Hunstanton bus station

[Spoddendale]

'Buses' magazine for March 2021 contains a report headed 'Hunstanton bus station to disappear in residential development'.

King's Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council has agreed to the redevelopment of its Hunstanton bus station which will be replaced with 47 residential flats. On street bus stops will replace the bus station.

Lynx Buses offered to buy the bus station but the report says the Council rejected their offer.


David

[linkyyork]

Interesting that a bus company has the resources to buy a bus station especially when the value of the land would have increased with the planning permission for housing.

[HughT]

But they could have redeveloped the site - incorporating a revamped bus station - and still made a tidy profit, I'd have thought. I don't think the offer to buy the site would have meant "no change".

[John Wakefield]

To be realistic the bus station no longer serves any real purpose, stops in the road are adequate for the services in operation, and many services run through from Kings Lynn to Wells so no longer require a layover at Hunstanton. In the times I have visited the bus station there were a couple of Peelings Coaches laying over between school contracts, only one stop near the toilets was actually being used by buses. I believe at one time the bus station was operated by Birds Coaches and they had a booking office there.

[Coast_Hopper]

To be realistic the bus station no longer serves any real purpose, stops in the road are adequate for the services in operation, and many services run through from Kings Lynn to Wells so no longer require a layover at Hunstanton. In the times I have visited the bus station there were a couple of Peelings Coaches laying over between school contracts, only one stop near the toilets was actually being used by buses. I believe at one time the bus station was operated by Birds Coaches and they had a booking office there.

Lynx park the school buses there during the day as it saves the expense of taking them back to Lynn empty then empty coming back, once the bus station goes it might be a problem for them

This has been in the pipeline for some years and last I heard the bus station was going to go on the coach park opposite Tesco

[John Wakefield]

They will either have to park them in the coach park & pay, or find a layby outside of Hunny. The land is far to valuable for it to remain a bus station and councils have large deficits to make up owing to Covid. I dont suppose it will bother the travelling public, facilities were basic, just a couple of shelters a toilets . https://www.google.com/maps/@52.9386283,0.4889629,3a,49.6y,257.42h,79.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shdV5uYumhGEhqeFhjTG8HA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[alan]

I have stood waiting at that bus station on a cool windy day - it was little different to waiting at a stop on any main road & the toilet was locked.

[linkyyork]

The thing is that that council already own the land and it is in a perfect position for housing and not forgetting the governments plan for increased housing.
The land between it and the Princess Theatre was developed from a car showroom to housing a couple of years back.

There is not enough room in the bus station for both.

[Coast_Hopper]

In today’s EDP

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/hunstanton-bus-station-development-moves-step-closer-7565334

New flats and library plan moves step closer

Author Picture Icon
Chris Bishop
0 COMMENTS
 
Published: 8:49 AM February 20, 2021   

Plans for a major redevelopment in a Norfolk seaside town have moved a step closer.

West Norfolk council is behind a major revamp of the bus station and library site in Hunstanton.

It includes 47 flats in two blocks, a new, larger library and space for shops, along with space for a tourist information centre.

Council papers reveal officials have been given the go-ahead to sign a contract with Lovell Partnerships Ltd to begin the "build phase" of the development.

Bus stops would be moved to The Spinney and alongside the nearby Princess Theatre as part of the plan. A report to full council, which meets on February 25, says the design of new shelters has been agreed so these can be erected before demolition starts.

The report does not make clear whether the new tourist information centre would be staffed. There was anger after the town's information centre at the town hall was closed last spring and replaced by an un-staffed leaflet display in the Coal Shed on LeStrange Terrace.

[Coast_Hopper]

Surprised they don’t start the service up near Glebe School off of Cromer Road and have a town circular which incorporates half a dozen street stops in the town with the final stop being at the theatre

[John Wakefield]

I would not think Hunstanton is a big enough place for a town service. Its only busy in the summer season with tourists, the majority going by car and then go to the beach, then walk to the shops/cafes. The High St shops are mainly gift shops and cafes not the sort of shops the locals would use. I would think most locals go to Kings Lynn for any serious shopping.

[linkyyork]

Just thinking about Lynx wanting to buy the bus station and then my thoughts turned to the NBC selloff where companies offset their purchases, in many instances, by selling their bus stations and either renting them back or moving to stops in the streets.

[Coast_Hopper]

I would not think Hunstanton is a big enough place for a town service. Its only busy in the summer season with tourists, the majority going by car and then go to the beach, then walk to the shops/cafes. The High St shops are mainly gift shops and cafes not the sort of shops the locals would use. I would think most locals go to Kings Lynn for any serious shopping.

