop pictured is their only public transport link and even that one bus service - the 500 operated by Arriva - is soon to cease.

Staff at the hospice and visiting relatives will have no alternative other than to drive. There is also a brand new educational centre at the hospice, which is used by health authorities and medical professionals from around north east London. How will those people travel there?

I was also surprised to see how new the bus shelter in the picture is. Clearly TfL must have failed to foresee the future, installing a shelter and sign so soon before the service will cease. They will remain, a monument to bad planning.

I have a meeting next week with Boris to discuss how bus services can be retained and improved in Havering-atte-Bower. I will also be suggesting that he visits the hospice to see the good work being done there.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

St Francis Hospice is a wonderful place - 2 close relatives of mine spent their last days and weeks there, being lovingly cared for. It is ludicrous that planning authorities demand that people access hospitals by public transport, but cannot provide such transport for a large and busy hospice.