An Ardrossan woman has expressed her disappointment because she won’t be able to receive transport to the charity shop where she volunteers three times a week.

Wilma Hendry, who has mobility problems due to an anuerysm, volunteers on a Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at the Age Scotland shop in Saltcoats Dockhead Street and has done so for the past five years.

Up until a couple of weeks ago Wilma would be dropped off and picked up at the shop door by the ‘MyBus’ service which is provided by North Ayrshire Council.

The fact that Dockhead Street is a pedestrian walk way did not seem to stop the small buses from travelling to the shop but the drivers have suddenly been made aware of this and now Wilma has to walk from the Post Office at the top of the road and back up there when she is finished her shift which she says is very difficult to do: “I am very disappointed. It is very difficult for me to get to the shop and it is near impossible in the winter, on a day like today (Thursday) it would have been impossible for me to walk to work. I’m now going to have to look at it day by day to see if I’ll be able to get in.” A spokesman for North Ayrshire Police said: “There are restrictions in place to reduce the number of vehicles using the pedestrianised area of Dockhead Street, Saltcoats with the safety of pedestrians using the area a key consideration. Those with a requirement to access the street should contact North Ayrshire Council to ensure that they have the relevant permissions or permit.” Wilma added: “I am not pleased about the situation but I can’t do anyting about it. I am not going to be put off by it. It won’t stop me from volunteering if I can help it.” A spokesperson for North Ayrshire Council explained that cars displaying a blue badge are exempt from the traffic order banning vehicles from Dockhead Street. This exemption does not extend to buses and we have no current proposals to alter this. The council appreciate the situation and point out that there are adjacent points which are accessible to the MyBus and are closer to Age Scotland - for example, the car park between Dockhead Street and Vernon Street .

A spokesman for SPT, the company who run the MyBus service said: “MyBus drivers always try to drop customers off as close to their destination as possible. SPT has been advised by local police that Dockhead Street is designated a pedestrian precinct and we cannot take the bus there. As a result, we have found another suitable drop-off point close by.

“SPT is committed to helping people access public transport and will continue to work with partner organisations to make sure customers get to where they need to.” For the full story see this week's Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald.