New bus station continues to take shape

Over the coming months work will start to take shape for Gloucester’s new £7.5million bus station in the heart of the city centre. 

In April the works on the major junction changes that will pave the way for the delivery of the new bus station will start.

Whilst Gloucester City Council are managing the regeneration of the new bus station, the county council is responsible for the roads surrounding it. Some of the changes to the road layout will include relocating pedestrian crossings and alterations to bus lanes. Further works include:

• A new junction between Station Road and Bruton Way
• Changes to the access for the NCP car park
• Alterations to Bruton Way
• Minor alterations to parking, taxi provision and drop off locations

In April work will start works to reopen the Station Road junction.  Work will then progress over approximately nine months, in three phases to accommodate major utility diversions.

Spades will hit the ground for the bus station itself this Autumn. Contractors, Kier, are due on site to start clearing the area and preparing the ground for the bus station’s foundations and underground drainage.

Speaking about the highways work, Cllr Vernon Smith cabinet member for highways at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “The new bus station will play an integral part in the future of Gloucester. It will be bright, modern and welcoming to those who travel through it. These changes to the road surrounding will help make the station easily accessible.”

Cllr Paul James, leader of Gloucester City Council and cabinet member for regeneration, said: “I know there has been some comment about the lack of visible activity at the bus station site over the last few months.  But behind the scenes both councils have been working hard on the detail of the highway changes and now we will start to see the outcome of that work.

“Whilst this is good news and represents real progress, we do recognise there will be disruption.  We are, of course, mindful of the inconvenience this will cause in the short term but ask people to bear with us.  It will be worth it once the new bus station is up and running.”

With major road work schemes such as these there will be some disruption to traffic and bus services. Full up dates will be provided on the city council’s website and by bus operator Stagecoach.

Gloucester News Centre – http://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk