Fairstead's new bus shelter to serve elderly residents after Norfolk Parish Partnerships Scheme bid

A new bus shelter has been installed which will benefit residents at a retirement housing development on the outskirts of Lynn.

Thanks to the county council's Parish Partnerships Scheme funding, the new shelter has been opened on William Booth Road, opposite Minster Court, on the Fairstead Estate.

West Norfolk councillor Margaret Wilkinson, who represents the Fairstead ward, said the shelter has been set up for elderly residents who only have to walk across the road to access the service.

The councillor visited the shelter on Thursday to check it was suitable, despite the wet weather.

She said: "The residents are happy. One or two said there were no sides, but on the whole, the majority were very happy about it.

"It's good for the tenants as some are still mobile and living independently in the units so it allows them to get out more rather than being stuck inside. The opportunity came up through the Parish Partnerships and we could put in a bid for our own areas, so I decided to put in for the bus shelter."

The buses will run from 7am with 15-20 minute intervals up to 6.30pm, when they will then be every 30 minutes.

Each year local councils are invited to submit bids for highway improvement schemes through the Parish Partnerships Scheme.

For 2020/21 the fund is £350,000 with the county council funding 50 per cent of the cost of successful bids.