Work to start this year on Ashton bus station
Ashton-under-Lyne bus station is to be demolished and replaced by a new £33m interchange closer to the town’s Metrolink stop and train station after funding and planning permission were secured for the project.
The Metrolink line to Ashton opened in October 2013. Plans for the new bus station were part of the 2012 town centre framework for Ashton published by the local authority. Tameside Council granted full planning permission for the bus station this week.
Transport for Greater Manchester secured money from the Government’s Local Growth Fund for 2016/17 which will enable the project to be delivered.
The plans include a single, covered concourse to replace the five island platforms, improved waiting areas, cycle parking and better access to travel information and tickets. The plans will now enter the detailed design phase, in advance of construction work starting in winter 2016/17. The interchange is due to be open for use in late 2018.
Cllr Kieran Quinn, leader of Tameside Council, said: “I and other members of this council are delighted that £33m of external funding is being brought in, through the Tameside Interchange, to support our existing Vision Tameside redevelopment plans. Vision Tameside will bring once-in-a-generation change to Tameside and this next step in the process is an important one.
“I also need to say what a fantastic development the new Tameside Interchange will be. The plans point to a much more pleasant place to be than the current station which, compared to the existing facility, will be much lighter and much more welcoming.
“The covered walkway between the bus terminal and Metrolink stop, which was extended in response to resident feedback, will ensure that public transport users can stay dry whilst moving between different modes of transport. The project will also free up a good sized plot of land in our town centre for redevelopment.”
Cllr Andrew Fender, chairman of the TfGM Committee, said: “This facility will improve links to employment, education opportunities and leisure facilities for people right across Tameside by giving passengers an easier way of switching between different modes of transport, as well as providing a far more pleasurable experience.”
The existing bus station opened in 1994, replacing the original built in 1963.
IBI Group and Austin-Smith:Lord advised TfGM.
Thank god cant come soon enough looks nice and the covered walk way to tram excellent. just need a tram stop down near Ikea n Aldi and if making new leisure centre please make sure tram stops out side it and then every very thing in ashton will be just fine oh and baths and market are very nice as well
By ann simms
33 million just like that to build a new bus station with the most minor of improvements. And then we’re being lectured by both the government and councils about how’s there’s no money for this or that. Am I missing something here?
By James Birchall
Pity some of this money isn’t being used to repair Thamesides disgraceful roads pothole city!
By Taylor
The £33M will include asbestos removal, demolition / deconstruction, breaking out existing carriageway pavements (thick slabs), site clearance, ground remediation (remember: 20 years of diesel and oil leaching into the ground), new incoming services, major utilities diversions, new-build with façade and internal works, fitted furniture and equipment, specialist fittings, and considerable new external pavement construction works (thick slabs), new technology systems, CCTV, lighting, information boards, and 20 months of main contractor preliminaries.
I’ve checked out the tfgm website and the following facilities are proposed:
– A direct link to Metrolink
– Ticket and information outlet, retail and café facilities
– High quality, fully accessible toilets, and baby changing
– A covered concourse and seated waiting area
– Secure cycle parking facilities
– Enhanced passenger security
– Clear and concise electronic passenger information
– Improved taxi facilities
I’ve not seen the plan layouts but looking at the existing plot let’s say that the development footprint is circa 110m x 110m (rough estimate), therefore 12,100m2. With the upper floors to the buildings (again I’ve not seen any proposals) the total newly constructed walkable floor area may be around 13,000m2.
So, £33,000,000 / 13,000 = £2,538 / m2.
That’s £2,538 averaged out across the external and internal works which is not the best way to do it but it gives a very rough guide. Plus, on a project like this the external areas rate per m2 will be quite high as it will involve breaking out existing carriageway pavements (thick slabs), site clearance, ground remediation and constructing new carriageway slabs so the external works m2 rate won’t just be a few hundred pounds per m2 like on standard external works. It will be a considerable rate, maybe pushing up towards the rate for a simple shell and core building.
In conclusion, I think the £33M figure isn’t too far off, maybe a bit on the high side. Tender prices coming in need to be circa the £30M mark, ideally a notch below.
By Lilt
I bet not many people know that the signs on the ‘interchange’ will be Tameside Interchange, Ashton and not Ashton Interchange, Tameside. In other words, Ashton Bus Station will be no more.
All the other interchanges in Greater Manchester are named after their location, e.g. Stockport, Bolton, Wigan, etc. – those being the places people want to visit.
I appreciate that certain councillors would like to eradicate the individuality of the towns making up the borough but to name an important piece of Ashton’s infrastructure after a place few outside the area will have heard of is, I think, ludicrous.
By Ashton Lad
why has work not been started yet
By John
Too little, too late for this small market town which has been stuck in a time warp for as far back as I can remember.
By Nathan Dodd