£6.4m interchange is a step closer
A project to transform a Black Country town's ailing bus station – setting the regeneration of the town in motion – has moved a step closer to reality.
A project to transform a Black Country town's ailing bus station – setting the regeneration of the town in motion – has moved a step closer to reality.
Centro has submitted detailed designs for the £6.4million scheme for Stourbridge bus station, which, if approved, could be ready for passengers in 2011.
Dudley Council will consider the plans in the coming months with a decision expected to be made in November.
The new interchange will have buildings, shelters and electronic displays and will be a blueprint for all future station developments in the region.
If approved an entirely new building will be constructed housing a concourse, shop, electronic information boards and toilets. The shop would be used to provide passenger information and tickets. A walkway covered with a canopy will be created as an entrance to the new station linking the main building with the existing Foster Street subway.
The subway itself will also be completly revamped to make it more open and bright.
Eight new bus stands are to be constructed. These will be enclosed with doors which open for passengers when their bus arrives. There will also be an additional stop on Vauxhall Road allowing an easy change over between buses and the nearby Stourbridge town station.
CCTV, help points and a public address system will also form part of the scheme. The station will also be officially renamed Stourbridge Interchange. Improvement works were originally expected to begin at the site this year with costs estimated to be £2.5m. But Centro decided to delay the scheme so the plans could be looked at again under the recently approved Transforming Bus Travel document.
Cabinet member for transport on Dudley Council and lead member for Dudley at Centro Councillor Angus Adams has previously said that the revamped station would "put the town on the map as a place to visit" and "put the West Midlands on the map as a place for world class transport facilities."
Meanwhile, Wolverhampton's bus station is set to be demolished in October to pave the way for a £174 million overhaul of the city's bus and train stations. Pipers Row House, home to a Spar shop, accountants and a recruitment company, is also to be flattened.
A new two-storey building to replace Pipers Row House will contain 16,000 sq ft of floor space including a cafe, restaurant, travel shop, retail outlets and office space.
The new bus station featuring 19 stands will be designed so passengers do not have to cross any traffic lanes, while the travel shop will give live information on bus, train and Metro tram services.
Broad Street car park will be used as a temporary bus station during the construction work, reducing it from 300 to 229 spaces.
