Pensioners and residents at war over controversial Chadwell Heath bus stop
Pensioners from Rosewood Court and Cunningham Close demanded the bus stop be reinstated at West View Cottages. - Credit: Archant
Pensioners and residents warring over a controversial bus stop in Chadwell Heath clashed at a heated meeting last week.
Residents in West View Cottages started a petition against a bus stop installed outside their homes. - Credit: Archant
Ros Hodgson, of West View Cottages, Chadwell Heath Lane, told Redbridge Council’s area committee five the installation of the stop outside her home has created “absolute hell”.
She added: “We’ve got litter pollution, people standing in our front gardens and noise.
“We don’t feel we have been consulted.”
Residents of a nearby retirement complex who had campaigned for the stop also attended the meeting at Barley Lane Primary School, Huxley Drive, Chadwell Heath, on September 30.
Tensions rose as West View Cottages residents shouted over pensioner Pam Shelley when she thanked the committee for re-installing the stop.
Committee chairman Cllr Barbara White called for order as arguments broke out and threatened to have people who interrupted ejected.
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Mrs Shelley said: “If people had a complaint before they should have attended the meetings we did.”
The stop was installed in May after a two-year battle by residents of Rosewood Court and Cunningham Close.
They had told councillors that the removal of another stop outside Cunningham Close had left elderly and ill people who could not walk to the further stops stranded.
But the move angered West View Cottages residents, who had complained of littering and anti-social behaviour at the stop.
It was previously removed in 2011 because of safety concerns but there is now a cage so buses can pull off the main road.
Cllr Wes Streeting said: “This is one of those decisions we take where whatever we do we upset people.
“Everyone likes bus stops but no one likes them outside there they live.
“We knew it would upset people but took the least worst option for the largest number of people.”
The council’s highways department is looking into providing more parking spaces for West View Cottages residents.
