Businesses located in the area of Coventry’s Showcase Bus Scheme have been offered a glimmer of hope after the council decided not to make the scheme permanent.

The route operates from the city centre along Foleshill Road, Longford Road and Bedworth Road and was introduced a year ago despite fierce objection from residents.

The Environmental and Transportation Executive Panel met to discuss whether to make the scheme permanent, and they have decided to continue it on a trial basis for a further six months.

Arati Panchmatia, owner of the Foleshill Road Post Office, is hoping that the objectors are finally being heard.

She said:

"This is more hopeful for us because there is a new chair on the committee and it seems like we are having our opinion heard at last.

"My shop is on the Foleshill Road and I estimate that I have lost 25% of business since this scheme has been running.

"The shops in this area stretch for about 200 yards, yet already two of them have closed down because their business has been so badly affected.

"The bus lane means that nobody can park up, so there is no chance of passing trade, and for a Post Office it is absolutely ridiculous that the council expects my customers to park in a side-road round the corner.

"We have elderly and disabled people collecting money and others doing their banking and if they cannot park outside they will just go elsewhere."

Coventry City Council has been pleased with the response to the scheme from bus users and Roger Panter, team leader of traffic design believes they will use the next six months to solve any remaining problems.

He said:

"Technically the scheme is working well, with things like transponders on the buses which give them priority at traffic lights.

"The whole idea was to increase usage of the buses and that has been achieved. At the committee meeting yesterday the only reason it wasn’t given permanent status was because of the problems with residents.

"Hopefully in the next six months these can all be ironed out."