[WillowTheWhisp]

I've just taken some photos of Peel Sreet to give you a bit of an idea what it's like. Amazingly I saw something today which even outdoes Busman's one in my opinion. I couldn't photograph it because I was actually ON the bus at the time. The Fern Gore bus was pulling out of its stop in front of Lloyds chemists in Peel Street when a red car reversed down Infant Street and right across into the middle of Peel Street only a few yards in front of us! It then reversed UP Peel Street and parked in the middle of the road, a good 3 feet from the kerb. The driver got out and went into a shop, leaving the bus driver to struggle to manoever round him!

As a regular bus passenger I often see the difficulties bus drivers have to face on the roads and they have my total sympathy. Quite apart from car drivers who just don't seem to notice the bus's existence they do have a timetable to keep to as well. If they arrive late through no fault of their own (i.e. road works causing a hold up or vans/cars reversing into them) the passengers don't half have a good old moan. The bus couldn't even get up Ormerod Street on Friday following a sudden heavy fall of snow. Cars couldn't get up never mind buses and they were skewed about all over the place blocking the road off but that didn't stop people moaning about the non-existent bus. I don't know how the drivers up here manage to stay so cheerful.

I must say that whenever I have been on Busman's route all his passengers seem to be a very pleasant bunch though. They are always friendly and chatty.

Anyway, here's the bollard and you can see how far onto the pavement it actually is and it was put there for the precise reason of stopping vans going on the pavement and being a danger to pedestruans. Also you'll note the very clear sign at the top of Peel St which says only buses are allowed.

The council really should have made a better bus station but it wanted the cake and the ha'penny.

BTW that Tourist Information sign is pointing in the wrong direction!