Bus station ready for business

It's one of the most controversial buildings in Bath for many ayear.

And it's just about ready for business.

The city's new bus station has been two years in the making, costaround pounds13 million to build and sparked a protest which sawhundreds of people march through the city to save the landmark itreplaced, Churchill House.

But this Sunday Bath's new bus station will open for business asthe first part of the pounds360 million SouthGate scheme which hasdominated the southern side of the city since work began in February2007.

SouthGate developer Multi will officially hand over the stationto bus operator First this weekend in a move described by thetransport giant as a 'fantastic step forward for its services in thecity'.

The bus station is a construction of two halves - with the glasspassenger concourse and the four storey rotunda building which wasdubbed the 'busometer' and 'like a baked bean tin' by its critics.

Buses will enter the station through a single entrance at thecorner of Broad Quay and Dorchester Street and leave via an exitfurther down Dorchester Street.

The glass concourse features 16 bus bays with remote-controlleddoors operated by drivers and inspectors.

The station also includes motion sensitive lighting in staffareas to improve the energy efficiency of the building.

Lighting in the public areas has been designed to respond to thelevels of natural light entering through the glass windowssurrounding the building.

The controversial rotunda will house offices for First driversand employees and a ticket office, information desk and eventually acafe on the ground floor.

It will also include customer toilets as well as a canteen,locker room and offices for First staff.

The firm's managing director for Bristol, Somerset and Avon,Justin Davies, said the new bus station would provide 'improvedfacilities in a bright, modern environment'.

He said: "We are committed to working with our partners in thecity to promote public transport in Bath and deliver a realalternative to the car.

"With the redevelopment of the railway station also due to takeplace, the new bus station will be a key element in a trulyintegrated gateway to the city.

"We are grateful to our customers and staff for bearing with usduring the changes and hope they will enjoy using the brand new busstation."

First will transfer its services from its temporary bus stationon Avon Street to the new facility at SouthGate on Sunday.

Services will then run as normal from the new bus station withthe exceptions of Service 2 to Endsleigh, Service 4 to Bathhampton,Service 17 to Upper Weston and Service 13 to Bathford, Service 17 toKingsway and Services 6 and 7.

First staff will be manning the temporary bus station on Sundayto redirect passengers, and information on bus times andavailability can be accessed online through the website atwww.firstgroup.com/ukbus.

Multi development manager Jon Munce said: "We are very happy withthe end product on this element of the SouthGate development."

The bus station is built on the site of the former ChurchillHouse which campaigners fought to save by chaining themselves to thebuilding and organising a mock funeral through the streets of Bathwith a hearse and a coffin.

The protest was in response to artists' impressions of the busstation printed in The Bath Chronicle and also saw a petition signedby 11,000 people which was submitted to B&NES Council.

Mr Munce said the bus station was a 'fantastic addition to thepublic buildings in Bath'.

He said: "It is an important and integral part of thedevelopment."

B&NES Council cabinet member for customer services Cllr CharlesGerrish said the station would play a significant part in gettingpeople out of their cars and onto public transport.

He said: "B&NES Council sees the opening of the bus station as amajor element towards delivering our pounds60 million joined-up planto reduce traffic congestion in the district."