A HOLCOMBE resident has expressed her dismay at the state of the bus shelter opposite Hall Lane and branded it 'an accident waiting to happen'.

It is in very poor shape, is falling apart, is dangerous and could cause someone an injury as the corrugated iron roof is so rusty that pieces of it may fall off and hurt someone.

It is also positioned in such a way, that the driver of the bus is not able to see if anyone is in the shelter and the person in it cannot see it coming. You have to stick your head out of the shelter into a busy road which is dangerous and if it is pouring down with rain, you get a soaking.

Doris Moran, who has lived in Holcombe for 23 years, is appalled at the state the shelter has got into.

She has been at Holcombe residents meetings where this issue has been put to Andrew Butler, local services officer from Devon County Council, on many occasions but nothing has been done yet. This has been ongoing for seven years.

It was suggested that it be put on the corner of Derncleugh Drive but it was found that that would be too close to the brow of the hill and would be dangerous. It was then decided that the existing bus stop should be improved. Nothing happened.

Mr Butler told Mrs Moran in a meeting she had a year ago that there would be a new shelter by March. That is yet to be seen.

'It is mostly the elderly and parents with children who use the bus stop and that worries me because of its position. I know an elderly gentleman with very poor vision who uses it several times a week and he thinks it is appalling,' she said.

'It is disgusting and filthy, you can't sit on the seat, and if you do, the buses pass because they can't see you.

'It has bothered me for ages now. Mr Butler should have done something about sorting this out years ago.

'Even if they decide not to move it, they could at least improve the existing one and make it safer.

'Since I started using the bus 23 years ago, nothing has changed since then. It's got more dangerous over the years and what would happen if the flooring gave way? It's an accident waiting to happen. Someone will get injured and then the council will have a lot more on their plate.'

Mr Butler was not available to comment at the time of going to press.