Leicester’s Haymarket Bus Station is to close this weekend as work begins on the main phase of its £13.5m redevelopment.
From Sunday, 11 January, the station will be closed to the public.
All 20 bus services which use the station’s existing 12 stands will move to temporary stops. The new bus station is due to open before Christmas 2015.
Services at Shopmobility has moved to temporary premises on the old ABC car park on Belgrave Gate. This will also be the new drop-off point for the city’s Dial-a-Ride service.
The new bus station will provide more capacity for local buses, with stands almost doubling from 12 to 23. Bus services that use nearby on-street bus stops will be relocated into the new bus station once its open. This will reduce bus queueing and congestion in the area, and help to speed up journey times.
It will feature an attractive new concourse building with modern facilities and the latest information systems for passengers.
£13.5milllion will be spent on the redevelopment project will include improvements to make the area around the bus station more attractive. The footpath on the opposite side of Charles Street will be widened and rebuilt with high-quality block-paving. New seating and decorative screens will be installed and new trees will be planted.
City Mayor Peter Soulsby said, “The closure of the bus station marks the start of the main construction phase of this exciting redevelopment project.
“When complete, the new Haymarket Bus Station will help transform this part of the city centre and bring about real improvements for bus passengers.
“Council officers have worked closely with the bus companies to offer suitable temporary bus stands for those services which will be affected while this ambitious redevelopment takes place.”
The bus services that will be affected by the closure of Haymarket Bus Station are as follows:
• Arriva services 5 and 5A to Melton Mowbray – bus stop will move to Belgrave Gate (stand BR)
• Arriva service 6 to Syston – bus stop will move to Belgrave Gate (stand BS)
• First service 12 to Kirby Frith – bus stop will move to Haymarket (stand BQ)
• Arriva service 14 to New Parks – bus stop will move to St Peter’s Lane (stand AB)
• First services 14 to Kirby Frith and 14A to Beaumont Centre – bus stop will move to St Peter’s Lane (stand AA)
• First service 21 to Thurmaston – bus stop will move to Humberstone Gate East (stand DE)
• Centrebus service 21A to Hamilton – bus stop will move to Humberstone Gate East (stand DE)
• First service 22 to Rushey Mead – bus stop will move to Charles Street (stand CR)
• Centrebus services 22A, 22B and 22C – bus stop will move to Charles Street (stand CS)
• First service 25 to Mowmacre Hill – bus stop will move to Belgrave Gate (stand BT)
• First service 26 to Beaumont Centre – bus stop will move to Belgrave Gate (stand BT)
• Arriva service 80 to Oadby – Abbey Street will move to Abbey Street (stand BP)
• First service 94 to Glenfield – will move to St Margaret’s Bus Station (stand SM19)
• Kinchbus service 123 to Loughborough – will move to St Margaret’s Bus Station (stand SM3)
• Centrebus service 154 to Loughborough – will move to St Margaret’s Bus Station (stand SM2)
• Centrebus service 162 to New Parks – bus stop will move to Haymarket (stand BD)
• The Dial a Ride service pick-up point will move to Belgrave Gate (close to stand BQ)
Leaflets giving details of the changes will be available on all affected buses. Information will also be displayed around the Haymarket Bus Station site.
Roadworks taking place at the junction of Charles Street and Belgrave Gate this weekend will mean that some bus services will be diverted. Passengers travelling into the city centre will not be able to get off at their normal stops on Abbey Street or Belgrave Gate, but will alight at nearby stops on Charles Street. These diversions will be in place from 8pm on Saturday (10 Jan) until 5am on Monday (12 Jan).
Traveline has information on all local bus services on 0871 200 22 33.
More information can be found at: www.leicester.gov.uk/haymarketbusstation
