Screens in £7M bus station impossible to read

A bus station which opened in Chatham less than 5 years ago has come under fire from residents, after it was discovered that the information screens are unable to be used in sunny weather. Medway Lib Dems have been talking to the council on behalf of local residents in order to help solve the problem.

Chatham Waterfront bus station, which is used by over 1000 buses every day, replaced the old bus station at the Pentagon Shopping Centre as part of the regeneration of the town. When it was first opened in 2011, there was some criticism from residents, who felt that it had been a waste of money, with some saying it made the journey more difficult for people with disabilities. Now, a new issue has been observed by residents - that the information screens are rendered useless in sunny weather and on light summer evenings, due to the glare created on the screens. When the information centre is closed (after 6pm on weekdays, 5pm on Saturdays and all day on Sundays) residents have no option but to struggle, or else try and find detail themselves, for example on their smartphones - something which might not be possible for elderly residents or those who cannot afford the technology.

Medway Liberal Democrats, who raised the issue with the council on behalf of residents, say that the council need to take concrete action to solve the problem. "We've spoken to the council, and they have told us they are 'investigating how to overcome it'," says Medway Lib Dem Chairman John Castle.
"But that doesn't help residents who are struggling now - the council need to take action to find and implement a solution as soon as possible."

Solutions in other areas for similar problems have included using e-paper screens, similar to the screen on a Kindle.

John says councillors need to better understand the issues that people can face on a daily basis when using public transport. "Councillors and procurement officers should consider using public transport more often themselves, as well as consulting with residents. Everyday problems like this are important to the local community and need to dealt with efficiently and effectively."

The Medway Messenger article was print on 12th August 2016.