3,910 miles, just to get back to where it started

That’s the claim made by town councillor Dominic Hinkins who has defended a controversial decision to switch one of the town’s main bus stops from the Market Place to Jubilee Way.

Bus operator Stagecoach has confirmed the stop for the Lincoln to Skegness service will be switched.

That has led criticism from some residents and councillors who say they were not aware of the proposed change.

However, Coun Hinkins has detailed how the eastbound service 56 visits the Market Place 15 times on a weekday, 14 times on a Saturday and four times on a Sunday.

He explains it enters town through the Bull Ring and after stopping in the Market Place, circles all the way back to the A158/A153 junction again via West Street and Jubilee Way – a distance of 0.8 miles.

Coun Hinkins added: “That’s 75 miles per week for the bus simply to arrive back where it started.

“For an entire year, that’s a ridiculous 3,910 completely wasted bus miles.

“That can’t be allowed to continue and that’s why this is completely the right decision.

“I’m aware that there have been concerns raised that having the bus stop on the A158 will stop the movement of traffic.

“To these people, I note that there are half a dozen other bus stops located directly on that road, just within the town boundary, and at other points between Lincoln and Skegness.

“ Countless other stops operate safely, without holding the traffic up appreciably.”

One resident has warned the new stop will increase already notorious delays on the A158 - the main route to the East Coast.

Other people say the first they knew of the change was when contractors started to paint the lines for the new stop.

However, councillor Hinkins says people should have been aware of the change.

He said: “The town council was informed of Stagecoach’s intention to move the bus stop on 21 December 2018 and it was discussed at length in several meetings.

“As far as I remember, the council decided to support the proposal. It’s then been with LCC (Lincolnshire County Council) for two years.

“At the time it was referred to extensively in the Horncastle News and in other media so it shouldn’t come as a surprise.”

Coun Hinkins accepts that ideally, the bus would pull off the A158 to pick up and drop off passengers in a parking bay.

However, he admits this would be unpopular with the two or three families on St Mary’s Square who regard it as ‘their’ parking space.

He adds: “The real question is therefore why LCC have not made use of the large, barren section of pavement adjacent to the new stop as a purpose-built bus lay-by (as I have been suggesting since August 2018).”

Resident Andrew Neal was one of several members of the public to contact the News.

He said lay-bys should have been built on both sides of the A158 to avoid transport ‘chaos’ in the summer. He also points out there is no provision for a bus shelter.

Town councillor Alan Lockwood is one of several people to support Mr Neal’s comments.