£48 million interchange plans move a step closer
9:20am Wednesday 12th September 2012 in News
£48 million interchange plans move a step closer
BOLTON’S new £48 million transport interchange has moved a step closer to becoming a reality after town hall chiefs were given power to buy the land needed to build it.
Following a two-day public inquiry in the summer, the government has granted a compulsory purchase order (CPO) enabling the council to force landowners and tenants to sell-up.
Council bosses are still in negotiation with some of the businesses on the site and say they will only use the CPO as a last resort.
A section of land around Newport Street would be demolished and redeveloped if the plans go ahead, to make way for a futuristic-looking new integrated bus and train interchange.
A new artist's impression picture has been released showing the glass-panelled interior of the hub would look.
Full planning permission has already been granted for the transport hub, which is due to open by spring, 2015.
It will include a high level pedestrian bridge between the train and bus station, as well as eco-friendly power-saving schemes and a cycle station.
Some of its “green” features include rainwater recycling, solar panels, air source heat pumps and low energy LED lighting.
The cycle station will include showers, changing cubicles and secure parking for bikes to encourage people to ride into the town centre.
The council says the project will provide better bus and rail links services, as well as improved waiting areas, passenger facilities, accessibility, information, and safety and security.
Leader of Bolton Council , Cllr Cliff Morris, said: “Having the approval means that we can compulsorily purchase the land but we would only use the CPO as a last resort.
“We will still strive to complete negotiations without using it whilst continuing to support and assist the affected businesses where possible to relocate elsewhere within the town centre.”
Keith Davies, the council’s head of development and regeneration, said: “This scheme is a key part of our revised economic strategy.
“It is at the heart of our town centre regeneration plans. A 21st century transport hub will help attract inward investment and secure the type of town centre properties that can provide economic growth.”
Businessman Tasos Patichis, owner of the Olympus restaurant in nearby Great Moor Street, welcomed the news.
He said: “We’re competing with places like Bury and the Trafford Centre, which all have good infrastructure.
“Visitors’ first impressions really matter and the Newport Street area has deteriorated quite a lot.”
Brian Tetlow, chairman of Bolton Civic Trust, said the plans were wasteful and counter-productive, however.
He said: “A lot of people have made representations about this. This is a big idea which ignores the interests of other people in the area.
“The cost is counterproductive, it’s not going to be a convenience to the travelling public as claimed and it will upset the balance of the town centre.
“Nearby buildings shouldn’t need to be demolished because the new transport interchange represents an investment.”
Transport for Greater Manchester is working with the council on the project to ensure the town centre can be easily accessed by bus.
A strategy will also be developed to signpost pedestrian routes to areas of the interchange and the town centre, including the market.
Comments(19)
William2701
says...
12:56pm Wed 12 Sep 12
The Council has in the past opposed the closure of Sub Post Offices in the town. In one of the buildings to be bulldozed is a Sub Post Office. If it cannot relocate then it closes!
gladrill
says...
1:34pm Wed 12 Sep 12
Undetectableman
says...
2:13pm Wed 12 Sep 12
Horwich Observer
says...
2:34pm Wed 12 Sep 12
Will the transport system be any better? More train carriages? More bus routes? I doubt it!
That is what is needed.
harry white2
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3:15pm Wed 12 Sep 12
Reality50
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3:46pm Wed 12 Sep 12
before and after garden servies
says...
8:21pm Wed 12 Sep 12
alecfranco
says...
5:22am Thu 13 Sep 12
alecfranco
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5:23am Thu 13 Sep 12
BWFC71
says...
12:31pm Thu 13 Sep 12
harry white2 wrote:How would people for Blackburn and Darwen get to Bolton Market if that happened?
keep bus station.build a second railway station near moor lane which would be ideal for market and university.ofcourse this will never happen
BWFC71
says...
12:42pm Thu 13 Sep 12
Majority of bus routes are operated by private bus companies who can set their own timetables and routes. They do not have to, and many don't, rely on other public forms of transport. TfGM has, basically, no say in what and where these bus companies operate. The useless bus station is being built with funds from Bolton Council (how can that be when they are supposedly looking for cuts) and from TfGM (funnily enough money from them is collected by the 10 local authorities of Greater Manchester through the Council tax!!!). Only time when TfGM has a say in routes and timetables are when routes are subsidised such as the majority of evening and Sunday services but they leave teh timetabling and prices to the individual bus companies.
