Stevenage’s £9.6 million new bus interchange completed and ready to open later in the Spring
The interchange will see buses arriving and exiting to serve the people of Stevenage from late Spring 2022.
Stevenage’s new bus interchange on Lytton Way has reached another milestone. At a completion and handover ceremony, the interchange and bus station building were handed over to Stevenage Borough Council on Thursday 10 March 2022. The interchange will see buses arriving and exiting to serve the people of Stevenage from late Spring 2022.
The event was attended by representatives from Stevenage Borough Council, Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), contractors Willmott Dixon and other stakeholders including the Stevenage Town Centre Partnership.
Cllr Sandra Barr, Mayor of Stevenage, said: “It was indeed a day to celebrate a wonderful milestone for the regeneration programme that is transforming our town. I thank the many people from Stevenage Borough Council, Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, our colleagues at Hertfordshire County Council and, of course, the contractors, Willmott Dixon – all have worked in the spirit of true partnership to arrive at this outstanding moment in time, despite the project being delivered through the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Work started on the project in late 2020, funded by a £9.6 million Local Growth Fund investment from Hertfordshire LEP, with the work completing on the first phase of the stages of the transport hub, connecting Stevenage Railway Station and the new bus interchange.
The development will drastically improve transport links across the town, provide better accessibility and align with the newly-regenerated Town Centre.
The interchange features an extensive canopy with a large glazed screen and automatic doors for easy passenger access. It also includes a passenger facilities building which provides a heated waiting area with extensive seating, live passenger information boards, a café, fully accessible toilet and changing facilities and shop mobility services.
External works include high quality public realm, seating areas with newly planted trees and a soon to be completed pedestrian connection. This will link the bus interchange, town square and the train station, ensuring a clear connection between the existing cycle network and bus and rail networks and providing integrated links between Stevenage’s main transport hubs.
Cllr Sharon Taylor OBE, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council said: “We are delighted to have reached this milestone with our partners and to see the incredible progress that Willmott Dixon has made on such a key project. The interchange is a pivotal part of our £1 billion regeneration programme which is seeing us deliver some fantastic schemes. I am really looking forward to the bus interchange opening later in the year and serving the population of Stevenage with modern, upgraded facilities.”
Cllr John Gardner, Executive Portfolio Holder for Regeneration & Environment at Stevenage Borough Council, added: “The new interchange will offer a massive boost to the town centre and provides excellent upgraded facilities for everyone. It links more effectively with the newly expanded railway station and will enable a new Garden Square to be delivered at the location of the old bus station site. This is a really exciting time for Stevenage and our partners – all of whom have been integral to the success of our regeneration programme.”
“We are delighted the bus interchange project has reached this momentous milestone” commented Adam Wood, Chair of Hertfordshire LEP, “which will not only improve connectivity and transport links within Stevenage but also provide an attractive gateway for visitors that befits the redeveloped Town Centre. The scheme forms a key part of our £34m Local Growth Fund investment towards the town’s regeneration, set to help bring forth new homes, public amenities, and retail and business space to maximise the town’s economic potential.”
Simon Ramage, Director at Willmott Dixon concluded:
“We’re incredibly proud to be handing over the bus interchange to Stevenage Borough Council and to have delivered these fantastic new facilities for the local community. As a locally based construction company, we’re delighted to be part of the regeneration programme which is benefiting not only Stevenage, but also the surrounding areas.”
One main question mark is whether this project is being done to benefit the people who have lived in Stevenage for years or to appeal to commuters wanting to escape London.
However, this was quickly disputed by the Council Leader Sharon Taylor, who pointed out the benefits for local people throughout the process and once it’s completed.
Cllr Taylor said: “The Stevenage Works project, which works with the construction companies, has a £130,000 grant which means we will have Stevenage people to do the jobs, and that is a really great thing to do.”
And, while there are fears that the area could become a nondescript commuter town, the Leader pointed out plenty of people work in London but join community schemes and charities in the area already and that it’s not as simplistic as that.
