Lewes Bus Station closes on 16th September

[Hassocks5489]

It has been announced that the bus station in the centre of Lewes, East Sussex, will close on (or by) Friday 16th September 2022. It has been bought by a developer, and notice has been served this week. Temporary bus stops will be put in place in School Hill and Friars Walk, both of which are fairly close. East Sussex County Council say they are "working with [the developer] to deliver an alternative location for a town centre bus station", although given the congested and very hilly nature of Lewes's small town centre it is hard to see where this could be. I noticed last month that Historic England had granted a Certificate of Immunity to the bus station, which guarantees that it will not be granted listed status. (Listing has been sought in the past: it is an interesting example of mid-20th-century architecture.)

For a summary of services which run from the three stops at the Bus Station, see https://bustimes.org/stops/1400LE0022, https://bustimes.org/stops/1400LE0023 and https://bustimes.org/stops/1400LE0024.

The attached story from The Argus may be behind a paywall: https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/206...tes-licence-bus-operations-lewes-bus-station/

Text of the story:

THERE will be no more bus services from a 70-year-old station after the developer terminated the licence. Notice for Lewes Bus Station in Eastgate Street, Lewes, was served by the owners, The Generator Group, last week. It means all bus services are to cease at the site by Friday, September 16. Lewes Liberal Democrat councillors have slammed the decision, claiming there is no alternative location for another bus station agreed. Temporary bus stops will be put in place in School Hill and Friars Walk.

Town councillor Dr Janet Baah said: “The Generator Group has jumped the gun by evicting the bus companies without a suitable alternative arrangement being in place. And, with no planning permission, why the haste? The central, flat location of the bus station on Eastgate Street is vital for people to access local businesses and services in Lewes, with space and shelter for waiting and boarding. The options put on the table by the Generator Group would see passengers queueing in the wind and rain on Phoenix Causeway.”

South Downs National Park, which has marked the site as a brownfield space, said in its local plan there are “concerns over the long-term viability” of operating the bus station in its current location. The plan states that “the principle of redevelopment is acceptable, providing that attractive, operationally satisfactory interchange facilities for passengers are provided on a site elsewhere of equal convenience”. Councillor Merlin Miller called for the developers to either find a suitable site before planning permission is approved, or the bus stop should remain. Cllr Miller added: “Brighton and Hove Bus Company has sent an objection to the proposals, suggesting the demolition of the bus station could even lead to the loss of some bus services.”

Nearly 600 objections have been submitted to the Generator Group’s plans for a four storey development of houses, flats and commercial space, with no affordable housing – according to Lewes Lib Dems. The developers are said to have given notice to local cafes and the bus companies that they plan to demolish the site. An attempt by campaigners to gain listed building status for Lewes bus station failed last week. Lewes Liberal Democrats are calling on the South Downs National Park Authority, who will decide on the application, to hold the meeting with the decision in Lewes so local residents can make their voices heard. Councillor Claire Dowling, lead member for transport and the environment at East Sussex County Council, said they were “extremely disappointed” with the owner’s decision to serve the council notice. She said: “We remain committed to working with them to deliver an alternative location for a town centre bus station, as they are required to do to satisfy the relevant policy within the National Park’s local plan. “As a potential site has been identified, we hope they will proceed with funding its development as a matter of urgency to limit the disruption to bus passengers, businesses and residents in Lewes.”

 

[Howardh]

Similar to Blackpool but on a smaller scale, it's interesting that a town the size of Blackpool used to have a central bus station but now it's gone the services are spred all over the centre and not much in the way of assistance finding them such as roadside maps and signage. Appalling for a town heavily reliant on visitors!

As you say, finding space in Lewes for a new bus station is difficult, but with it being a small town is it really necesary? I suppose part of one of the large car parks (Eastgate or near the station?) could be used and parking with P+R provided outside the town?

 

[Robertj21a]

It's been expected to shut down ever since they closed the adjoining depot many decades ago !

 

[Hophead]

The Bus Station is certainly useful to Compass Bus, who have buses laying over there between duties. Brighton & Hove also park up a bus off the 28 for 10-20 minutes each hour. Fortunately, it seems (from Street View) that East Sussex County Council will be clearing away some parking at the bottom of School Hill (High Street) to provide room for the new stops and possibly room for one or two buses to layover.

The Argus page is free to view, though does have a limit on how many pages you can read before registering.

East Sussex CC have a page showing the new stop locations. New stop C serves 28, 29 and 29X to Brighton & stop D is for eastbound Compass & Cuckmere routes.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Bus stations are "nice to have", but smallish towns don't really need them, a few on street stops near your main shopping area are what most small towns have and are quite adequate. The current bus station doesn't seem much more than that anyway. Information provision is slightly separate - you can have a bus station with poor or no information, and you can have on-street stops with excellent information.

If you just need to park buses up for a layover, you can always find somewhere else for that, e.g. the back of a nearby public car park. Another option depending on how your routes work is cross-town operation with layovers at the outer ends, which is what Milton Keynes mostly does (for one).

