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Search the Public Notice PortalA CONSULTATION has begun on plans for a new bus station interchange in Colchester city centre.
Colchester Council wants residents to help shape plans for the interchange at Painters Yard, off Queen Street.
The interchange is expected to cost between £20 million and £25 million.
The current bus station in Osborne Street is already over capacity.
As bus services grow, the station could be handling four times its intended use within 15 years.
The station has six stops now, but forecasts suggest future demand could require up to 25 stops and five layover bays.
Bus operators and passengers have also raised concerns about facilities, accessibility and the experience of using Osborne Street.
The consultation will ask residents' views on need, location, layout, facilities and services and opportunities to improve public spaces, landscaping and the visitor experience.
A review of potential city centre sites identified Painters Yard as the best option in terms of cost, location, and operational requirements for bus operators.
The site, previously used as a bus station depot, now hosts Firstsite Arts Gallery and business units.
It benefits from existing and planned walking and cycling connections, including the proposed Priory Steps scheme, which will improve the walking route to Colchester Town Station and the area around St Botolph’s Priory.
The new interchange at Painters Yard is designed to provide Colchester with the extra transport capacity it needs.
At this stage, two initial concept plans have been created.
The first design puts bus stops along the site’s northern and southern edges, leaving more room for landscaping, public space and community use.
The second design creates a more compact interchange, with passengers and facilities grouped in one central area.
Both layouts are set out in the consultation guide.
The Painters Yard interchange is planned as a mobility hub linking walking, cycling, buses, taxis and rail.
It will also have toilets, lit and CCTV-monitored shelters, real-time information screens, cycle parking and space for e-bikes.
The consultation will run until Sunday, November 8.
After the consultation, the council will confirm its preferred option, refine the design and work to secure funding.
The next phase will secure the necessary consents and appoint a contractor before construction begins.
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