Work starts on £500,000 coach stop for Wolverhampton city centre

The new Wolverhampton Coach Link is being created in Bilston Street and will make use of the now redundant side of the St George's Metro stop.

Council bosses hope the new stop will bring an end to months of traffic misery in nearby Pipers Row, where a new stop for the planned extension of the Metro is planned outside the bus station.

Drivers have faced congestion outside the station where buses and coaches have been blocking the road during the morning and evening rush hours as they set down and pick up passengers.

The coach stop is due to be completed by April.

While they take place, a road closure is in force on Bilston Street.

Deputy council leader, Councillor Peter Bilson, said: "The start of work on the coach link further strengthens the progress that is being made on the Interchange project.

"Phase one saw a new bus station delivered. Phase two has already seen i10 open its doors and the demolition of the former Steam Mill completed.

"Work will soon begin on redeveloping the railway station car park, doubling the number of parking spaces to 900.

"The coach link will not only help ease traffic congestion on Pipers Row - but will deliver a facility befitting of the new Interchange."

The coach link has been funded by a grant from the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership.

The scheme will involve some highway alterations at the surrounding junctions to accommodate the movement of the coaches.

Coach services will approach the facility from the Ring Road/Bilston Street Island and make their way via St George's Parade and Garrick Street to the link.

Coach services will therefore not need to drive through the busy central area of Pipers Row, Queen Street and Market Street.

The massive Interchange scheme is completely revamping the city centre.

The first phase saw the new bus station, access improvements to the railway station, the creation of the Victoria Square and the refurbishment of the Queen's Building, and was completed in 2012.

Work is also underway on the revamp of Wolverhampton train station.

The transformation will start with the multi-storey car park, which see its number of spaces double to 900. The second stage will be to connect the tram line to the train station and build a new stop at the site.