Warwickshire News Mine

When work got underway on the new bus station in early June the plan was to complete the development by December.

However, the early completion of archaeological works, combined with a shifting of some of the other workings, means the bus station could now be operational by the end of October.

The archaeological works are now complete and made some fascinating discoveries, ranging from Neolithic pits containing worked flints and some decorated pottery, dating back about 5,000 years and associated with the settlement known from previous excavations, through to the foundations of the old Mulberry Tree pub.

Other highlights include:
* Several medieval occupation layers alongside Market Street (which was one of the original streets of the medieval town, and until the early 1800s known as Wall Dyke).
* An area of street surface dating to the 1600s laid over the former town ditch after the defences had fallen out of use (now several feet below the surface of the existing highway).
* Several large rubbish pits dating from the 1700s and 1800s.
* A mass of clay tobacco pipe dating to the mid 1800s together with fragments of the kiln in which they were made.
* The former line of Market Street and the foundations (mostly sandstone) of several of the buildings that once lined both sides before they were demolished in the 1960s.

An exhibition is also now underway at the Market Hall Museum in Warwick, displaying some of the archaeological finds from the first excavations of the original development in the 1960s.

This dig discovered objects such as 6,000-year-old fragments of pottery, and even a silver penny of King Cnut (or Canute), who ruled England in the 11th century.

It is hoped that this exhibition could be expanded in the future to include the latest finds, which are still with the experts.

The new bus station is being built by contractors McVeigh Construction on West Gate Car Park in Warwick town centre, and will mean that buses no longer have to do a loop through the town.

Motorists are being warned that as part of Phase 3 of the works Puckerings Lane will be closed for a week from September 1, and Market Street will be closed for a week from September 22.

Coinciding with the works on the bus station is the introduction of Warwick’s new Variable Messaging Sign (VMS) Scheme. This is similar to the one operating in Stratford upon Avon where electronic message boards announce to drivers how many spaces are available in town centre car parks. In total four VMS signs will be erected on roads leading into the town centre.

The aim is to guide motorists heading into Warwick and Leamington with the new hi-tech traffic signs to the most convenient off-street parking space.  Building on existing technology, the new equipment will provide drivers visiting both town centres with up to the minute information on where they can find a car park space.

This will make finding a suitable off-street parking space easy as well as reducing congestion on the roads and reducing journey times.

During construction of the transport interchange, the bus stops in Market Street and Puckering’s Lane will be out of use.

They have been replaced by temporary bus stops. For anyone travelling towards Woodloes, Leamington, Kenilworth, Coventry or Solihull, the bus stop is in Bowling Green Street almost directly opposite Market Street.

For anyone travelling towards Wellesbourne, Stratford, Hampton Magna or Hatton Park, the bus stop is located in Theatre Street almost opposite the junction with Cocksparrow Street near the foot of the steps leading down from Market Square.

This is the same bus stop which is utilised when The Mop Festival was being held at the Westgate Car Park. 

Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “There have been some fascinating finds on this site, and I’m extremely pleased to hear that at this stage developments are running ahead of schedule. This project will bring tremendous environmental benefits to Warwick, getting buses out of the immediate town centre.

“The position of the new bus station will make bus travel easier, and therefore provide a more attractive alternative to the car. It will also provide a more comfortable interchange for passengers and improve the efficiency of the bus operations in the town centre.”

Link to WCC