New details announced for St Helens town centre bus station

With St Helens poised for a huge £90m regeneration project, a new and improved bus station has been described as an integral part of the town centre's transformation.

Set to be built on the existing bus station around Bickerstaffe Street and Corporation Street, up to £32m has been committed for the new 'Multi Modal Interchange' in St Helens, and more information has been released ahead of its impending planning application.

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What is a Multi Modal Interchange?

The Multi Modal Interchange incorporates bus and train services with cycling and pedestrian routes (Image: St Helens Council/ ECF) While the main project in the Multi Modal Interchange is a new bus station, the development is being described as such as it aims to bring together multiple transport modes.

This means that an "accessible, sheltered, modern, and attractive" bus station will be complemented with safe and secure cycling lanes and improved pedestrian facilities.

There is also secure and convenient indoor cycle parking included in the plans, as well as an improved link between the town's bus and railway stations and real time service information regarding train times.

As well as the improvements to the town's transport hub and facilities, the plans also include "major improvements" to public spaces around the bus station.

This will include newly pedestrianised streets, tree planting, and a new civic square between the Gamble building, Theatre Royal, and bus station.

New bus station

Up to £32m has been committed for St Helens' new transport interchange (Image: St Helens Council/ ECF) Information about the new bus station states that it is being designed to "complement the characteristics of the new regeneration development and surrounding area".

Designed with accessibility and sustainability in mind, the transport hub is planned to have clear signage and information and an easy interchange between services.

Aiming to address the "operational inefficiencies and safety issues" at the current bus station, the new hub will move operations into a "safe and controlled environment", with extra space for bus layover bays for drivers taking breaks or gaps in the timetable.

The new station will also benefit from the Liverpool City Region's plans to bring buses into public control, which could deliver services more efficiently than private operators.

Facilities at the new station

The plans aim to bring a modern, efficient, and attractive bus station into the town centre (Image: St Helens Council/ ECF) If approved by St Helens Council, the new bus station will include the following features: 

• 11 bus stands (compared with 9 in the current bus station) 
• 7 bus layover bays (removing the layover on Corporation Street) 
• Two fully enclosed concourses to offer "spacious and sheltered" bus waiting areas
• Two small building 'pods' to house a new staffed travel centre, commercial space, and public toilets including changing places facilities 
• A more efficient arrangement for buses to enter and exit the new bus station 
• Automatic doors at each departure stand with level bus boarding and step-free access throughout
• Secure indoor and outdoor cycle parking and wayfinding 
• Improved mobility with broader pathways, more seating options and bins 
• Improved lighting and CCTV coverage, enhancing safety and security 
• Self-service ticket machines  
• Live travel information display screens for buses and local train services  
• Increased capacity for passenger growth  
• 'Future proofed' to welcome larger and more sustainable buses

Pedestrianised streets and cycle lanes

New pedestrian routes, cycle lanes, and public spaces are proposed in the plans (Image: St Helens Council/ ECF) With pedestrianised streets and cycle lanes planned to improve public spaces around the new bus station, Bickerstaffe Street (west of Hall Street) will be pedestrianised with a cycle lane between the new station and hotel.

Hall Street, between Bickerstaffe and Corporation Street, will be closed to private vehicles and feature a paved pedestrian footpath and cycle lane access point with planting to the edges

Bickerstaffe Street east of Hall Street will see a new layout with the introduction of a new contraflow cycle lane and new kerb alignments up to Haydock Street and existing pedestrianised area to the railway station changed to accommodate cycle movements.

Vehicle movements from Haydock Street onto Bickerstaffe Street will only be permitted to turn left and move south along Hall Street.  

The junction of Hall Street and Corporation Street adjacent to The Millennium Centre car park will become pedestrianised. Access to the Millennium Centre car park will be through Shaw Street onto Hall Street 

The existing one-way access point from Hardshaw Street onto Corporation Street near Library Street will become pedestrianised, with no though access onto Corporation Street. Vehicle traffic will be rerouted along Vincent Street onto Parade Street. 

Pedestrian crossings and continuous footpaths will connect pedestrians along the length of Bickerstaffe Street.

What is the timeline for the plans?

If approved, the new interchange is estimated to be completed by autumn 2026 (Image: St Helens Council/ ECF) With phase one of the town centre regeneration plans submitted in December 2023, a detailed planning application for the Multi Modal Interchange is set to be submitted in autumn 2024.

With construction starting on the temporary bus station on Chalon Way West this autumn, the demolition of the current station, as well as buildings such as The Swan pub on Corporation Street and the former Town Fryer chippy on Hall Street, will take place in Spring 2025.

Construction of the new Multi Modal Interchange will follow the demolition of the current station, with an estimated completion in autumn 2026.