Hold very tight, please ting, ting- new Heckmondwike bus station opens

Stephen George + Partners (SGP) is proud to announce the completion of a stunning new bus station in the heart of Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire.

Officially opened on Sunday 20th September by the Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, the fully-fledged bus station replaces the limited facilities at the previous bus hub, increasing the number of bus stands from four to six and offering improved passenger facilities, including an impressive double height waiting area, glazed stands with safe access to buses, real-time information displays, public toilets, baby changing and a Changing Places facility.

Explains Alistair Branch, Partner at SGP: “In partnership with Kirklees Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and WSP, SGP has designed this landmark new bus station. Our design aimed to create a contemporary, welcoming building to reflect the sense of pride local people have in Heckmondwike.”

A bold elliptical form houses the double height waiting area, complete with seating, toilet facilities and real-time service information. The green roof contains circular roof lights that allow light to flood into the building, whilst a raised parapet hides the necessary plant equipment and delivers a sharp edge to the curved profile for a simple, bold finish. The powerful curving line of the canopy for the outdoor bus waiting area offers up a muscular foil to the more sculptural main building. SGP’s choice of materials, primarily natural York stone cladding and light glazing, reflects – sometimes quite literally – the finishes and tones of the town centre environment.

Continues Alistair: “We worked with our client to engage with the public and other stakeholders early in the design process, as well as re-engaging with interested parties again once planning was submitted, to show how their comments and concerns have been taken on board in the final design. As a landmark project that aims to bring significant benefits to the town and the area, it’s vital that the local community felt part of the conversation and that the finished building is “theirs”; to be proud of and well used.”

SGP and WSP were keen to make the outdoor areas as attractive as the physical structure and establish the public realm as an intrinsic part of scheme. Areas of new planting, including a green wall, planters, trees and bench seating wind around the bus station, complementing improvements to the perimeter footpath. With sustainability as a key driver for the scheme, SGP and WSP included elements such as air source heat pumps, photovoltaic panels and a sustainable urban drainage system to complement the broader green aspirations of the project, such as better cycle parking to help link together sustainable modes of transport.

It is the first bus station in the Mayor’s new Weaver Network brand. A new transport network for West Yorkshire, the Weaver Network will join up buses, trains, a future mass transit system, walking, wheeling and cycling.

The project was funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and is part of the regionally significant A638 Sustainable Travel Corridor Scheme to boost economic growth by improving connectivity between Dewsbury and Cleckheaton. It aims to improve bus service capacity, reliability and attractiveness so that more people will choose the sustainable transport option and travel by bus.

Since joining SGP, Alistair has seen the AJ100 practice’s Transport Sector grow significantly, with a diverse portfolio of award-winning projects in design, on-site and completed, including bus interchanges and multi-storey car parks as well as training and Innovation Centres and aircraft hangars, with a wide range of values – from £300,000 to £40 million. SGP designed the landmark Bus Station in Halifax, also for West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and its award-winning portfolio of bus stations include Stevenage Interchange and Broad Marsh Bus Station & MSCP, Nottingham.