Chester’s new “state of the art” bus station opens to passengers today

Passengers will begin using Chester’s new bus interchange from today with Park and Ride buses being the first to start using the “state of the art” facility followed by all bus operators from 5 June.

Here’s the ‘pitch’ via Cheshire West and Chester Councils website:

The Interchange will be open 24 hours a day and will be staffed between 6am until 11.30pm Monday to Saturday and 6am until 8.30pm on Sunday. 

Graham Pink, Director of Commissioning Places and Commercial Management said: “Following the completion of construction work, the site has seen a lot of activity with staff familiarising themselves with the building. Bus operators have also had a chance to trial the new facilities and produce new timetables.”

The new Interchange has 13 bus stands with an average of 90 buses per hour (there will be limited services operating between 10pm and 6am). Information screens will provide passengers with a live feed regarding arrival times. 

The comfort of passengers has been a priority, there will be free Wifi, public toilets with changing facilities and an information desk. Deals are being negotiated with a café operator to provide hot drinks and snacks and a newsagent to serve passengers. 

National Express buses will also start using the Interchange from 5 June and tickets can still be purchased from the Visitor Information Centre at Town Hall Square. 

Operators running services from the bus interchange will be; Arriva, Arrowebrook, Avon Buses, Aintree Coachline, D J Jones, National Express, Stagecoach and Townlynx.

For the convenience of passengers, a free shuttle bus service will run from the Interchange to the Town Hall with accessible buses running every 15 minutes from 8am to 6pm.

A ‘where to catch my bus’ leaflet will be available in print form and on the Council’s website www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/cbi listing all of the routes including Park and Ride buses using the Bus Interchange and highlighting other city centre stops.

The existing interchange by Chester Town Hall will close on the 4 June, notices will be posted with details of the changes. Hoarding will be erected around the upper part of the site. The lower part of the Town Hall interchange will remain open for taxis and coaches. 

The Interchange features:

• Fully trained staff to offer assistance
• Free customer WiFi
• Customer Services office fitted with hearing induction loop
• Closed Circuit TV for personal security
• Directional signage throughout the facility
• Colour contrasting seating, bins and timetable displays
• 13 LCD screens displaying real time or scheduled information located above each stand door
• Information Point at the entrance to the facility displaying bus, rail and park and ride services
• 16 timetable display boards showing timetables and general information such as lost property, health and safety, tourist map
• Shopmobility telephone information point
• Real Time Information
• RNIB ‘Map for All’ (Tactile Maps)
• Ladies Toilets/Baby Changing
• Men’s Toilets/Baby Changing
• Accessibility Toilets/Baby Changing
• Changing Places Facility
• Tactile paving for blind and visually impaired  passengers
• Coffee shop and Newsagent
• Cycle Storage
• Rest room for staff and drivers
• Air / Noise monitoring equipment
• Automatic Number Plate Recognition
• Flat and easy accessible facility