Bedford Bus Station- Completion Due by End of 2014
The £8.8million redevelopment of Bedford bus station and surrounding area has taken another major step forward with the selection of the preferred contractor to demolish and replace the Bedford bus station building.
Bedford Bus Station is a vital gateway into the town centre and has been in need of major improvements for decades. It is anticipated that construction work will start early in the New Year, with an anticipated completion date for the new bus station building before the end of 2014.
In addition, the first two phases of the bus station area redevelopment are nearing completion and are expected to open shortly. The public toilets have been completely refurbished, offering significantly improved and modern facilities for all users. Meanwhile, work on a brand new surface car park on Greyfriars is almost complete, with 142 new parking spaces to be provided.
Major refurbishment work to Allhallows multi-storey car park is also continuing and is expected to be completed by the summer of 2014.
Lib Dem Mayor of Bedford Borough, Dave Hodgson, said: "The contract to demolish and replace Bedford bus station is a landmark moment. For far too long, the bus station has let our town centre down and that is why we have worked to put the funding together in defiance of the economic climate to make this happen for Bedford. .
"This is a major project for our town centre which will create a brand new bus station building, vastly improved public toilets, new shopfronts, refurbished multi-storey car park and a new surface car park on Greyfriars.
"Building work can now start early in 2014 and a new bus station for Bedford, which has been a pipe dream for decades, can finally be realised."
Planning consent for the bus station redevelopment was granted by Planning Committee on Monday 24th June.
The contract for replacement of the Bedford bus station buildings is programmed over a 40 week period, starting early in 2014 with an anticipated completion date before Christmas 2014.