Sorry what I meant for a town service was to start the service from the other side of town up near Glebe school there could be a few stops along Cromer Road or in that area then onto the Theatre before heading towards Kings Lynn

It will give a service to those that live in that area to either hop into Hunstanton to either Tesco’s or go onto Lynn, believe me it’s a long walk from top end of Cromer road to Bus station or even Tesco’s especially if your less mobile

[John Wakefield]

Point taken but then it would not cover Cliff Parade and the stops along there which presumably get well used by holidaymakers in summer season

[Coast_Hopper]

Point taken but then it would not cover Cliff Parade and the stops along there which presumably get well used by holidaymakers in summer season

There would be no change for the Coast Hopper that would run the normal service, only services 34 and 35 would run along Cromer Road, I believe there is new houses going up in the area as well

[John Wakefield]

Again point taken, and something worth trying, the bus could than go down Clarence Road & Northgate (but that would need bus stops installing along Northgate), or go to the end of Clarence Road and join Cliff Parade. Trouble is with falling bus patronage UK wide, especially in rural areas,  operators are often loath to experiment with new routes. You say that lots of new houses are going up, but they will probably be taken up by wealthy people wanting to retire to Norfolk, these people wont get out of their cars and use buses.

[linkyyork]

Not forgetting the summer Road Train

[John Wakefield]

Not forgetting the summer Road Train

Interesting, does this qualify as a registered stage carriage service?  I cant see that Searles have an operating licence, so do you need one to operate a road train?  Is it open to the general public or only customers of Searles holiday camp?  https://www.searles.co.uk/facilities/outdoor/searles-land-train

The DVSA Regulations & Guidence for Land Trains file:///home/chronos/u-1b3f994dbffd55b37269bc0e031d641c7b729132/MyFiles/Downloads/VSO01%20(1).pdf

[linkyyork]

Very interesting point.
I certainly had'nt thought about it.
All I used to see were road train stop signs put out for it and I had assumed that it was for anyone as there seemed to be no checks.

[Coast_Hopper]

I thought it’s for anybody, sure it is

[TCD813]

Hi, John.

The link for the VCA document Guidance for LAND TRAIN applications and operation in your post, doesn't work.

Interesting, does this qualify as a registered stage carriage service?  I cant see that Searles have an operating licence, so do you need one to operate a road train?  Is it open to the general public or only customers of Searles holiday camp?  https://www.searles.co.uk/facilities/outdoor/searles-land-train

The DVSA Regulations & Guidence for Land Trains file:///home/chronos/u-1b3f994dbffd55b37269bc0e031d641c7b729132/MyFiles/Downloads/VSO01%20(1).pdf

After a lot of faffing about, I've managed to reconstruct a link from a Google redirect. See separate post, below.

[TCD813]

Heres the link for the VCA document Guidance for LAND TRAIN applications and operation (PDF).

Under “normal” circumstances Land Train combinations would not be permitted to operate on public roads as they would contravene in some cases, Regulations 16, 18 items 2 – 8 (braking), 83 (1) items 6 and 7 (number of trailers) and 90 (1) (carriage of passengers in trailers for hire or reward) of C&U. However, Land Train combinations may be permitted to operate on public roads provided that the operator has obtained a Vehicle Special Order (VSO) issued under section 44 of The Road Traffic Act 1988.
...

The view of the Department for Transport is that Land Trains are special purpose vehicles designed for low speed sightseeing operations on a specific itinerary which would not ordinarily be carried out by a passenger vehicle compliant with the regulations (e.g. it is not a traditional public service vehicle).

An Order would not be issued unless the proposed itinerary(ies) are for genuine tourist / sightseeing purposes. Consequently an application where a Land Train was intended to be used as part of a bus shuttle service or park and ride scheme would clearly not be accepted. For this reason where an itinerary includes, for example, one or more car parks and / or shopping areas, etc., it is likely that the Land train will only be permitted to operate in one direction between these locations.

Applicants are required to submit written approval from the local Police and Highway Authority* (e.g. Borough Council, etc.) that they have no objections to the vehicle running on the proposed tour. If either of these parties raises an objection a VSO would not be issued.

* For Sunny Hunny (aka Hunstanton – The Last Resort) this would be Norfolk Constabulary and Norfolk County Council.

[John Wakefield]

These Land Trains seem to be a bit of a grey area, particularly as it is operating on public roads and dropping off/picking up at bus stops, most operate on private grounds, theme parks etc.

[Coast_Hopper]

As it’s seasonal would Searles still have to have a licence/registered if they aren’t running the service

The question re worded does Searles have to surrender the licence during winter hence why it appears they don’t have one

[John Wakefield]

No an operators  licence is not seasonal so if they had one it would show on Gov.uk web site. https://www.vehicle-operator-licensing.service.gov.uk/search/find-lorry-bus-operators
Obviously from the Guidance notes it looks exempt from PSV licencing

[Coast_Hopper]

No an operators  licence is not seasonal so if they had one it would show on Gov.uk web site. https://www.vehicle-operator-licensing.service.gov.uk/search/find-lorry-bus-operators
Obviously from the Guidance notes it looks exempt from PSV licencing

When they recruit for it the driver needs a CPC licence according to the job adverts