LOOKING SHABBY: Poole bus station and, inset, the Daily Echo front page from Saturday
A POOLE conservation group has added its voice to the growing wave of despair at the "filthy" and "grimy" state of Poole's bus station.
With the start of the tourist season imminent, the Society of Poole Men has approached the Borough of Poole over the unwelcoming condition of the town's transport gateway.
The group backed the Daily Echo's lead story on Saturday and is urging an overdue makeover of the Kingland Road terminal.
Ian Andrews, president of the society, said the station was in dire need of a clean-up and visitors' current first impressions would be of a "two-bit town".
He said: "We take a pride in Poole and there is no pride in anyone who travels by bus having to face up to a grimy bus station.
"I know a lot of other towns whose stations are much better as those towns take pride in the first impression they give visitors."
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Arriving in the gloom of the bus station immediately puts visitors in a "downbeat mood", added Mr Andrews.
A letter from the society highlighted grubby paths, walls and pillars, broken rubbish bins and neglected facilities, such as the public payphones.
Three bodies hold a stake in the station - the council, Wilts and Dorset and private company Grosvenor, which owns the Dolphin Centre.
Steve Tite, principal manager for transport services at the council, admitted the shared responsibility for the station sometimes left a grey area in respect of cleaning duties.
He said: "Historically, it is up to whoever owns the land and that is where the problem lies.
"We are looking to get together with Wilts and Dorset and rationalise things."
Mr Tite said a steam clean of the station was due to take place, with rubbish bins also being replaced.
A £240,000 improvement scheme - including repainting, new lights, seats and bins, and better signage - is due to begin later this year, once the tourist season ends.
Plans to completely re-build the station form part of the council's Town Centre North Action Plan, but this would not happen until 2012 at the earliest.
[quote]Steve Tite, principal manager for transport services at the council, admitted the shared responsibility for the station sometimes left a grey area in respect of cleaning duties.[/quote]
But hasn't it always been like this? How come it is only now after it is featured in the Echo are people looking to "rationalise" things.
Steve Tite, principal manager for transport services at the council, admitted the shared responsibility for the station sometimes left a grey area in respect of cleaning duties.
But hasn't it always been like this? How come it is only now after it is featured in the Echo are people looking to "rationalise" things.
[quote]A £240,000 improvement scheme - including repainting, new lights, seats and bins, and better signage - is due to begin later this year, once the tourist season ends.[/quote]
What brilliant timing!
Poole Council should
hold down its head in shame.It no longer has the time to take its time over this disgraceful welcome to visitors.
In the meantime, it will be better for us all to travel hopefully, than to arrive at Poole Bus Station!!
A £240,000 improvement scheme - including repainting, new lights, seats and bins, and better signage - is due to begin later this year, once the tourist season ends.
What brilliant timing!
Poole Council should
hold down its head in shame.It no longer has the time to take its time over this disgraceful welcome to visitors.
In the meantime, it will be better for us all to travel hopefully, than to arrive at Poole Bus Station!!
Posted by: Alan Gilbert, Bearwood on 9:56am Fri 9 May 08
I wonder what planet some people have beamed down from.
Yes the Poole bus station could do with a lick of paint but it will look grimy again within a very short time, buses run on diesel, diesel engines produce particulates which will make the building grimy very quickly.
As far as rubbish and bins etc. well I go through Poole Bus Station on a regular basis, courtesy of my bus pass, and every time I'm waiting, there are people going round picking up detritus, bagging it and emptying the rubbish bins.
Let's not lose sight of the fact that this detritus doesn't appear by magic, it is left by people, predominantly smokers stubbing out cigarette ends.
I wonder what planet some people have beamed down from.
Yes the Poole bus station could do with a lick of paint but it will look grimy again within a very short time, buses run on diesel, diesel engines produce particulates which will make the building grimy very quickly.
As far as rubbish and bins etc. well I go through Poole Bus Station on a regular basis, courtesy of my bus pass, and every time I'm waiting, there are people going round picking up detritus, bagging it and emptying the rubbish bins.
Let's not lose sight of the fact that this detritus doesn't appear by magic, it is left by people, predominantly smokers stubbing out cigarette ends.
Posted by: bassmankang, poole on 11:03am Fri 9 May 08
[quote][bold]Alan Gilbert[/bold] wrote:
I wonder what planet some people have beamed down from. Yes the Poole bus station could do with a lick of paint but it will look grimy again within a very short time, buses run on diesel, diesel engines produce particulates which will make the building grimy very quickly. As far as rubbish and bins etc. well I go through Poole Bus Station on a regular basis, courtesy of my bus pass, and every time I'm waiting, there are people going round picking up detritus, bagging it and emptying the rubbish bins. Let's not lose sight of the fact that this detritus doesn't appear by magic, it is left by people, predominantly smokers stubbing out cigarette ends.[/quote] Yes, I agree with his point regarding dirty diesel engines, however, he seems to have used the discussion to have a go at smokers....what about the gum chewers, lollypop lickers, sweetie eaters, blatent litter louts etc etc........maybe if appropriate ashtrays were provided then cigarette butts would be a significanly lesser problem!
