Gran's road rage

Published 12 Nov 2009 09:00 Comments 1 Comment

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AN ACTIVIST great gran has hit out at local councillors for 'hijacking' her bus stop campaign.

Mary Smith, 74, launched a determined battle to get a 'dangerous' bus stop moved by setting up a petition which received more than 300 signatures.

Labour Councillors Alex Murrin, Mary Fee and Eddie Grady also support the move, claiming in last week's Gazette that the bus stop's location at 55 Hairst, Renfrew is causing problems for drivers, buses and pedestrians.

Now Mary is angry at the councillors claiming they implied that they had initiated the campaign themselves - even though she was the one to organise the petition and then appear before the Petitions Board.

She blasted: "I feel as though they're trying to score political points here because they didn't seem to be too concerned before about the bus stop - but now that the campaign's coming together, they're up saying their piece about it."

"I'm just disgusted with them. To me, this is a domestic concern and it's not about politics, it's about the concerns of the community and the safety of the people."

Mary, who is from Sandy Road, Renfrew, uses the problematic bus stop herself and decided on the petition after hearing people complain about it.

She said: "People talk, saying this and that should happen, but they don't do anything about it. I just thought I need to do something about it and thought of a petition - let their voice be heard that way.

"I stood at the bus stop for quite a while and talked to people and listened to what they were saying. I got my facts straight before going down the road of getting the petition."

She added: "We want the bus stop to be in a place where buses can come in and pick people up safely and get back into the traffic again, so it can still flow.

"In the meantime, the bus stop's location is just causing a backlog of traffic. It's dangerous for people running into the middle of the road to catch buses. I'e actually witnessed a couple people nearly getting knocked down."

Councillor Alex Murrin said: "I support Mary's campaign 100 per cent and wouldn't say I was hijacking it. I've gone on the record about how they seem reluctant to move the roundabout as well. It's not just the bus stop, there are other problems surrounding this. I have been on at the Roads Department about this for years.

"I'm only responding to my constituents' concerns and I want to raise any problems that affect them."

Mary added: "I've been in front of the petitions board - it's looking good, they're taking on board what I have to say. They're going to be contacting people concerned like shopkeepers and drivers."

This article appeared in The Gazette 11 Nov 09

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william brown
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Apr 9, 09:38
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well i am a driver and i think the whole

traffic thing in renfrew is a big joke

for me to get to moorpark or to go to paisley i have to go from renfield street. up the high street then go up sandy road then down broadloan and if i am going to paisley i stay on sandy road and when i am coming back home again i come down sandy road go up queen street then go up the side of the hole in the wall pub to get back home again because the traffic is so bad.. i have to do that everyday.in renfrew you dont get 1 bus they come in 4 or 6 at a time.

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