Bus station will close 7pm, New Year’s Eve
TERMINAL TO BE FLATTENED TO MAKE WAY FOR £13.5M STRUCTURE
LEICESTER’S St Margaret’s Bus Station will close on New Year’s Eve, ahead of its demolition.
The 1980s-built terminal, off Vaughan Way, is to be flattened and replaced with a new £13.5 million structure.
Leicester City Council also plans to refurbish surrounding streets as part of the scheme.
The existing building will close to the public from 7pm on Thursday, December 31, to allow the bulldozers to go in and pull it down over four months.
The construction of the new building is due to begin by late spring 2021.
The city council has set out the alternative arrangements for buses while the station is out of action.
National Express coach services will continue to operate from St Margaret’s, with temporary offices and stops in place.
County bus services will operate from temporary stops located in Gravel Street, close to its junction with Church Gate, in Abbey Street and in Charles Street.
All changes will be clearly signposted, a spokesman for the city council said.
The temporary changes will be in place from Friday, January 1.
The works will require the partial closure of Gravel Street, between its junctions with Sandacre Street and Abbey Street. Clearly signed diversions will be in place, added the spokesman. Access for pedestrians will be unaffected.
Demolition work will be carried out on behalf of the city council by DSM Demolition, which also demolished the council’s former New Walk Centre headquarters.
The new bus station building will be glazed from floor to ceiling and feature a striking curved aluminium roof that appears to float above the main concourse hall, the city council has said.
It has also said passengers will benefit from a completely redesigned and improved internal layout with a new café, better seating and real time digital passenger information.
There will also be more capacity for national and regional bus services, with the number of bays increased from 18 to 24.
A series of energy efficient and renewable energy measures will help make the new bus station a carbon neutral building, the council has previously said.
It is believed this would be the first bus station to be built to net zero carbon standards in the UK.
Electric bus charging points will be installed, and the new building will feature secure storage for up to 150 bikes.