Necton Parish Council have completed their scheme to install two new bus shelters on either side of the A47 at the Necton junction. It has been an aspiration of the Parish Council for many years, to upgrade the facilities on the westbound and install a new shelter on the eastbound side.
Eastbound is a very busy route, with people traveling to work, school and shopping in Dereham and Norwich. The absence of a shelter, meant that waiting passengers where vulnerable to rain and splash back from passing traffic.
The new shelter is a 4-bay cantilever, positioned to provide shelter from the road. The verge has been redesigned to provide sufficient space for the shelter. The retaining edge has been secured and planted with low-growing mat forming plants to provide a low-maintenance and attractive verge, in keeping with the rural aspect. The bank adjacent to the shelter has been planted with over 250 daffodil bulbs to add to the aesthetic value of the area.
Westbound, whilst there was a shelter, its location so far away from the actual bus stop, meant that people didn’t use it. The Council received many complaints of buses not stopping because the waiting passengers where not visible to the driver.
The Parish Council approached the new owners of the garden centre site to negotiate the siting of a new shelter adjacent to the bus stop. They agreed to provide a small parcel of their land and they offered to install the hard-standing foundation free of charge.
The old shelter was unsuitable for re-siting on the new location, and it has been donated to the Necton Sports & Social Club for use as a smoking shelter.
A new 3-bay cantilever shelter was purchased and installed.
Both shelters were provided and installed by local company, Westcotec Ltd, based in Dereham. The majority of the funding for this scheme was provided through the Dudgeon Community Fund, which is managed by Norfolk Community Foundation.
Village Correspondent, Paul Young, went up to the bus stops to find out people’s reaction to the new shelters:
