PUBLIC drop-in sessions giving residents the opportunity to view the plans for St Helens' temporary bus station and transport facilities during the town centre regeneration start from tomorrow (Saturday).
Last week, the council announced an 'interim movement strategy' to "keep St Helens town centre on the move and open for business".
The local authority says it "will ensure that travel remains safe, easy and straightforward" while the town centre undergoes its multi-million-pound transformation.
Details of St Helens' temporary bus hub, updates to taxi ranks and details of parking locations have been included in the strategy.
At the heart of the strategy is a purpose-built temporary bus hub located on Chalon Way West that will ensure passenger impacts are minimised.
The temporary bus hub is due to open in early 2025, it will include a travel centre, seven new bus shelters and new pedestrian crossing points at both the Bridge Street and Market Street ends of Chalon Way West.
Construction work to create the temporary bus hub on Chalon Way West will begin this autumn, the council said.
When it opens, St Helen’s current bus station on Bickerstaffe Street will close to allow demolition to commence and make way for the construction of a new, extended modern Multi-Modal Transport Interchange.
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Chalon Way West was chosen to be the location for the temporary bus hub because it offers easy access to shops, amenities, and employment areas in the town centre and represented the least disruptive option, the local authority added.
All bus services that currently depart from the existing bus station on Bickerstaffe Street will do so from the new temporary bus hub.
A full timetable and a guide to where passengers can catch their bus will be published and shared well in advance of the temporary bus hub opening early next year.
Meanwhile, a dedicated, free-to-use, accessible car park has been opened on Parade Street, and additional blue badge parking bays have been added to Birchley Street car park, to replace blue badge parking spaces which have been relocated to make way for the temporary bus hub.
Four new 24-hour taxi ranks have been created in the town centre, to ensure taxis remain convenient and close to areas of high footfall.
The new ranks, agreed in consultation with licensed hackney carriage drivers, are located on Bridge Street, Church Street (two ranks on either side of the road) and Shaw Street, opposite the rail station.
They replace the ranks on Hall Street and Chalon Way West.
Where and when will the public drop-in events take place
The series of public drop-in events will be held throughout August to provide people with the opportunity to view the plans in person and ask questions. They will be held in the former EE store in Church Square Shopping Centre at the following times:
- Saturday, August 10: 10am - 3pm
- Tuesday, August 13: 12pm - 4pm
- Saturday, August 17: 10am - 3pm
- Thursday, August 22: 4pm - 7pm
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