PLANS for a new bus station near Newport Market came in for criticism from a Labour councillor at a planning meeting.

Paul Hannon, councillor for Beechwood, said the ideal location for a new bus station will be at Newport railway station.

Newport council is planning to build a new nine stand terminal to support a 15 stand bus station in the Frairs Walk development, which replaces the much larger current facility with 26 stops.

Speaking at a Newport planning committee meeting looking into the plans, Councillor Hannon said most successful town centre developments start off with how people get in, and said he didn’t have enough information to know if it was an improvement, suggesting that it would result in the loss of five bus stands.

“The ideal bus station will be one at the railway station,” he said.

However councillor Jane Mudd, of Malpas, called for the development not to be delayed.

In the end councillors voted with officer recommendations for the plans to be decided on by an officer, subject to an archeological report.