Locals have had their say on a revamp of Aberdeenshire bus shelters which is costing the local authority £270,000.
Aberdeenshire Council is replacing about 60 bus shelters in Inverurie, Ellon and Westhill, following the investment to improve the experience of public transport users in the towns.
The local authority said the decision was made because many of the amenities were suffering “wear and tear”.
Work is currently underway in Inverurie to replace the stop-offs, with many being fitted with solar lighting and upgraded to give bus users better protection from weather.
However, last night some locals questioned whether the shelters needed replacing at all in the Garioch town, whilst other people backed the spending.
Inverurie woman, Jill Bisset, 61 – who catches the bus regularly from a recently upgraded Elphinstone Road shelter – said: “I never thought there was anything wrong with the old one. This one maybe shelters you a wee bit more.
“I wouldn’t have said it was pressing to spend money on them.”
Carer Michelle Cole, 34, who commutes between Inverurie and her Kemnay home for work, said: “I am kind of down the middle. There are always going to be better things you can spend money on, but at the same time, it does make the place look nicer.
“There is always going to be an argument that money could be spent on better things, but it’s updated the bus shelters. They did look a bit rough around the edges.”
Frances Bremner, of Insch, responded: “I think they should (replace them) because you are standing there and you still get wet standing in them, if it is chucking it down with rain.”
She added some in the town did not leave bus users “fully covered”, adding: “They are called shelters for a reason”.
Inverurie and district councillor, Bryan Stuart, said: “Some folk have wondered why we were spending all this money, but the refurbishment cost wasn’t far short of the replacement cost.
“It is maybe a point worth making that maintenance is a heavy cost burden on the council and we have still got an awful lot of property to maintain.
“What it comes down to is the fact that the difference between refurbishment and replacement was fairly small. Those who are using the bus shelters may have a different view to those who are looking at that work being done.”
In addition to the 60 replacements, 20 have been upgraded.
An Aberdeenshire Council spokesman said: “The shelters being replaced all have older-style solar lighting units which have become inefficient and unreliable. The majority also have significant damage caused by wear and tear.
“Shelter replacements are like for like, except in locations where we can install more enclosed shelters.”
He added many of the old “cantilever style” shelters offered less protection than the new “full-enclosed” ones.
