Bus Shelters

Bus Services

The first scheduled bus service through Steeple Morden was in 1924 and included in the Sale Particulars for The Priory, Church Street in 1929 was the statement “There are occasional services of Motor Omnibuses from the Village to Royston and to London”. From the 1930s to the 1970s buses were essential and reliable transport for villagers for shopping trips, schoolchildren to get to Royston or Cambridge and workers employed in nearby towns.

As more people owned cars, demand for buses reduced and services were axed. The Parish Council, though, was still actively building bus shelters in the late 1970s and early 80s, although by then some suggested cynically that in view of the savage cut in services, the shelters should have a plaque attached to explain their purpose and perhaps how to recognise a bus when you saw one. Despite that doom and gloom stance, the village is still served in 2025 by a regular, although very limited, service to Royston.

Bus Shelters

The recollections of Linda Smith nee Jarman in 2025: “If my memory serves me correctly the first bus shelter was built by my father Maurice Jarman in the mid 1950’s. It was opposite the house that stands on the corner of the road leading to The Green, it was a timber frame covered in corrugated iron and stood for many many years. It was built as a shelter for me and others catching the bus which in those days ran from Hitchin to Cambridge. Although it was public transport in was mainly used for the children that went to St Mary’s Park school in Royston and those who attended the Grammar school in Cambridge as well as the Shrubbery school, the Perse and the County High school for girls. We filled the bus every day picking up in all villages on the way to Cambridge with return journey in the evening. So my school day started with catching the bus from the age of 4 1/2 at 7.30 in the morning and arriving back home at 5.30 in the evening, a very long day, when you consider the hours they do these days. I am sure there are still a few of my old travelling companions who will remember the journey fondly or maybe not…..”

It is not recorded when the shelter recalled by Linda was taken down. Today there remain three bus shelters in the village. Two are in Hay Street, both on the east side. One to the south sits between Nos 20 and 24 Hay Street, where the small lane emerges from Russell End and Close. The other to the north is outside Franklins Farm, also known as Greenman Farm. The third is on the north side of Litlington Road not far from the junction with The Green.

The Parish Council paid for the erection of the Shelters and remains the owner, with responsibility for maintenance. Each shelter stands on the grass verge forming part of the highway, which is the responsibility of the Highway Authority; the Cambridgeshire County Council. The siting would have been with the agreement of the Highway Authority, granted presumably by licence, rather than formal lease.