This girl was sitting in the middle of this mini roundabout in the middle of the drop off zone for ages last Saturday. It was a nice warm afternoon and was quite pleasant there, but I did wonder why she was sat there - it did seem an odd place to sit. A story on This is Plymouth tonight may go some way to explain why she chose not to sit in the bus station seating area itself...
The Shame of Bretonside
11:50 - 23 August 2006
A pensioner is today waiting to find out if he has contracted HIV after being pricked by a drug user's needle - the latest victim of the decline of Bretonside Bus Station...
It is another lamentable chapter in the long, sad story of Bretonside Bus Station - one of the principal 'gateways' to Plymouth, according to city planners.Hopes that Bretonside's years of squalor might be nearing an end were dashed last month when ambitious plans to transform the bus station, which was officially opened in 1958, were thrown out by the city council.
The sad story of a 74 year old visitor from Scotland picking up an injury from a drug users needle is just another in a long series of problems at Bretonside. In the day time it is an unpleasant dirty place. In the evenings and into the night it is downright scary. The city has a lot to offer visitors - its just a shame that those who come by coach see Bretonside first.
It remains to be seen if and when the promised development of the area comes about. The council quite rightly dont want to spend a lot of money 'tarting the place up' if its due to be demolished shortly - but, this being Plymouth, we are well used to waiting for ages before promised developments come about - if they come about at all. When we read of new plans for Plymouth and grand new designs we all say 'very nice - but it'll never happen'. Most of the time we are right - it doesnt.
"We are consulting with interested parties and we hope by Christmas to be in a position to give a progress report" say the council. Like the young lady below - we are waiting - just dont expect us to wait in Bretonside.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Have something interesting to say? Please share it here!
(Moderation is currently switched on so please allow a short while before your comment appears on the site. This is only to cut down on spam - not to cut out people who disagree with me!)