BUILDING
WORK HAS STARTED
Building work has finally started on the new bus
station but bus operators said they were still in
talks with the city council and developers
Riverlights Ltd about how it will operate.
Riverlights Ltd said the bus station would be the
first part to be completed at the end of 2009 or
beginning of 2010, with the rest of phase one due
for completion by the middle of 2010.
The first phase will comprise the station, two
hotels, a casino, restaurants and bars and a
later phase will add apartment blocks. Work on
the apartments will start after that. (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Apr/08) |
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BUS STATION
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The city council
installed 28 bus shelters in Full Street, Corporation
Street and Morledge as a temporary replacement for the
bus station that closed in October 2005. Passengers have
complained about a lack of seats and protection from the
wind and rain, prompting the council to promise that 10
more shelters will be installed at cost of £108,000.
Councillor Chris Wynn, cabinet member for planning and
transportation, said, "When the temporary bus
station was planned, it wasn't expected to be in
operation for such a long period. I've been listening to
the quite legitimate concerns of people and can only
apologise for the inconvenience so far. These new
shelters will improve things for people waiting for buses
and we can all look forward to Riverlights delivering and
improving things to give this city an excellent bus
station." The shelters will be added to existing
shelters rather than forming new stops. (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Dec/06)
The bus station has finally been demolished,
but work on the new development will not begin for
another year. David Osborne, of Derby Riverlights Ltd,
has revealed that surrounding roadworks are top
priorities, now the demolition is over. He is negotiating
with the city council over the precise details of the
layout alterations around the Cockpit Island, which are
necessary for the development. Until these works are well
under way, it will not be possible to start work on the
new bus station because a stretch of the Cockpit Island
road will be part of the new development.
The changes will mean the road ceases to be a roundabout.
Instead there will be two-way traffic on separate
carriageways to the east of the Cockpit. Project manager
John Ramsay said, "It's very complicated, but we
basically need to iron out the details of how the road
changes will take shape. I think the middle of next year
is a realistic target for us to begin work on site."
Mr Osborne said, "We're very pleased with how things
have gone so far. The demolition process went to plan, so
now we've turned our attention to the next stage. It's
full steam ahead." Well, not for 12 months it isn't.
(Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Jul/06)
I had previously supported the demolition of
the 1930s bus station because I believe we need a bigger
and better bus station. We are constantly being told we
must make more use of public transport to help cut the
number of cars on the road and reduce global warming. The
Government claims its policy is to get more people out of
cars and onto buses and trains. Derby city councillors
are telling us that the recent increases in car park
charges are not to be seen as yet another tax on the
motorist, but are designed to reduce the number of
car-users visiting the city centre.
As the Eagle Centre is to increase its car parking spaces
to accommodate more than 3,000 cars, at the same time
that the new bus station will be built to only cater for
28 buses at a time, it is obvious the authority is out to
rake in as much as possible from motorists while reducing
access to public transport. The 1930s bus station used to
handle an average 1,000 buses per week (1970 Derby
Corporation figures) covering dozens of destinations. The
current artist's impression of Riverlights does not even
show a bus station.
All that the citizens of Derby will get is the
consolation prize of a 28-bay bus shelter as part of a
massive conurbation that will ruin the riverfront, help
to increase traffic pollution, and if the artist's
impressions are anything to go by, break the Government's
new lighting pollution. We were promised a new, modern,
bus station that caters for 21st century needs and
promotes public transport. The new developer should
forget the bars, leisure facilities, glass towers and
expensive apartment blocks and take this opportunity to
consider the Bus Station Action Group's proposals. Christopher
N Harris
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