A council spokesman, who showed HertsLive around the sites, also argued that while people do move for its access to the capital, Stevenage is a large employer in its own right – including with leading airline manufacturer Airbus and BMW.
There’s also increased office space to bring those companies right into the heart of the town and it means those local businesses in the centre will be benefiting from much higher footfall than they currently have.
The move to bring housing into the town centre should also bring more people to spend – whether it’s in gyms, restaurants or shops once they all fully reopen.
There are 18 different schemes announced so far set to transform the town centre.
The plans completed include Skyline and Brickdale House, and Vista Tower, which have brought much needed housing to the town and helped shake some of the grey tower blocks.
But for visitors to the town it may not be as noticeable yet, while the revamp of Market Place is much improved, it’s not enough to draw people in.
But that should be about to change. Now that the early work has been completed, the more ambitious refitting and rebuilding work is well underway.
Work has been ahead of schedule on the redevelopment of the railway station, with a new bus interchange soon to follow, meaning the first impression of the town will soon be much more impressive.
Then when visitors arrived it’ll be almost unrecognisable to how it is now, with a new pedestrianised boulevard offering a light, modern feel to what is quite a bleak part of the town. Work is expected to begin on that in 2025.
There will also be an almost brand new Town Square, which brings offices to the town centre as well as giving the whole town a much needed lick of paint once it’s completed in the next couple of years.
That involves a £50m refit of the ageing Queensway North, which began early 2019 and will include a town centre gym, with the huge old Marks and Spencer building redesigned to accommodate housing and new shops.
The small team behind the plans are all local to Stevenage, which has ensured the plans bear in mind what has worked in the past, as well as local gripes – and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
The benefit of a local team is also that little touches are thought about too – including ensuring the Joyride statue will be completely accessible for the first time in its history.
There’s also a commitment to get rid of the old police station, which is a huge, empty eyesore for most people walking into the town centre.
There is also the commitment of 1,100 new homes being completed by 2021 – with hundreds more to arrive in the years after.
Stevenage remains one of the most affordable places to live in Hertfordshire, and by meeting housing demand that should remain the case despite the vast improvements to the town.
There are also some specific commitments made, including Kenilworth Close which will deliver 236 new homes, with 50% of those being affordable and social rented homes.
One of the most notable new developments already completed is Park Place, which is a sleek modern looking building, but one that has frustrated local people.
Despite being completed in 2019, the retail space has stood largely empty – with just one shop moving in, unfortunately a couple of weeks prior to lockdown.
However, Peter Beard of MBU Capital, who are responsible for the development, said that things have been progressing.
Speaking in March ahead of the lockdown, he pointed out that the sales of the residential properties have been strong.
He said: “There are 202 apartments, of which just over 161 have been sold, and only a few of those still need to be occupied, and the remainder remain for sale using a variety of means – whether that’s cash or a mortgage or help to buy is still available on them.”
Mr Beard also responded to speculation about whether the empty space indicated that the rental price was too high.
“[Rents] are competitive, we also manage some of the units on Queensway and know the tone of rent in The Forum, so competitively they’re actually below those levels.
“But they are fully respectful that we aren’t on the main pitch, so I’m comfortable with the rates we’ve been attaining pound per square foot from our incoming tenancies.
“I know what we’ve been getting in Park Place is an acceptable rate, we’re happy with what we’ve got.”
Instead, MBU believe there has been a lack of demand across the retail sector but is hopeful once momentum builds around both Park Place and the town, more progress will be made.
Stevenage Even Better also insisted that over the whole town there will be a focus away from traditional retail and onto office space, restaurants and leisure facilities.
That diversity ensures that the town won’t be so dependent on retailers as it has been in the past, while also giving residents a more vibrant town centre experience.
Before the coronavirus lockdown, those involved in the plan boasted about how the work was actually ahead of schedule – almost completely unheard of when it comes to major projects.
That may have now been pushed back slightly but – whisper it quietly – after false dawns in the past, it looks like Stevenage will soon have the town centre it deserves.
To read the feature on the Hertfordshire Mercury website