Hopes Bradford Interchange will fully reopen in the New Year
Plans to safely reopen Bradford Interchange bus station are being drawn up ahead of final decision next month
Plans are being drawn up to safely reopen Bradford Interchange bus station by January 2025, one year after it closed due to safety fears, after concrete fell in the basement.
Experts have now advised that the bus station could open safely, with appropriate safety measures.
Structural investigations found the risk of resuming operations - once these appropriate control measures have been implemented - is low.
Final detailed surveys are still underway but the Combined Authority (CA) said they are now working at pace on plans to bring the structure back into operation.
Meanwhile, the CA said they are also preparing longer-term plans for an alternative bus station facility in Bradford city centre.
Work is also underway to ensure the bus station would be safe for passengers after months of being out of operation, with checks on fire escapes, lifts and doors needed.
It follows a decision over the summer to reopen the lower concourse of the Interchange, to improve access to the Interchange railway station. The lower concourse will reopen by the end of October.
Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said: “We know the closure of the bus station has caused real hardship for the people of Bradford and West Yorkshire and I want to thank the public for their patience.
“It was the right decision to make at the time, but I’m really encouraged by the survey findings being outlined today and relieved that it can be reopened once mitigations have been implemented.
“Though the formal decision still needs to be made, we will be working flat out so we can see the Interchange safely reopen as soon as possible.”
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council and Chair of the Combined Authority's transport committee, said: "I recognise how incredibly challenging this has been for passengers and local businesses, and the inconvenience and disruption this has caused, so I'm very relieved that the Combined Authority is now mobilising to re-open the interchange.
"We'll be working closely with the combined authority to make sure that it reopens as soon as possible.”
The CA said they have been reassured that while the structure has reached the end of its design life, it can remain operational for longer with a certain level of investment.