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Latest news in Yorkshire: Published March 01, 2019 01:06:42 PM
Rotherham Interchange is set to reopen this Sunday 3 March, following a
£12 million refurbishment scheme.
The new interchange is a key part of the Council’s plans to regenerate
Rotherham Town Centre through the town centre masterplan.
South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) and the project
team welcomed the Leader of Rotherham Council, Cllr Chris Read, and
Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, Dan Jarvis, together with Rotherham
Bus Partnership and local businesses for a preview of the improvements
on Thursday 28 February 2019.
The Leader of Rotherham Council, Cllr Chris Read, said the
newly-refurbished facility was a key part of the vision to regenerate
Rotherham town centre: “This facility is one of the major gateways into
the town. It will enhance where we live, and benefit people arriving
into the town centre via public transport. The refurbishment of the
interchange follows the opening of the University Centre last summer.
Both projects are major components of the town centre Masterplan, along
with promoting sustainable travel, so it’s great to see the Masterplan
progressing as planned.”
SYPTE Executive Director, Stephen Edwards, said the investment aims to
encourage bus use, by providing a welcoming and accessible environment
that supports the connection of people to places in the Borough and
beyond: “The improved Rotherham Interchange will provide a better,
brighter place for public transport users as well as those visiting,
living and working in the town. Seventeen million people travelling
through the Interchange each year, using 1,299 buses a day, will now
benefit from new seating, lighting, information displays, electrics and
flooring, CCTV and free public wi-fi.”
Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, said: “I’m delighted to
be opening the £12m refurbished Rotherham Interchange. Public transport
provides vital access to employment, education, public services and
social activities, so it’s great to see these huge improvements that
will make a real difference to people travelling around our region each
and every day.
“A reliable, safe and efficient public transport system is also
essential if we are to encourage people to make fewer journeys by car.
That’s why, this week, I’ve launched a Bus Review to examine how our bus
network is run and identify the improvements that can be made to ensure
services are fit for purpose. The outcome of this review should mean
more environmentally friendly buses, more routes and more passengers.”
The ten-month closure incorporated 150,000 hours of construction work,
using 10,000 litres of paint, and installing 11,000 floor tiles, 10km of
electric cables, 3,800m2 of cladding, 350 sheets of glass and twenty-one
crates of solar panels to provide the building’s energy needs.
Platform C of the Interchange and the car park above will reopen in
Spring 2019, with new surfacing, larger parking bays and better
pedestrian routes. 3,800m2 of external cladding has been replaced and 10
electric vehicle charging points installed.
Paul Ellenor, Regional Director for Interserve said: “We are delighted
to be handing over the first phase of the Rotherham Interchange
refurbishment project. The new facilities will provide an improved
passenger experience and make a real difference to local residents. We
look forward to continuing our relationship with Rotherham Council as it
continues to invest in the town as part of its regeneration programme.”
The temporary bus station at Forge Island will close and buses will run
from Rotherham Interchange from Sunday 3 March. Changes to improve the
frequency and punctuality of some services will also take place.
Allan Riggall, Commercial Director at First South Yorkshire, said:
“We’re pleased to announce that bus services will return to serving
Rotherham Interchange, now that the £12m refurbishment works have been
completed. Alongside this, we have renumbered some services and made
changes to some routes to reflect changes in travel behaviour in the
town, with more direct journeys to both Meadowhall and Parkgate as an
example. We’d therefore encourage customers to visit our website or to
contact customer services with any queries about changes to their usual
bus service.”
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