Mayors to open new bus station
Tuesday 9th June 2009, 7:59PM BST.
Wellington’s new £650,000 bus station is due to be officially opened on Monday and will be fully operational the next day.
Wellington Mayor Councillor Barry Tillotson will team up with Telford & Wrekin Mayor Councillor Karen Blundell to perform the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2.50pm.
The opening of the new “transport hub” marks the end of the first phase of major planned redevelopments in Wellington, which is also to get an £8.5 million civic quarter, including a new register office, a replacement libary and office accommodation for up to 160 people.
Telford & Wrekin Council planners believe that the new bus and taxi interchange will greatly improve access to the town’s train station, directly linking bus and train services for the first time.
Arriva, the bus operator, has completed a test run of the site and the company is working closely with the Travelink office to finalise service plans on the individual stands.
Improved security for the area includes a new CCTV system at both the new bus station and car park.
Phase 2 of the work to turn the former Wellington bus station into a 60-space car park will then start.
If there are no unforeseen delays, it is expected that the car park will be completed by the end of July.
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Complete and utter waste of money, is there any chance the council can find a few quid to cut grass around Telford, the Ep is a disgrace
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I firmly believe that the whole exercise of moving the bus station from where it was to the new site to be nothing other than a complete and utter waste of taxpayers money.
It makes me laugh when I see smug faced councillors going on about what a wonderful scheme it is.
What about the impact upon the local economy, I do not believe for one second that there will be a rush of extra shoppers to the town, in fact I think there will be a reduction. The new car park is much snaller than the previous one – in the region of 40% smaller.
You wait and see the local shop keepers complaining about the reduced spending in the town (even though a certain shop keeper was promoting the wonderful benefits of the scheme)
The only thing about the scheme I agree with would be the improved access for people with dsiabilities.
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What negative people we have in Shropshire!! This is an excellent development which will improve public transport facilities in Wellington. As part of the regeneration scheme it will also help to attract business and tourism to the town. A safer and more accessible public transport is to be welcomed as part of a larger scheme to support our market towns.
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Don – what planet are you on, do you actually know what they have done, the new bus station is not even twnety yards from where it was before – whow what a difference that is going to make. At the same time they have reduced the spaces available for people to park by 40% – from the old car park to the new one – that really is goign to help tourists and shoppers when they come to park !!!!
Will there actually be any extra buses put on which would actually bring people into Wellington, since at present the number of bus services is awful, it is a bit like having a lovely new hub for the whell on your bike but no money left over to pay for the spokes in the wheel.
Any the new fancy council offices they want to build – and of course it will be built since the planners will not go against their own will they. What hassle that will course.
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Richard i could not agree with you more on your comments 650k spent on moving the bus station i think is a complete waste of council taxpayers money and as for the regenaration of wellington offices for 160 people to do what in wellington????
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more accessible public transport..!! dont make me laugh..in short term, do the elderly, now have to climb a series of steps to catch a taxi from train station..what on earth is moving bus station down the road, going to do to attract business and tourism to the town!! after you found a few quid to cut grass , hope they can find few more, to fix lighting in alley, you will now need to walk through into Wellington..and then maybe they can fill in few pot holes around Telford..
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Richard Breeze said: “At the same time they have reduced the spaces available for people to park by 40%”
That is because one should arrive by public transport and use this wonderful new facility. Alternatively, shop at Telford Town Centre where there is ample parking.
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The last time I used a bus to Wellington was about 9 years ago. I was caught in the rain so decided to hop on a bus. It cost me £1.70 from the Bucks Head to the bus station – approximately a mile. I dread to think how much it costs now, which is why I drive.
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Nice to see you back Harold, ive missed you !
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