Transport interchange construction projects on road to revival

The construction industry is in the slow lane due to the Coronavirus but a host of transport interchange construction projects are in the pipeline.

After pushing through a redevelopment of Ashton Interchange (Glenigan Project ID: 13268080), Transport for Greater Manchester has recruited Willmott Dixon for another transport interchange in Stockport.

According to Glenigan’s market research, the contractor will start work next year after beating Galliford Try, Morgan Sindall and VINCI to the contract for the £120 million job (Glenigan Project ID: 05230823).

The scheme, which is being developed jointly by TfGM and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, features a rooftop car park, cycle and footbridge, and will be connected to the A6.

Willmott Dixon’s managing director for the north, Anthony Dillon, said: “This exciting project … will be a catalyst for the regeneration of the town centre and create a new gateway for the people of Stockport.”

Architects BDP and Places Matter have designed the development, which will also include a 17-storey residential block featuring up to 200 flats. Work should start early next year.

Willmott Dixon has also picked up the job to build a £3.9 million transport interchange in Stevenage for the local borough council and work could start before the end of the year depending on the Coronavirus shutdown (Glenigan Project ID: 19299655)

Transport plans

In Scotland and Wales, there are a number of transport projects at various stages of the construction process.

A £3 million transport interchange at Barrhead in Glasgow could start next year (Glenigan Project ID: 16383873), but work had already begun on a £9.5 million bus station in Merthyr Tydfil (Glenigan Project ID: 15197808) before the virus struck.

Construction has been delayed on an £89 million transport interchange in Cardiff, which is being developed by Cardiff-based developer Rightacres at its flagship Central Square mixed-use development scheme and is being funded by Legal & General (Glenigan Project ID: 14221549).

Local architects Holder Mathias Architects are designing the scheme, which includes a 14-bay bus interchange with covered concourse, 318 apartments for the private rented sector and office space.
Work on site in Cardiff will resume once the virus has been contained, but a number of other transport interchange projects are still moving through the development process.

Motoring on

According to Glenigan’s research, procurement has just begun on a £5 million plan to replace the bus station at Kingston-upon-Thames (Glenigan Project ID: 15386913). Work is unlikely to start in Kingston until next year, but depending on the spread of the virus, other projects could begin later this year including a £500,000 transport distribution hub in Maidstone (Glenigan Project ID: 19386260) and a £20 million bus station in Dudley for the West Midlands Combined Authority (Glenigan Project ID: 18175840).

The Dudley scheme will link up to the West Midlands Metro, which is being extended to the town and is proving the catalyst for wider urban regeneration plans. Councillor Pat Harley, Leader of Dudley Council, said: “Along with the new bus and tram interchange, and the proposed Metro extension from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill which will run through Dudley, it promises an exciting future.”

For the construction industry, focusing on the future will be key.

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