On the Road to a New Coach Station
Monday 29 October 2007
Digbeth, Birmingham
National Express has submitted the final planning application for the redevelopment of Digbeth coach station today. The submission to Birmingham City Council (BCC) marks an important milestone in the company's history, as it is one step closer to delivering a landmark coach station for the City.
The £15million project, wholly funded by National Express Group, will be complete in late 2009. The station will finally close on the 12 November 2007, with the last coach departing at 0730. National Express has invested £1.4m in redesigning and redeveloping the temporary coach station situated across Digbeth High Street at the former Volkswagen showroom. It will be known as Birmingham Central and will be operational for two years.
The submission provides a new artist's impression of the coach station created by SBS architects in partnership with National Express and BCC. The design has many unique features including a sweeping canopy above the concourse frontage and a curved feature wall in the main entrance. The building is further enhanced by being wrapped in copper cladding giving the whole scheme a shimmering metallic appearance not seen on any other city centre sites. The design is deliberately in keeping with the wider regeneration plans for Digbeth and the surrounding areas.
The new terminal building will provide much improved facilities for passengers including:- A double height, illuminated and fully glazed enclosed concourse with modern passenger information displays and dedicated seating per waiting bay
- A temperature controlled waiting area providing additional comfort for passengers waiting over longer periods
- An information centre providing up to the minute travel information and ticketing
- An open plan café providing contemporary food and drink
- New toilet facilities
- A new retail facility facing on to Digbeth High Street, with dual access from both the coach station concourse and the street
- Additional office accommodation above the main concourse
- A short stay customer car park with 15 spaces (including two dedicated disabled bays)
- A 'meet and greet' drop off zone will be created on Mill Lane, adjacent to the new main entrance to the coach station
- A dedicated taxi waiting zone
- 16 coach bays, two more compared with the existing facility, and four layover bays allowing for potential and predicted growth in coach travel
Paul Bunting, Chief Executive, National Express said, "A brand new modern coach station will greatly enhance people's experience of coach travel in Birmingham and around the UK. We are totally committed to delivering this project, which will assist with the regeneration of Digbeth, the Eastside and the Irish Quarter and provide a landmark gateway into the City Centre. We are working very well with our partners including Birmingham City Council and we are looking forward to the next couple of months when the vision will start to become a reality."
The new building remains in the same location immediately adjacent to Digbeth High Street although coaches will enter via a new entrance in Bradford Street.
Roman Strzala, Director SBS Architects said, "The terminal building will be of the highest quality in terms of design and the emphasis is on providing customers with the best possible travel experience."
A copy of the planning application will be available at Birmingham City Council's offices at Alpha Tower. National Express will hold a public open day to view the plans at 0800-1600 on Friday 2 November 2007 and 0900-1200 on Saturday 3 November at Digbeth coach station. Members of the National Express senior management team will be available to answer any questions and explain the designs in detail.
A variety of technical reports have been prepared and submitted in support of the application. These confirm that the proposal will have a very limited impact on the highway network, air quality, noise and flood risk. Copies of these reports are also available for inspection at the City Council.
An official closing party will be held at the coach station on Saturday 17 November. The public will be invited to enjoy a day of fun-filled activities with family entertainment including a bouncy castle, live bands, stalls, arts and crafts, a vintage coach display and much more!
-ENDS-
For more information please call Joy Williams at National Express on 0121 423 8716 or 07795 267453
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