Work on Dudley's £24m interchange expected to start in autumn, says council boss
Work on Dudley’s new £24 million transport interchange is expected to start later this year after plans to demolish the bus station were submitted.
A planning statement submitted on behalf of the West Midlands Combined Authority reveals details of the scheme, which bosses see as a crucial part of the regeneration of the town centre.
The development, which is expected to be finished by the end of next year, will see the demolition of the existing bus station and shelters, as well as Farmfoods and an old warehouse off Birmingham Street.
Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said it was likely that work on the development would start this autumn providing planning permission was granted.
He said: “Along with the Metro coming, the new interchange is a vital part of the development of the town.
“It will open up connectivity and allow many more people to come to Dudley to see our fantastic attractions such as the Black Country Living Museum and the zoo and castle.
The statement says the interchange is required to integrate bus and metro services, with the current bus station described as being in “poor condition” and said to “not serve the local community well”.
It says the 2.77 hectare (6.84 acre) development will incorporate the area around the bus station, Birdcage Walk, St Joseph’s Street and a car park bordering Porter’s Field.
It will see road improvements around Trindle Road and St Joseph Street, from where the site will be accessed, while the existing ticket office will be replaced with a cycle shelter next to a new cycle route. A new car park will also be built.
According to the statement, the interchange building will have a “feature green roof” that will “provide maximum biodiversity, with native species of herbs and grasses to attract invertebrates and provide colour and interest throughout the year”.
“The proposed development, in combination with the metro extension, will link the town centre with a new interchange for metro, rail and bus passengers at Dudley Port,” it adds.
It concludes that planning permission should be grated, as “the need for the scheme, and the benefits that it would deliver, clearly outweigh any adverse impacts.”
Outline planning permission for the scheme was granted in 2019.
