Oakengates Bus Station gets new look
Oakengates Bus Station is being refurbished this week to make its service more attractive and increase usage, as part of a major joint project between Arriva and Telford & Wrekin Council.
The four existing bus shelters at Oakengates Bus Station are being removed and replaced with two new, larger shelters.
The new shelters will have access points at either ends to accommodate more passengers and ease traffic when buses arrive together.
Work is expected to be completed by Monday, 30 Sept.
During the work, the bus schedule will run as normal – however, passengers need to be aware that buses may not depart from their usual stop but from the shelters not being worked on.
The scheme is being delivered as part of the new partnership between Arriva and Telford & Wrekin Council, designed to improve and reinvigorate Telford’s Route 4, a popular cross-town bus service operating from Leegomery to Madeley.
Further to the installation of the new bus shelters, additional improvement work at Oakengates Bus Station is planned for the rest of the year.
As such, within each of the new shelters, ‘Real Time Information’ boards for arrivals and departures of journeys are due to be provided, to enable users to know when their bus is due in real time.
These will be similar to the screens installed at Telford Central Bus Station.
New orientation signs (to help people know where to go) as well as pedestrian guardrail (to improve people’s safety at the station, by preventing them to cross between park buses) are also planned to be in place by the end of this year.
Councillor David Wright, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Transport, said: “These new measures will provide an enhanced bus service in our borough.
“It helps make Telford’s popular Route 4 (a crucial connection for those travelling to key places such as Princess Royal Hospital, Telford Central railway station. Telford Town Centre) accessible to even more people.
“I am delighted that our partnership with Arriva Midlands has produced early positive results – we hope that together with the other improvements scheduled by the end of year, people’s bus journeys will be a bit easier and more relaxing.”
The relaunch of Route 4 (which includes the refurbishment of Oakengates Bus Station and improvements mentioned above) is the first stage of Arriva’s collaboration with the Council, which will see a number of new initiatives unveiled over the course of the next few months, each designed to reduce congestion on Telford’s roads, deliver economic growth and drive tourism to the area.
Pictured (left to right): Cllr Stephen Reynolds (Mayor of Oakengates Town Council), Cllr Gilly Reynolds (Local Ward Cllr and member of Oakengates Town Council), Cllr Hilda Rhodes (Cabinet Member Telford & Wrekin Council) and Matt Powell (Group Manager - Strategic Transport, Telford & Wrekin Council) at the new bus shelter installed at Oakengates Bus Station
