Old ripped out ahead of the new bus station
£13.5 MILLION REPLACEMENT FOR THE 1980S TERMINAL FIRST TO BE CARBON NEUTRAL IN UK
WORK is moving on apace as the St Margaret’s bus station, in Leicester, is pulled down.
Machines have been ripping away at the fabric of the 1980s-built terminal, off Vaughan Way, as it is demolished to be replaced by a £13.5 million complex.
Demolition firm DSM has been given the job of clearing out the old to make way for the new.
The demolition work began in earnest at the end of January.
The old station, which closed on New Year’s Eve, will not be swept away in its entirety, however.
Some of its internal structure will be kept to form the base of its replacement.
The new bus station building will be glazed from floor to ceiling and feature a curved aluminium roof which will appear to float above the main concourse hall, the city council has said.
The internal layout has been resdesigned with a new cafe, 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 efficiency and renewable energy measures will help make the new bus station a carbon-neutral building – believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.
Electric bus charging points will be installed and the building will feature secure storage for up to 150 bikes.
The city council has set out the alternative arrangements for buses while the station is out of action.
National Express coach services are continuing to operate from St Margaret’s, with temporary offices and stops in place.
County bus services are using temporary stops in Gravel Street, close to its junction with Church Gate, in Abbey Street and in Charles Street.