Accrington's new bus station "to be"

[lancsdave]

Must admit the artists impression on the front page of the Acrrington Observer amused me, it shows the new bus station, with ONE bus in it

[Margaret Pilkington]

Well, Graham Jones has been saying all along that this new site isn't big enough.
I think the market will die a death and the Market hall will be available to all those who want to use it for arty farty things...it sure as hell won't be a place for trading.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

As been mentioned before we heard a lot of the comments outside when it was in the news before and they weren't for wanting it moved. I think there's only Katex supports it, she obviously has some power

Hate ya not noticed Dave she a woman

[Taggy]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Well, Graham Jones has been saying all along that this new site isn't big enough.
I think the market will die a death and the Market hall will be available to all those who want to use it for arty farty things...it sure as hell won't be a place for trading.

Probably make a Grand Mosque in a few years though!

Best Regards - Taggy

[groove]

Groove agrees with Margaret that this will indeed be the final nails in the coffin of the market/hall....Town centres are struggling in every other town in the country but it seems our council just contribute to the demise. Groove thinks Tesco will benefit from this move and we all know that supermarkets thrive at the expense of the high street. This will make Peel.St, Abbey.St, Church.St and the victorian arcade more isolated from the town centre. Groove is bemused that plans are afoot to spend millions are the arcade, which although a great example of our Victorian past is just a walkway between 2 dying shopping streets and contains a cafe and not much else. The demise of our town centre is shocking, and Groove thinks anyone will travel to Blackburn for shopping instead, unless they only want to use the pound and charity shops.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Taggy

Probably make a Grand Mosque in a few years though!

Best Regards - Taggy

I wouldn't be at all surprised Taggy.

It makes me wonder if Tesco had a hand in this Bus station move, (I strongly suspect that it did...Ok you can call me an old cynic)as it moves everyone nearer to their store and away from the geographic centre of the town.....the town hall, the Market, the Market Hall.

It would have been just as easy to revert back to how the bus station used to be on Peel St.......the Fish market and the outside stalls on Peel St could have been accommodated in the market hall(making that feel more vibrant and more like a market hall).......the stalls outside Wilkinsons could have gone on Broadway.........again creating a bigger footfall for the shops on Broadway.

The moves to apply for a 2.5million pound grant to refurbish the arcade are going to be wasted....as this will be on the outskirts of the town....Warner St and Abbey Street will be given the cold shoulder too.

Ah well, that'll be that then.......Dead Accrington...RIP.

[katex]

Yes, I am pleased that the new Bus Station has now got funding, and not the only one, Lancsdave. Most people I talk to think it can only do the town a favour. I have expressed my opinion in other threads, and will not repeat myself as my thoughts are dismissed as slightly 'odd-ball'.

I would have thought that in these time of constrained funding, this represented a significant 'win' for both Accrington and Blackburn. I think these proposals need to be considered in the wider context.

Most modern day thinking on major public transport stops/stations is to ensure that they are developed into 'interchanges'; allowing people to change between modes and routes without huge walk/wait times. This increases the number of destinations that public transport users can access within an acceptable travel time without having to run/subsidise lots of different routes (especially the case with bus services). This is actually a logical place for the bus station and, although the central location of the existing bus station is very good, it prevents more appropriate development in the Town Centre. I assume that Accrington residents would like to see a good mix a shops, businesses etc that fuel a thriving Town Centre? Typically bus stations do not deliver high quality development in the surroundings.

I am a little bemused that Hyndburn Council would be pursuing the delivery of (another) car park on this site. This site is surely a key development opportunity for Accrington Town Centre. It is surrounding by old buildings, the market and has access points from all directions. A focal square with surrounding shops etc would be far more appropriate. I think if they go ahead and approve a car park then they will regret it in the long term. This is obviously being driven by money. Car parks are traditionally ugly, traffic generating and represent a low value use of land (in the medium/long term) because they generate no business rates for the council.

Terrible proposal and it should be resisted.

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

As been mentioned before we heard a lot of the comments outside when it was in the news before and they weren't for wanting it moved.

Originally Posted by katex

Most people I talk to think it can only do the town a favour.

Youu get your lot together and I'll get my lot, meet on Peel St. Only oner way to settle this in true Harry Hill fashion....... fiiigggghhhhht

One things for sure, whoever does make the decision it won't be a decision made for the benefit of the town, there will be some self interest

[Taggy]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I wouldn't be at all surprised Taggy.

It makes me wonder if Tesco had a hand in this Bus station move, (I strongly suspect that it did...Ok you can call me an old cynic)as it moves everyone nearer to their store and away from the geographic centre of the town.....the town hall, the Market, the Market Hall.

It would have been just as easy to revert back to how the bus station used to be on Peel St.......the Fish market and the outside stalls on Peel St could have been accommodated in the market hall(making that feel more vibrant and more like a market hall).......the stalls outside Wilkinsons could have gone on Broadway.........again creating a bigger footfall for the shops on Broadway.

