Work is due to start on demolishing a town’s bus station to make way for a new complex. 

The existing bus station in Bishop Auckland will be demolished to make way for the redevelopment on Saddler Street along with new small buildings, a bus operator’s facility, public toilets and a small cafe kiosk.

Council officers have deemed the current bus station - a collection of shelters - old and in need of maintenance and is not of the quality expected for a modern transport system in an expanding town centre. 

Durham County Council said there are also insufficient passenger facilities, with dated and inadequate toilets, and little shelter from inclement weather. The bus stops are spaced apart, with very little signage or passenger information, making the site hard to navigate for unfamiliar users.

A planning application for the redevelopment was submitted by the local authority earlier this year and has now been approved. Temporary bus stops will be erected later this month before demolition work on the existing site commences from September.

The Northern Echo: How the inside of the new bus station could lookHow the inside of the new bus station could look (Image: Durham County Council)

What will be built?

 

  • An external bus station to the north, comprising individual bus shelters per stand 
  • A public car park to the south 
  • Pedestrian area to the east, adjacent to the Newgate Shopping Centre

It is hoped the redevelopment will enable a brighter future for the town, creating a new 'destination'.

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But some residents who spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service at a public consultation on the plans earlier this year were more concerned about the current state of the town’s high street and believe redevelopment there, particularly on Newgate Street, should be prioritised.

The Northern Echo: An aerial view of how the new bus station could look, which includes the planned car parkAn aerial view of how the new bus station could look, which includes the planned car park (Image: Durham County Council)

Among them was Philip Brown, who said: “It’s a ghost town. I have seen shops close but not many open. Eventually it could be a step in the right direction but only if they sort the shops out. It needs some regeneration but it’s got to be done the right way.” 

But Brian and Janet Lamb said the bus station’s redevelopment could be a catalyst for change in the town. “I think they’re great - it’s the best way forward for the town,” Janet Lamb said. “The current bus station is inadequate; it doesn’t serve its purpose and it’s in a state of disrepair.”