AN MP will meet with managers of Tesco and the area's biggest bus company in the hope of resolving a stand-off over bus shelter facilities at a Lowestoft supermarket.

AN MP will meet with managers of Tesco and the area's biggest bus company in the hope of resolving a stand-off over bus shelter facilities at a Lowestoft supermarket.

A temporary bus stop was put in place near the Tesco store in Leisure Way last summer when the shelter in the main car park was declared out of bounds as building work got under way to expand the shop.

Waveney MP Bob Blizzard has been campaigning on behalf of bus users for the last six months to get something done so that shoppers are not left standing in the rain.

It was hoped that a section of land near the store would be leased to Suffolk County Council for a permanent shelter to be built, but those plans have been put on hold until Mr Blizzard meets managers from Tesco and the First Eastern Counties bus company on February 17.

The First Eastern Counties bus company has refused to let its vehicles drive into the main store car park since the expansion work because of safety fears caused by the new layout of parking spaces.

Mr Blizzard said: 'It is simply wrong that shoppers, many of whom are elderly, should have to haul their shopping across a large car park and then up steps to wait in the wind a rain for a bus to come. I've tried it myself and it's miserable.'

First Eastern Counties' marketing and communications manager Gussy Alamein said: 'The safety of our passengers, employees and the public is the number one priority for First. We would be delighted to reinstate our services into the Tesco car park but, unfortunately, the car park remains an unsafe environment for the manoeuvring of our buses.'

Nick Gellatly, Tesco's corporate affairs manager for the East of England, said: 'From our perspective, we want people to be able to access the bus service conveniently and safely. We are happy to work with Mr Blizzard to address this issue and we hope we can reach a solution.'