COACH and bus companies are going to be contacted to see if they would like to sponsor bus shelters in Wellington.

Wellington Town Council is now responsible for the bus shelters in Wellington and Rockwell Green and has agreed to a three-year replacement and maintenance plan.

It was previously agreed to replace one bus shelter a year with a new one – starting with the bus shelter in Rockwell Green adjacent to the Italian restaurant. Year two will see the bus shelter replaced in Milverton Road opposite the One-Stop Shop and the following year a new shelter will be installed by St John’s Church in the High Street.

Maintenance work will also be carried out this year at the two bus shelters in the High Street – outside Casey Warren Hairdressers and the former Post Office.

Cllr Chris Penk, speaking at the council’s economic development committee on October 15, said: “The one outside the old post office is so busy – it’s not fit for purpose. Whatever we can do there has to be done.

“Perhaps we could ask bus and coach companies if they could give us some help?”

The council’s facilities manager, Annette Kirk, said: “It is something we are looking into.”

Cllr Keith Wheatley added: “The town centre bus shelters might not be the most shabbiest, but they are the most noteworthy. So I think we should do Rockwell Green and then look at the town centre ones.”

Councillors agreed to fund a new timetable case at the bus shelter outside Casey Warren hair salon in the High Street and to clean, rub down, repaint and include a new timetable case at the bus shelter outside the former post office, also in the High Street, at a cost of around £800. A further £7,700 will be spent on replacing the bus shelter at Rockwell Green.