AN 85-year-old man from Liss is waging war against motorists who park illegally in the village centre bus bay. Irate Peter Rawles told The Herald he was angry at the illegal parkers because buses could not pull off the road to collect passengers. He said he had been left stranded several times as buses drove straight past him. Mr Rawles, who is unable to walk far after a heart operation, moved to Liss two years ago after losing another battle over buses. He and his 85-year-old wife, Joan, who is losing her sight, were left without public transport at their Weybourne home near Farnham after the 38 bus was axed. "We used to travel to Liss regularly on the 38 to visit our daughter who suffers from MS. We totally relied on public transport and we couldn't get here anymore unless we got a bus to Haslemere, then a train and a taxi. "We moved to Liss because life had become just too difficult." He added: "Although we are near our daughter, we are cut off from the Farnham area because most of our friends rely on public transport too." The couple bought a bungalow just outside the village centre and now rely on the bus to take them into Liss for their shopping. But getting back on the bus in the centre of the village is not always plain sailing. When Mr and Mrs Rawles first arrived in Liss two years ago, they found it difficult to get back on the bus because it could not pull into the lay-by and bus drivers said they were not insured to pick up passengers from the road. "Once a kind bus driver stopped on the road for us although he said he was not supposed to, and my wife slipped and tore her leg. I was told I couldn't claim because the driver said he wasn't supposed to pick us up on the road. "There are occasions when the bus drives straight past us because of the cars and then we have to wait another hour or take a taxi which costs £10." Mr Rawles said: "I went to Penns Place and asked East Hampshire District Council to help me get "no parking" in the bus bay between 7-30 am and 7-30 pm outside Tesco." Shortly after his visit the bus bay was marked out with a broad yellow line denoting the bay and double yellow lines. In addition, there are two signs warning motorists not to park. But they continue to flout the law and Mr Rawles has vowed to battle on. He has called on police and traffic wardens to enforce the law and is not afraid to tackle offenders himself. "I have had a lot of abuse when I point out they are breaking the law but they don't care." Now Mr Rawles is asking EHDC to shorten the bus parking area so that two disabled motorists parking places can be added to the bay. In addition he wanted better signage, on the drivers' eye level, to be put up. "I won't give up," he told The Herald. "I'm not frightened by people. The stupid thing is that East Hampshire District Council is now giving pensioners free bus travel, but it's not being made easy for us to use the buses." Mr Rawles added: "I have spoken to the parish council, but nothing seems to have happened yet and I told them I would be taking advice on what to do next."
