Futuristic new Accrington bus station design is unveiled

4:09pm Monday 18th February 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Bill Jacobs, Local government reporter

Artist's impressions of the new design Artist's impressions of the new design

THIS is what Accrington’s new multi-million pound bus station will look like.

The futuristic design, released today by Lancashire County Council architects, will provide 10 bus stands on the current Crawshaw Street car park in the town centre.

Part of the Pennine Reach scheme aimed at boosting bus usage across East Lancashire the £4million-plus structure will include two bus lay-over bays and a pedestrian link to Union Street and the Arndale.

It will also feature real-time passenger information screens, travel information office, a shop mobility store, public toilets with disabled access and baby change facility, a manager’s office and CCTV.

It is hoped that the new complex will open by 2015 to link with a new £5million bus station on Blackburn’s old market site and the introduction of London Transport-style Oyster travel cards for faster boarding.

It will replace the bus station, in Peel Street, deemed ‘sub-standard’ in 2007. Hyndburn Council is in talks with the county council over options for the site, including short stay car parking to encourage shoppers to use the market.

The planning application for the scheme is set for final approval by councillors on Wednesday.

Lancashire county transport chief Tim Ashton said: “The new bus station in Accrington is a vital part of the Pennine Reach scheme which will make public transport a much more attractive option for people to travel between town centres in Hyndburn and Blackburn with Darwen.

“Making it easier for people to travel quickly and reliably are among the primary factors for economic growth.”

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said: “I am still not sure the bus station is in the right place but am pleased we do have a connection to Union Street and the Arndale.

“The evidence is that new bus stations increase passenger usage so, despite my reservations, I fully support this exciting new development.”

The proposed complex aims to improve the interchange between bus and train by locating it closer to the railway station.

Comments(9)

Akkybro says...
4:38pm Mon 18 Feb 13

This kind of bus station, coupled with its expense and out of town location is completely unnecessary for a small town like Accrington.
Refurbishing the current Bus Station in the town center would have a better way to spend taxpayers money.

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HarryBosch says...
4:54pm Mon 18 Feb 13

My question is - is this new bus station going to be big enough? Right from the get go I wondered if the new site was going to be big enough. This looks similar to a smaller version of the National Bus station on Chorlton Street, Manchester. Which is fine for inter town services. But when you have lots of intense, local bus traffic which are currently being catered for with near twenty stands (if you include the stands on Infant Street) on the Peel Street site then how are a mere ten stands going to be sufficient? Problems on the horizon me thinks!

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wilkinp4 says...
5:15am Tue 19 Feb 13

HarryBosch wrote:
My question is - is this new bus station going to be big enough? Right from the get go I wondered if the new site was going to be big enough. This looks similar to a smaller version of the National Bus station on Chorlton Street, Manchester. Which is fine for inter town services. But when you have lots of intense, local bus traffic which are currently being catered for with near twenty stands (if you include the stands on Infant Street) on the Peel Street site then how are a mere ten stands going to be sufficient? Problems on the horizon me thinks!
Couldn't have put it better myself, 10 stands is ridiculous for a town that claims it wants expansion. LCC are selling Accrington short on this.

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Venomp says...
2:03pm Tue 19 Feb 13

Good design, it stands out next to Tesco

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Stop Backenders says...
4:49pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Cost 20 - 40 million pounds of tax payers money and a shuttle bus for the Old Age Pesioners to take them fron the old bus station across town to the new bus station on no mens land to get on a bus what more can I say out of touch councillors who live in cookoo world why are they in power you tell me.

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Stop Backenders says...
4:50pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Cost 20 - 40 million pounds of tax payers money and a shuttle bus for the Old Age Pesioners to take them fron the old bus station across town to the new bus station on no mens land to get on a bus what more can I say out of touch councillors who live in cookoo world why are they in power you tell me.

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Elegant1 says...
2:04pm Sat 23 Feb 13

Is this new bus station some type of futeristic design? Why I ask is that the photographs depicting the design seem to be out of perspective. The photo of the bus stands seems to be a long skinny building, the information area seems to depict a wide palatial sort of building more akin to a hotel lobby?
If the design that is illustrated is the true one would seem to me that we are being deceived!

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Stop Backenders says...
3:27pm Sat 23 Feb 13

Has no one worked it out yet?
It is an overnight Travel Lodge for the car drivers to stay after a long day on the road trying to get in the centre of Accrington.
There might be a special deal for breakfast thrown in and maybe an Estate Agent Shop selling the boarded up shops that no one can get to because of all the roads take you some were else apart from the town centre.
There is more paint, Traffic Lights and obstructions on the road then tarmac are you listening Pennine Reach that’s your doing look what you’ve done to Darwin and Blackburn Even the Sat- Navs are confused.

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wilkina21 says...
4:45pm Tue 26 Feb 13

Whats the point in spending money on a bus station - we already have a perfectly standard running bus station like other towns.

There is ridiculous amounts of Accrington that need that kind of money to help make it a nicer place to live....if all they can think about is making the bus station more high teck the town is doomed......joke

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