New Wolverhampton bus station taking shape

With its gleaming white rooftops and curved, modern building that will be home to shops and a restaurant, Wolverhampton's bus station is a far cry from the crumbling monstrosity which closed more than seven months ago.

These new pictures show that work is progressing as planned for the new £22.5million station to be open next summer, with two of the three gleaming white roofs of the shelters now in place.

Drivers using Ring Road St David's are still being forced into one lane during the day and must observe a 20mph limit while work goes on to create a new entrance and exit for buses and two dedicated lanes.

Being restored to its former splendour is the Queen's Building, which has stood on the site since 1849 and most recently was an entrance to the old bus station.

Developer Neptune wants to attract top name restaurants or a coffee shop to attract the passengers and those arriving in Wolverhampton for entertainment and shopping. The curved two-floor building next to it could also become shops or a leisure complex.

The bus station will have 19 stands for buses and two along Pipers Row for coaches and will cater for up to 200 services an hour. A total of 43 CCTV cameras will be in place.

Passengers will no longer have to cross in front of buses using zebra crossings as they did at the old station.

Instead, the W-shaped building will keep them inside at all times.

Two of the three rooftops are now complete, and the last skeletal structure has been put on the site of the former Pipers Row House, which used to be a trade union office and a Spar shop and was demolished earlier this year.