Durham Bus Station - Redevelopment

[TheGrandWazoo]

Just spotted this consultation being undertaken.

https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news...am-s-bus-station-is-just-the-ticket-1-9579101

Commuters in Durham are being urged to have their say on the future of the city's bus station. Durham County Council is asking members of the public for their ideas for a new bus station as it develops plans for the future of the facility.

The authority is considering proposals to demolish the existing North Road structure and build a more modern, welcoming facility for bus users on the same site – and it wants to put residents’ views at the heart of its plans.

Coun Carl Marshall, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “We want to offer visitors to our area the best possible welcome but the bus station in its current state just does not do our county justice. A possibility for the new entrance "This is an opportunity to create a bright, modern new bus station, offering improved facilities for both residents and visitors on the existing site."Built in the 1970s, the current bus station is now past its best and as a major transport hub for the region and the county we need to develop a proposal that provides first class facilities and helps improve access to public transport."

It's perhaps telling that since it was built, it's been extensively refurbished twice! The current iteration is still a zillion times better than the mid 80s version that I remember so well, waiting at stand 3 for my bus back to Darlington.

In fairness, Durham CC have tried to improve facilities with new bus stations at Peterlee, Consett and Stanley and this is a logical step. Still, Bishop Auckland remains a windswept assortment of bus shelters, acting as a reminder of my youth!

 

[Darandio]

Brings back memories for me in the late 80's as well. Stand at Durham on a winters evening in near darkness and surrounded by a faint whiff of urine. Stand at Feethams and receive a sizeable intake of diesel exhaust fumes. Stand at Bishop Auckland and get blown away.

Will be interesting to see what comes of this though.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Brings back memories for me in the late 80's as well. Stand at Durham on a winters evening in near darkness and surrounded by a faint whiff of urine. Stand at Feethams and receive a sizeable intake of diesel exhaust fumes. Stand at Bishop Auckland and get blown away.

Will be interesting to see what comes of this though.

Ah yes, Feethams. A delightful spot - this bring the memories sweeping back? https://www.flickr.com/photos/77751...DFa-Ndf6Jk-RwyxAQ-fjUFZc-dWPGvA-X3Mvr3-XeHwPw

To be fair, I struggle to think of too many bad bus stations (except in terms of capacity for all the services) nowadays compared to the past, especially since places like Gloucester and Mansfield were replaced in recent years. Blyth and Bishop are perhaps relics of a bygone age but struggling otherwise

 

[carlberry]

It's good to see the old journalistic cliches still being used! Every story about buses must include 'Just the ticket' or a reference to Blakey/Butler (Anybody under 40 may need to look up those references!)

 

[Darandio]

Ah yes, Feethams. A delightful spot - this bring the memories sweeping back? https://www.flickr.com/photos/77751...DFa-Ndf6Jk-RwyxAQ-fjUFZc-dWPGvA-X3Mvr3-XeHwPw

To be fair, I struggle to think of too many bad bus stations (except in terms of capacity for all the services) nowadays compared to the past, especially since places like Gloucester and Mansfield were replaced in recent years. Blyth and Bishop are perhaps relics of a bygone age but struggling otherwise

Memories yes, all that is missing from that shot for me is a Tynelink branded Olympian.

 

[ian1944]

Stories about buses get given, I suspect, to the newest and/or most useless reporter, judging by the errors and formulaic references that appear. I remember a "do you remember" photo in one of the Tyneside papers a while ago, featuring "Newcastle Warwick Street bus station" long ago.

On the subject of Bishop Auckland BS, it's not just windswept but huge, as measured between the farthest-apart pair of shelters. Can anywhere else match the ratio between acreage and movements? It's the sort of size that Durham should be.

 

[Busaholic]

On the subject of Bishop Auckland BS, it's not just windswept but huge, as measured between the farthest-apart pair of shelters. Can anywhere else match the ratio between acreage and movements? It's the sort of size that Durham should be.

Preston?

 

[Andyh82]

I’m sure there were plans released about rebuilding Durham Bus Station a few years, it doesn’t look like it’s moved on far then, I was hoping they’d be starting the building work by now.

 

[Slower Travel]

To be fair, I struggle to think of too many bad bus stations (except in terms of capacity for all the services) nowadays compared to the past, especially since places like Gloucester and Mansfield were replaced in recent years. Blyth and Bishop are perhaps relics of a bygone age but struggling otherwise

Honourable mention to Crewe bus station here. All kinds of dreadful.

 

[Megafuss]

Durham Bus Station is not the worst in its current form, but boy does it need resurfacing

 

[geoffk]

I moved away from Durham in 1980 and remember the old "listed" bus station. I thought that it was dismantled and moved into storage at Beamish Museum, for use in the 1950s town now under construction, but no-one seemed to know anything about it when I visited Beamish on Monday.