The moves to apply for a 2.5million pound grant to refurbish the arcade are going to be wasted....as this will be on the outskirts of the town....Warner St and Abbey Street will be given the cold shoulder too.

Ah well, that'll be that then.......Dead Accrington...RIP.

Yep pretty much my thoughts exactly! How do they think that moving the bus station to this particular place will increase footfall into the town?..In my opinion it won't, it will however make Tesco an easier visit for people!

As for developing the area which is currently the bus station into a square & more shops, i don't see this as a goer....we can't fill town centre shops as it is! I think the Car Park plan really is the only feasible plan for that area, and will at least help bring people right into the heart of the town centre, which may just help the Market Hall, Market & surrounding shops. Going to be an awful lot of disruption whilst this work is being carried out i guess though, & businesses may fall by the wayside in the meantime.

Overall i'd prefer Margaret's idea!

Best Regards - Taggy

[Margaret Pilkington]

I can see the appeal of an interchange in big places like Manchester and Bury...where people do use different modes of transport to get to their destination - but, Accrington.......come on! The only people who might land by train might be those away supporters visiting Accrington Stanley football matches....and their mind is not on visiting the town centre.

This bus station is a terrible idea....and I know money is constrained and that is why Tesco want as many people as close to their outlet as possible....it would not surprise me in the least, if they got a mini bus shuttle service to run them up the hill.

What will it do for trade in the town centre? Zero, nothing, nada, zilch. It will be drastic for businesses in Church St, Warner St, Little Blackburn Rd, Abbey St. These businesses have a tough time as it is......this development will be dire for them.
And as for making Peel St. a town square, a focal point...for who exactly....all the people will be on the railway side of town.

As for a 'win' in times of financial constraint...that is a laugh...the only winners will be Tesco. Not the population, not the travellers. This is a win I would rather we had lost. It will do the town no favours and could have been far, far better planned with an eye to revitalising the centre of the town.
Accrington Town Centre RIP.

[susie123]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I can see the appeal of an interchange in big places like Manchester and Bury...where people do use different modes of transport to tget to their destination - but, Accrington.......come on! the only people who might land by train might be thos away supported for Accrington Stanley....and their mind is not on visiting the town centre.

This bus station is a terrible idea....and I know money is constrained and that is why Tesco want as many people as close to their outlet as possible....it would not surprise me in the least, if they got a mini bus shuttle service to run them up the hill.

What will it do for trade in the town centre? Zero, nothing, nada, zilch.
And as for making Peel St. a town square, a focal point...for who exactly....all the people will be on the railway side of town.
Accrington Town Centre RIP.

I disagree... when I visit Accrington it's usually on the train from Lancaster and I'd love to be able to get a bus near the station to take me up Whalley road to Milnshaw. I find that walk along Blackburn Road to Peel Street very depressing.

[Taggy]

Originally Posted by susie123

I disagree... when I visit Accrington it's usually on the train from Lancaster and I'd love to be able to get a bus near the station to take me up Whalley road to Milnshaw. I find that walk along Blackburn Road to Peel Street very depressing.

Which doe's however kind of emphasize the point that by moving the Bus Station to this new locality will not bring extra footfall to the Town Centre...which is "apparently" what its supposed to be aimed at!

Best Regards - Taggy

[Margaret Pilkington]

Sue, I pass the train station regularly on my way up to see Ma...it rarely seems busy.

I just hope that there are a lot more people like you, who feel that this development is in the right place...and are willing to travel into town.......I fear that however much I wish it, it won't happen.
I can't see it having much influence on bringing people into the town from outside.......it might take plenty of folk out though, to shop in more attractive compact centres.

Blackburn Road is depressing, it has been allowed to become that way.
It used to have a good variety of shops....and if you think that bit of Accrington is depressing have a look at the bit going out of town towards Blackburn...it is dire.

My main concern is that for the elderly(many of whom shop on the market and in the Market Hall) this bus station will be too far away from where they have traditionally shopped.....the Market and the Market Hall.
It shifts the centre of town to where the scenery is dire too...that bit of Blackburn road.

[mobertol]

Originally Posted by susie123

I disagree... when I visit Accrington it's usually on the train from Lancaster and I'd love to be able to get a bus near the station to take me up Whalley road to Milnshaw. I find that walk along Blackburn Road to Peel Street very depressing.

I came into town on the train twice in October and as Sue says the walk along Blackburn Road is dismal - so run-down and dirty...

There actually seemed to be more taxis around in town than buses so perhaps the current large site of the bus station is no longer needed and the new one will be more suited to the changing face of public transport and the center. As Katex says the current bus station would make a central great square -hopefully not a car-park, there are plenty of other possibilities for development...

[Benipete]

All depends on who gets the franchise to run the bus station cafe I suppose.