Bus operator trentbarton will begin running services from the new Broad Marsh bus station from this weekend.
The company’s buses last rolled out of bays in 2017 when the former facility closed for the final time ahead of demolition and redevelopment as part of the revamped multi-storey car park.
From Sunday (2 October), the bus station will welcome passengers from services including Skylink Nottingham, Skylink Express, Rushcliffe Villager, Mainline, The Keyworth, The Cotgrave and its sister operator’s Kinchbus 9.
More than 250 trentbarton and Kinchbus services a day will call at the base in Canal Street. It follows the news in June that National Express coaches had started to use Broad Marsh as a terminal.
Passengers will benefit from significantly improved facilities at the new bus station, including:
- A 24/7 facility to cater for 24/7 bus and coach services
- Light and airy waiting areas separated from bus stops by glass walls and sliding doors
- Plenty of seating
- State-of-the-art passenger information screens, including travel and wayfinding information
- Customer toilets
- 24/7 security services
- Easily-accessible pedestrian entrances on Carrington Street and Middle Hill connecting to rejuvenated pedestrian-friendly areas.
The bus station is on the ground floor below the Broad Marsh car park, with its 1,200 spaces including charging points for electric cars and disabled parking, easy contactless payments at the barriers and a smart traffic light system to help find a space – all powered by 720 solar panels on the roof.
The building will also house the city’s new Central Library – internal work is now under way to fit that out. The new development and its green credentials recently won another major construction industry award, while surrounding streets are undergoing a huge transformation to create a welcoming new gateway to the city.
Councillor
David Mellen, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “We’re really pleased to
welcome trentbarton to the new Broad Marsh bus station and are sure that
passengers will notice a huge difference from the last time they got off buses
here five years ago.
“They will benefit from a range of modern facilities, including seating areas,
electronic display information, interactive touchscreens, customer toilets and
24/7 security services.
“The area, including nearby Sussex Street, has been transformed into a modern, welcoming space and we look forward to the next stage in the wider redevelopment of the Broad Marsh site.”
trentbarton’s staff will be moving into Broad Marsh from Karlsruhe House, in Queen’s Bridge Road, with internal spaces currently being fitted out for the team.
Jeff Counsell, managing director of trentbarton and Kinchbus, said: “We’re very excited that Broad Marsh will once again be a destination for our customers and their drivers.
“It will have been worth the wait as the new bus station is a fantastic environment that should encourage more people to leave their cars at home and travel into and out of the city by greener, relaxing and traffic busting buses.”