Nail bar plans for bus waiting room

Bus users could be left out in the cold if plans for a nail bar next to Hertford bus station are approved.

Chase New Homes have applied for planning permission to enable a nail bar to open adjacent to the bus station in an area that was originally designated as a waiting room and cafe for bus passengers.

The application for change of use follows unsuccessful attempts to find an operator for the cafe.

Plans approved in 2020 include an area marked as 'bus waiting'. However, none of the other planning documents refer to this area, and there is no planning condition relating to provision of a waiting room or cafe. 

The bus station currently provides little shelter from the elements and no indoor waiting area or refreshment facilities. The public toilets have been closed since work started on the redevelpment of Bircherley Green.

Responding to the proposals, Castle Ward Councillor Rachel Carter commented: "I am objecting strongly to this change of use application. This property was originally to be the bus station waiting room. Then this was changed to a café with a bus station display board in it.

"As far as I am aware, there is no proposal to create a waiting room/café elsewhere on the site, so bus passengers would be forced to wait outside whatever the weather. This represents a significant worsening of facilities for passengers: before the development began there was a combined café/waiting room which was always busy.

"Given that there is so much traffic congestion in Hertford, the more that bus travel can be encouraged, the better. All the Councils have policies to encourage use of public transport, but this proposal seeks to make travelling by bus less attractive and will hurt those with poor health more, as they will be forced to wait outside in cold and wet weather. Most people are unlikely to want to have a manicure while waiting for a bus"

The planning application can be viewed on the District Council's website, where members of the public can comment on the proposals.

Chase New Homes has been approached for comment.