Alan Gilbert wrote:
I wonder what planet some people have beamed down from. Yes the Poole bus station could do with a lick of paint but it will look grimy again within a very short time, buses run on diesel, diesel engines produce particulates which will make the building grimy very quickly. As far as rubbish and bins etc. well I go through Poole Bus Station on a regular basis, courtesy of my bus pass, and every time I'm waiting, there are people going round picking up detritus, bagging it and emptying the rubbish bins. Let's not lose sight of the fact that this detritus doesn't appear by magic, it is left by people, predominantly smokers stubbing out cigarette ends.
Yes, I agree with his point regarding dirty diesel engines, however, he seems to have used the discussion to have a go at smokers....what about the gum chewers, lollypop lickers, sweetie eaters, blatent litter louts etc etc........maybe if appropriate ashtrays were provided then cigarette butts would be a significanly lesser problem!
[quote][bold]bassmankang[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Alan Gilbert[/bold] wrote: I wonder what planet some people have beamed down from. Yes the Poole bus station could do with a lick of paint but it will look grimy again within a very short time, buses run on diesel, diesel engines produce particulates which will make the building grimy very quickly. As far as rubbish and bins etc. well I go through Poole Bus Station on a regular basis, courtesy of my bus pass, and every time I'm waiting, there are people going round picking up detritus, bagging it and emptying the rubbish bins. Let's not lose sight of the fact that this detritus doesn't appear by magic, it is left by people, predominantly smokers stubbing out cigarette ends.[/quote] Yes, I agree with his point regarding dirty diesel engines, however, he seems to have used the discussion to have a go at smokers....what about the gum chewers, lollypop lickers, sweetie eaters, blatent litter louts etc etc........maybe if appropriate ashtrays were provided then cigarette butts would be a significanly lesser problem![/quote] I take it that you are a smoker [bold]Bassmankang[/bold] ? Are you feeling picked on by non smokers and the establishment? You really shouldn't take these comments personally...Alan's comments were not meant as an attack on smokers but merely a statment of fact.
Regardless of how many 'appropriate' ash trays and bins there are smokers will [bold]always[/bold] throw their rubbish on the floor and think nothing of it! How about all smokers stubb out their cigarettes and take the butts home with them? Then we would'nt have to supply 'appropriate' bins etc...
Stop assuming that everyone is having a 'go' at you and admit to the facts...Smokers are litter louts!
bassmankang wrote:
Alan Gilbert wrote: I wonder what planet some people have beamed down from. Yes the Poole bus station could do with a lick of paint but it will look grimy again within a very short time, buses run on diesel, diesel engines produce particulates which will make the building grimy very quickly. As far as rubbish and bins etc. well I go through Poole Bus Station on a regular basis, courtesy of my bus pass, and every time I'm waiting, there are people going round picking up detritus, bagging it and emptying the rubbish bins. Let's not lose sight of the fact that this detritus doesn't appear by magic, it is left by people, predominantly smokers stubbing out cigarette ends.
Yes, I agree with his point regarding dirty diesel engines, however, he seems to have used the discussion to have a go at smokers....what about the gum chewers, lollypop lickers, sweetie eaters, blatent litter louts etc etc........maybe if appropriate ashtrays were provided then cigarette butts would be a significanly lesser problem!
I take it that you are a smoker Bassmankang ? Are you feeling picked on by non smokers and the establishment? You really shouldn't take these comments personally...Alan's comments were not meant as an attack on smokers but merely a statment of fact.
Regardless of how many 'appropriate' ash trays and bins there are smokers will always throw their rubbish on the floor and think nothing of it! How about all smokers stubb out their cigarettes and take the butts home with them? Then we would'nt have to supply 'appropriate' bins etc...
Stop assuming that everyone is having a 'go' at you and admit to the facts...Smokers are litter louts!
Posted by: katpuss22, Poole on 1:58pm Fri 9 May 08
I am a smoker and don't drop my butts everywhere. People have yet again taken the opportunity to blame the smokers for everything that is going wrong in the world!
We've been chucked out of pubs, restaurants etc etc yet we are still not safe from attack.
Stop tying all smokers with the same brush and judging us before you know the facts!