My proposition for teh interchange would have cost much less than the 48 million, as proposed at moment but will undoubtedly increase. It would have involved closing Newport Street to all traffic except buses. CPO (or buy at decent price) all buidlings on the station side of the bridge (i.e. after the Bolton Gate!) and build a decent size bus staion there, basically from teh back end of Morrisons to the station itself - this would involved, yet again, re-arranging the current interchange so that taxis no longer go there - taxis would then have the Trinity Street side to park up and wait for passaengers whilst the unused bus stop across the road from the station could become part of a increased pick-up/drop-off for everyone else. My proposition would mean that there would be no walk-bridge to be built and most of the bus staion would be undercover. Also there would be stops, as currently, at lower end of Newport street for through bus routes (such as 501) and other services. It would mean a bigger bus station then what being currently planned, for less than current cost and all transport facilities would be in one place rather than having a wlak from one to the other via a covered walkway!
andy_88
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7:41pm Thu 13 Sep 12
Xjbonex
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12:09am Sun 16 Sep 12
grimtown
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3:37pm Mon 17 Sep 12
grimtown
says...
3:45pm Mon 17 Sep 12
Like the rest of the horded regeneragtion sites unsold and uncompleted looking slightly like Belfast in the 70's.
Not really seen any clean new bus rolling stock in 20 years in the town most are running empty due to the high fares and unclean foors seats and windows.
The line between Bolton and Manchester is an eyesore and does not really advertise Bolton in a good light.
ablueroom
says...
12:38am Tue 18 Sep 12
Xjbonex wrote:Perhaps if you had attended school and bothered to learn the Queen's English - you wouldn't be in the predicament you now find yourself in. I don't particularly agree with the Interchange, but neither do I agree that it should be discarded so that the illiterate can be kept in employment. The project will keep educated Architects, Engineers and Technicians in work; i.e. the people that took the trouble to get their qualifications. So whilst I doubt its commercial merit, I welcome the project for the security it will bring to the families of the workers delivering the development.
I'm all for this new interchange, but people like me who work on Newport street will probably end up losing my job, it's ok saying we are going to do this and do that, but what about us who will end up jobless n probably won't be able to find a new job that fits in with my 3year olds school time! Their is a lot of people's lives that are going to get messed up over this new interchange, so for me I don't agree with it!
BWFC71
says...
3:55pm Tue 18 Sep 12
grimtown wrote:Northern Train's contract with the DfT specifies that the company does not rent new rolling stock - that is something the Government, at the time, specified as they believed that the area, and teh franchise, would have enough stock.. Therefore, to be fair, it is not Northern Rail (or more specifically Nederlands Spoorwegen) that are at fault but the government in charge at the DfT (in this case it was Labour). Also franchises are not allowed to own rolling stock - they can only rent it.
Once meet a junior customer service analyst from Northern Trains,still proudly sporting his coporate badge. On the cattle train to Bromley Cross asked a few question all with corporate responses. Excellent the lad will go to the top I'm sure. Because the train was filthy both inside and out most people where standing. To make it worst I'd been on a Swiss train 4 hrs earlier what a contrast, thought I'd landed in new dehli " mind you they probably have cleaner excuses for theres"
BWFC71
says...
4:01pm Tue 18 Sep 12
grimtown wrote:The state of the buses and the "new" buses are of no concern to TfGM as they do not own 99.9% of the buses. Teh buses are owned by the private bus companies and can be allowed to be up to 15 years old, and older is some cases. School buses which are under contract to TfGM have a maximum age limit of 8 years old.
Ask the council what will happen to the old bus station. Waste land for re development wwwwwhhooooo nnnowwws when ? Like the rest of the horded regeneragtion sites unsold and uncompleted looking slightly like Belfast in the 70's. Not really seen any clean new bus rolling stock in 20 years in the town most are running empty due to the high fares and unclean foors seats and windows. The line between Bolton and Manchester is an eyesore and does not really advertise Bolton in a good light.
There are new buses in Bolton, you just need to look more carefully. TfGM bought quite q few midi-length hybrid buses to be used on TfGM contract services only - and many of them are on hire to Maytree until they either lose teh contract at the next franchise round, or the TfGM decide that the franchised route is not worth the money to operate. First's new buses are mainly concentrated on the 8, 36, 37, 582 routes!
But remember 80% of all bus services in Bolton are operated on a commercial basis (i.e. with no financial/franchise help from the TfGM) - but 95% of all services operated in evenings and Sundays are contracted out hence reason why a different bus company runs the service compared to the daytime operator.
tommy says...
11:35am Wed 12 Sep 12