Bude-Stratton Town Council received a letter from a concerned member of the public, that was read out during the full council meeting on November 7 and ignited discussions around a particularly ‘dangerous’ plot of land within the town.

The matter, regarding the Morwenna Triangle — a patch of land opposite the town’s Sainsbury’s — was also featured on the council’s agenda as the town council wished to make a non-binding proposal to the owners of the land at Morwenna Triangle to pass into the ownership BSTC in perpetuity for the people of Bude-Stratton parish.

The plot of land has been a talking point on the council for a number of years, as it has been dubbed as being ‘dangerous’ due to it being an unsheltered bus stop, which is used by residents traveling to use the adjacent supermarket. However the council has faced difficulty in contacting the owners.

The letter brought some examples of how ‘dangerous’ the bus stop could be. It read: “The step-off area is a very muddy, slippery and badly sloping grassy bank, and several times recently I have had to help elderly people off the bus and let them cling on to me while the bus moves away. Then I have to help them slither off the bank to enable them to cross the road.

“One elderly lady told me that she, ‘dreads getting off the bus here,’ but she has to as she can’t walk far.”

The letter went on to appeal to the council for them to remedy the potential ‘life-threatening problem’ as soon as possible.

The town council has been in contact with the various land owners in an attempt to resolve the issue brought to their attention.

The reason it has taken so long was the task of identifying each of the different land owners. Now that has been achieved, the council is in the process of going through the process of changing the site so that it could be more acceptable and ‘easier on the eye’.

Chair of the council meeting, mayor Cllr Bob Willingham said: “The names are not to be given out in public. One owner doesn’t wish to give up ownership but they are willing to give permission for a bus stop and how it is better managed.”

Cllr Peter La Broy explained how both the environment and the elderly could benefit from a change. He said: “I am in support of this as it specifically does a number of positive things for the town centre.

“It has been on and off the agenda for as long as I’ve been a member of this council.

“The bus stop outside Sainsbury’s is dangerous. The bus drives away and the elderly will have to cross the road.

“To have a proper formal built bus stop will make a difference to elderly users using the buses.

“It will make the area tidier and it will be a nice opportunity for biodiversity. The environment committee could be tasked to enhance the area better for the town and better for the environment.”