Why is nothing ever said about the countless amounts of beer cans that I see all around the bus station. These people obviously have alcohol problems and need to be helped.
Get a grip!!!
I am a smoker and don't drop my butts everywhere. People have yet again taken the opportunity to blame the smokers for everything that is going wrong in the world!
We've been chucked out of pubs, restaurants etc etc yet we are still not safe from attack.
Stop tying all smokers with the same brush and judging us before you know the facts!
Why is nothing ever said about the countless amounts of beer cans that I see all around the bus station. These people obviously have alcohol problems and need to be helped.
Posted by: godzilla, hamworthy on 2:48pm Fri 9 May 08
getting away from the subject as usual, of course it is the publics responsibilty to make sure their rubbish is put inot the bins but the whole of the bus station needs a face lift. Instead of rebuilding it give the buildings a good clean and a lick of paint, also sort out the roads, they are terible, pot holes, build the bridge asap which will help the traffic congestion, Poole is a beautiful place but could be much more if the council would spend the money, and draw in more visitors. After all they were prepared to send a fortune on a sun dial.
getting away from the subject as usual, of course it is the publics responsibilty to make sure their rubbish is put inot the bins but the whole of the bus station needs a face lift. Instead of rebuilding it give the buildings a good clean and a lick of paint, also sort out the roads, they are terible, pot holes, build the bridge asap which will help the traffic congestion, Poole is a beautiful place but could be much more if the council would spend the money, and draw in more visitors. After all they were prepared to send a fortune on a sun dial.
Posted by: Christopher, Wallisdown & Winton West on 4:04pm Fri 9 May 08
Hello, where was this "Society of Poole Men" last week when this subject was brought up before. Sorry did we wake you. Considerable talk on this was given in the last comments column. It came between the following. You are never going to get a clean bus station, or get off your backsides and do some thing about it.
Seriously it is an eye sore, specially for those arriving at Poole via the Bus Station, (the Train Station not being any better). More control over the public who use, where they throw their litter. So much is need to bring it back to any form of glory, it is going to take time, not words.
Hello, where was this "Society of Poole Men" last week when this subject was brought up before. Sorry did we wake you. Considerable talk on this was given in the last comments column. It came between the following. You are never going to get a clean bus station, or get off your backsides and do some thing about it.
Seriously it is an eye sore, specially for those arriving at Poole via the Bus Station, (the Train Station not being any better). More control over the public who use, where they throw their litter. So much is need to bring it back to any form of glory, it is going to take time, not words.
I agree that it's not just smokers to blame for litter, or that some smokers dispose of their cigarette ends responsibly.
On the other hand, you can't deny the fact that there are a lot of cigarette ends littering the streets. So if it's not smokers leaving them everywhere, who is it?! Are they dropped by tobacco-addicted pigeons or something?
I agree that it's not just smokers to blame for litter, or that some smokers dispose of their cigarette ends responsibly.
On the other hand, you can't deny the fact that there are a lot of cigarette ends littering the streets. So if it's not smokers leaving them everywhere, who is it?! Are they dropped by tobacco-addicted pigeons or something?
one of the things that does need to be done is the part near the wilts and dorste offcies past the toilets needs to be wider. its very tight with pushchairs etc when its busy which is most of the time.
one of the things that does need to be done is the part near the wilts and dorste offcies past the toilets needs to be wider. its very tight with pushchairs etc when its busy which is most of the time.
Posted by: Lewcee, Upton,Poole on 7:58pm Wed 14 May 08
The "Twerp teens" are responsible for lots of the litter & gum - when challenged, they say "Its not cool to put it in the bin",...Take a look at the Cricket Green at Poole Park in "Term time", the students feed there on fast food, then go back to classes... and leave their mess strewn all over the place. Then, magically, overnight, the Council Contractors clear it up. At least the effort is made. Do YOU pick up litter that is not yours? Try it, if it offends you, as its not someone else's problem, only OURS. My point is, its NOT the Council's job to stop the tattiness caused by their own residents - its ours, and ours alone. Don't let the Punks win, and put up our Council Tax just to cope with their tawdriness!
The "Twerp teens" are responsible for lots of the litter & gum - when challenged, they say "Its not cool to put it in the bin",...Take a look at the Cricket Green at Poole Park in "Term time", the students feed there on fast food, then go back to classes... and leave their mess strewn all over the place. Then, magically, overnight, the Council Contractors clear it up. At least the effort is made. Do YOU pick up litter that is not yours? Try it, if it offends you, as its not someone else's problem, only OURS. My point is, its NOT the Council's job to stop the tattiness caused by their own residents - its ours, and ours alone. Don't let the Punks win, and put up our Council Tax just to cope with their tawdriness!
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