“Inadequate” lighting is putting Sainbury’s customers’ lives at risk, according to a shopper.
Lisa Pattenden, who regularly takes the bus to get to the chain’s Beckton store, says that while the front of the shop is bathed in light 24/7, the bus stop round the side is plunged into darkness after sunset.
“It is really a pain because when you get off the bus there is no light at all,” she said. “I have heard quite a few pensioners get off the bus and say ‘if I fell and broke my hip here, no-one would notice’ so usually I offer to walk with them.
“Surely it is a safety issue and it needs to be looked at? Normally I have my headphones in wherever I go but I keep them off when I am there.”
Lisa, who lives in Gallion Reach, has approached the managers at the Claps Gate Lane store twice but was not given any assurance that the situation would change.
East Ham MP Stephen Timms agreed to write a letter to Sainsbury’s outgoing chief executive Justin King urging him to rectify the current situation after being contacted by Lisa, 45.
When contacted by the Recorder yesterday, a spokesman for Sainsbury’s agreed to improve the lighting at the bus stop “as quickly as possible”.
Lighting contractors visited the site to agree the best solution and street lights by the bus stop will be turned on from now onwards.
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