Warwick Bus Station opens
The first passengers have climbed on board the buses at Warwick’s all new bus station thanks to works being completed weeks ahead of schedule.
At midday yesterday the bus station opened to the public, and crowds of people were waiting to make use of the new and improved facilities.
Graeme Fitton, Warwickshire County Council’s Head of Transport and Highways addressed dignitaries, including the Chair of the county council Cllr Marion Haywood, ahead of the public opening.
He said: “One of the key aims of the bus station was to recognise that bus travel is not just about the experience on the bus, we need to make the whole process more comfortable and that means improved waiting facilities.”
When work got underway on the new bus station in early June the plan was to complete the development by December, but the bus station opened weeks ahead of schedule.
Mike Morgan, Store Manager at Marks and Spencer Warwick, welcomed the arrival of the new bus station and with it the adjacent car park, saying: “I’m delighted that the car park is open again. This will make it easier for our customers to park in town and do their shopping.”
The new bus station was built by contractors McVeigh Construction on West Gate Car Park in Warwick town centre, offering greatly improved facilities for passengers and will mean that buses no longer have to do a loop through the town.
Detailed testing has been carried out at the site over the last two weeks to ensure the buses can negotiate the new bus station safely, and even working with a local group with mobility problems to ensure they can access the buses.
Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “I’m delighted to see the efforts undertaken to ensure this project was completed so far ahead of schedule. These new facilities will bring tremendous environmental benefits to Warwick, getting buses out of the immediate town centre.
“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 experience for passengers and improve the efficiency of the bus operations in the town centre.”
For more information visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/warwickbusstation