I WAS interested in the letters about the bus station in last week's County Gazette from Philip Bisatt, Thurza, and Cos App (Postbag, December 26), as well as David Redgewell of South West Public Transport Network on page 6.

During the Great Western ‘exhibition’ about the plans for the work to the rail station in November 2018, I met a representative there of First Bus, and by chance, Councillor Simon Coles.

Both were keen on connecting the rail and bus stations as well as the two park and ride facilities.

This seems to be a must - a bus station as near to the town centre as the present one.

A bus station at Firepool is too far from the centre - 0.6 miles as against 0.1 miles at present.

Town centre street stops are unacceptable for the reasons others have said.

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I proposed a solution in a subsequent email to various people; that is the provision of a very light (footway type loading) and very frequent automatic guided separated tramway - i.e. pods holding about 10-15 people running at slow speed alongside a cycle/pedestrian way.

However, this needs to be integrated into the Firepool plans by leaving space for it within both Firepool and Coal Orchard.

Such a tramway does not yet seem to have been used in town centres - but there are adaptable precedents around e.g. in Birmingham and Amsterdam airports.

No such transport width has been allowed as indicated in the Firepool plans.

It also needs to cross various roads - ideally grade separated. More traffic lights would be a disaster!

This would provide an acceptable link between rail and a revamped bus stations - where additionally - at the latter, the lack of footway along the north side, better waiting/cafe facilities and no 'dropping of' facilities was addressed.

STEVE SMITH