Transforming Huddersfield Bus Station - second engagement

Thank you for your query. We have received a total of 777 responses to the Transforming Huddersfield Bus Station public engagement with potentially more paper questionnaires to be returned this week. Full details of how many responses were received from local residents will be available in the outcome report which will be available later this year, however an initial look at the data shows approximately 74% of respondents selected that they lived in or near the area.

We are aiming for the bus station to remain open as usual when construction work gets underway, with some services, including coaches, temporarily run from other nearby stops in the town centre.  

We’ll be working in partnership with Kirklees Council to keep disruption to a minimum, with work undertaken in phases and some stands and facilities moving around during the works. Any proposed impacts to bus routes and bus station facilities whilst works are being undertaken will be communicated widely and with sufficient notice to allow people to prepare for any changes.

Transforming Huddersfield Bus Station is a complex project running over a number of years. One of the major complexities is keeping the bus station operational while we construct the new scheme, rather than displace services across a wide area of the town centre. To achieve this, construction will be done in a number of phases which will reduce disruption for bus users, but does significantly add to the cost and the length of time the scheme takes. 

In addition, the construction industry has been subject to considerable cost increases during and post COVID. Like a lot of other industries, inflation on materials and people costs has been significant, all adding to the overall cost of this project. 

The proposal for a transformed bus station in Huddersfield was part of a competitive bid for funding from the Department for Transport’s ‘Transforming Cities Fund’ (TCF). This funding is given by the Government directly and is ring-fenced for this purpose. The work involves both the refurbishment of the bus station and the introduction of a new canopy to transform the user experience and provide a gateway to the bus station. 

Thank you for your query. There are a number of proposals aimed at making the bus station more accessible, improving safety and security, and improving the passenger experience, many of which will be beneficial for people with learning disabilities. In particular, plans include the addition of a quiet room which is a quiet space that can be accessed by members of the public who need to get away from busier areas of the bus station. All signage will be updated, and these will include pictorial representations making it easier for bus users to find their way around the bus station. New tiling on the floor and walls using a neutral colour palette as well as a new ceiling will make the bus station a more calming and less cluttered space to be in. Finally, there are going to be improvements to the CCTV throughout the bus station and new emergency help points installed which provide instant remote assistance in an emergency. This will make the bus station a safer place for all bus users in particular those who are more vulnerable. 

Throughout the project we will be engaging with local accessibility groups, bus station users who are living with a disability and those that support individuals with a disability. If you are interested in being part of this, please let us know by emailing yourvoice@westyorks-ca.gov.uk.

Plans for the Transformation of Huddersfield Bus Station include new live time arrival displays at each bus stand, electronic summary screens in the centre of the concourse and a rail real time information screen. Bus shelters are outside the scope of this project but it you would like to request live time arrival displays at any particular bus shelters in West Yorkshire please contact metroline@westyorks-ca.gov.uk.

Thank you for your query. There are no plans to add additional shelter to the bus boarding area. There are plans to improve the internal waiting space including new seating and new real time information screens.

Thank you for your query. There are a number of upgrades included in these proposals to improve the passenger experience, make the bus station safer and more secure and to improve accessibility. For example to improve the passenger experience all toilets are planned to fully refurbished, the Travel Centre upgraded, new real-time information screens installed and the number of seats increased. To improve safety and security new pedestrian barriers will be included at bus stands, additional glazing will improve visibility, the CCTV with be upgraded and help points installed on the concourse. There are also significant changes proposed that will make the bus station more accessible including widening the bus stands making it easier for wheelchair users to board buses, providing a Changing Places toilet and a quiet room, and including a tactile wayfinding line. Creating a joint interchange between the train and bus station is out of the scope of this project.

Thank you for your feedback. The proposal for a transformed bus station in Huddersfield was part of a competitive bid for funding from the Department for Transport’s ‘Transforming Cities Fund’ (TCF). This funding is given by the Government directly and is ring-fenced for this purpose, so cannot be used for other activities.

Thank you for your feedback. The Cleckheaton Town Hall repairs falls outside of this project. The proposal for a transformed bus station in Huddersfield was part of a competitive bid for funding from the Department for Transport’s ‘Transforming Cities Fund’ (TCF). This funding is given by the Government directly and is ring-fenced for this purpose, so cannot be used for other activities.

Thank you for your query. The accessible toilet will be on a standard RADAR key. People needing to use these facilities will also be able to ask bus station staff for access.