'Where are our bus shelters?' - Eastbourne MP demands answers over ‘unacceptable’ rollout delays
Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde OBE has written to the Chief Executive of contractors Trueform to raise concerns about delays to the installation of new bus shelters across the town.
Trueform was awarded the contract earlier this year to deliver 164 new bus shelters across Eastbourne.
However, to date, only about half of the shelters have been installed.
Slow progress has been put down to delays in the manufacture of some shelters, resulting in a gap between the removal of older shelters and the arrival of their replacements.
The Lib Dem MP has written to the company's CEO Jonathan Morley on Wednesday (November 4) seeking answers on what steps are being taken to accelerate the rollout and has pushed to ensure the remaining shelters are installed as quickly as possible.
In a statement, Mr Babarinde said: “I, like many residents across the town, have been shocked by the slow rollout of bus shelters across Eastbourne.
“I am deeply concerned that some Eastbourne residents could face an entire winter without a bus shelter because of these unacceptable delays, leaving passengers exposed to the elements while waiting for public transport.
“I want to see the remaining shelters installed as quickly as possible, with priority given to locations where passenger demand is highest.”
The programme is currently scheduled for completion by mid-February 2027.
Eastbourne Borough Council said in October that they had worked closely with Trueform to speed up installations and ensure the remaining shelters are delivered “as quickly as possible”.
They added that the installation crew was subsequently doubled, with the supplier also looking at introducing solar-powered bus shelters at the council’s request.