Work has started on the ambitious £13.5million Leicester bus station scheme which will regenerate St Margaret’s bus station and its surrounding streets.
BSP Consulting is part of the team delivering the project.
Leicester City Council will build a striking new building to replace the old St Margaret’s bus station. It will also create more attractive routes for pedestrians and cyclists as part of a major scheme to revamp this part of the city centre.
The city council has appointed construction and regeneration specialists Morgan Sindall Construction as the main contractor for the project, following a competitive tender process.
BSP Consulting is undertaking the S278 works to the streets around the bus station. These include Burley Way Junction, Abbey Road, New Road, Gravel Street and Mansfield Road.
The new bus station building will have glazed walls and feature a curved aluminium roof that appears to float above the main concourse hall.
Bus passengers will benefit from a completely redesigned and improved internal layout.
It includes a new café, better seating, modern toilets complete with a new Changing Places accessible toilet, and real time digital passenger information. There will also be increased capacity for national and regional bus services, with the number of bays increased from 18 to 24.
Electric bus charging points will be installed, and the new building will feature secure storage for up to 150 bikes.
Net carbon zero
A series of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures will help make the new bus station a net carbon zero building.
The roof will be fitted with around 750sqm of photovoltaic panels which will generate enough energy to power the new bus station and feed surplus green energy back into the grid.
Improvements to footpaths and roads next to the bus station will also take place. This will include better facilities for cyclists and pedestrians, safer crossings to soften the impact of the ring road, new landscaping and more tree planting.
The work will help strengthen and improve links between key development sites and the city centre, including the new Savoy Street which provides a direct link between St Margaret and Haymarket bus stations.
BSP Consulting associate civil engineer Carol Ell said: “This development is a significant and far-reaching project for this particular part of Leicester and BSP is excited to be involved in the Leicester bus station scheme, supporting the city council with its vision for regeneration.”
City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “The new St Margaret’s bus station is an important project for Leicester and the start of its construction marks the beginning of a revival of this part of the city.
“This new investment in the St Margaret’s area will provide a huge boost for public transport, help regenerate a run down but important gateway into the Leicester and help attract even more investment into the city.
“The award of over £10million of government funding is a huge endorsement of the importance of this scheme and we’re very pleased to have Morgan Sindall onboard as lead contractors on this exciting development.”
To find out more about the project visit the Leicester City Council website here:
https://news.leicester.gov.uk/news-articles/2021/june/work-starts-on-construction-of-leicester-s-new-bus-station-at-st-margaret-s/