Similar to Blackpool but on a smaller scale, it's interesting that a town the size of Blackpool used to have a central bus station but now it's gone the services are spred all over the centre and not much in the way of assistance finding them such as roadside maps and signage. Appalling for a town heavily reliant on visitors!

No reason that information couldn't be good, though. But 99.9999% of the tourists in Blackpool use the tram anyway, I expect, and bus route 1 that passholders not wanting to pay tram fares will use just parallels it.

 

[Howardh]

Bus stations are "nice to have", but smallish towns don't really need them, a few on street stops near your main shopping area are what most small towns have and are quite adequate. The current bus station doesn't seem much more than that anyway. Information provision is slightly separate - you can have a bus station with poor or no information, and you can have on-street stops with excellent information.

If you just need to park buses up for a layover, you can always find somewhere else for that, e.g. the back of a nearby public car park.

As I alluded, that's the exact issue with Blackpool.

As for Lewes, if space can't be found for a new station, and the buses have to use the streets, I recall most are very narrow so while a bus can stop drop-off/pick-up, having one or more waiting there for some time would be an issue for other road users. So what are the plans regarding that?

Edit, just noticed the above post with map, School Hill looks OK if it's one-way? Just take out some of the parking spaces already there.

 

[Hophead]

As I alluded, that's the exact issue with Blackpool.

As for Lewes, if space can't be found for a new station, and the buses have to use the streets, I recall most are very narrow so while a bus can stop drop-off/pick-up, having one or more waiting there for some time would be an issue for other road users. So what are the plans regarding that?

Edit, just noticed the above post with map, School Hill looks OK if it's one-way? Just take out some of the parking spaces already there.

School Hill is indeed one-way and the stops are, fortunately, at the bottom of the hill! As I said, it does look as if a row of on-street parking is to be converted to bus stop and, if it's the whole lot there, it will be possible for at least one bus to layover while both stops are being served.

As for a new bus station, I doubt that the council would able to come up with the funds. These stops seem a reasonable substitute for now, though I expect that at least one below the line commenter is going to predict economic devastation for the town due to the loss of half-a-dozen on-street parking spaces. I hope that the new stops will be properly policed to stop rogue parking (or gridlock would be a real possibility).

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Bus stations are "nice to have", but smallish towns don't really need them, a few on street stops near your main shopping area are what most small towns have and are quite adequate. The current bus station doesn't seem much more than that anyway. Information provision is slightly separate - you can have a bus station with poor or no information, and you can have on-street stops with excellent information.

Incidentally, when it was built by Southdown, Lewes was identified as one of the few towns that did need a bus station. However, I do agree with you and it has survived longer than expected.

The number of services in the town now doesn't really justify it. I would say that there are towns that could probably benefit from a bus station (e.g. Salisbury, Weston super Mare) where bus stops are located in numerous spots.

 

[Simon75]

I guess it is (was) on of the oldest bus stations still in use then

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I guess it is (was) on of the oldest bus stations still in use then

Dates from the 1950s IIRC

 

[Taunton]

Taunton had a very similar bus station, same era, same design with the upper floor overhanging the walkways, central island with the buses all round. possibly the same architect. As elsewhere, there was more value in the land of the bus station than there was in running the bus services.

I presume at Lewes the developer has recently purchased the site. Who sold it to them - bus company or local authority? Where there are possible planning permission issues and objections, the normal developer approach is to close it down, board it off, demolish everything down to ground level - and then apply for planning permission. Anything is better than a boarded-off site in the town.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Taunton had a very similar bus station, same era, same design with the upper floor overhanging the walkways, central island with the buses all round. possibly the same architect. As elsewhere, there was more value in the land of the bus station than there was in running the bus services.

I presume at Lewes the developer has recently purchased the site. Who sold it to them - bus company or local authority? Where there are possible planning permission issues and objections, the normal developer approach is to close it down, board it off, demolish everything down to ground level - and then apply for planning permission. Anything is better than a boarded-off site in the town.

Taunton bus station was designed in the 1930s but not built until after the war. However, it was a classic Tilling piece of architecture.

Lewes was built by BET owned Southdown and they had their own architect who also designed Chichester bus station and depot, and the Brighton head office.

As for Lewes bus station, it was owned by Stagecoach. However, they vacated that site in the mid 2000s, and I expect it was sold to a developer at that time but for whatever reason, the site wasn't developed. Unlike Taunton, Lewes had an adjoining depot building so the whole site is about as big again as the bus station.

The other reason for demolishing buildings is much more simple - they aren't liable for business rates, they aren't at risk of arson etc, and don't need security!

 

[Man of Kent]

Dates from the 1950s IIRC

It opened in 1954, although planning permission was first applied for in 1949.

 

[DavyCrocket]

I suspect that residents and businesses will not be fond of buses parked up outside their places during rest periods or to wait the next journey. Or drivers in cars on breaks that don’t return to the depot.
Plus interchanging for passengers will be more troublesome

 

[83G/84D]

I was in Lewes a few weeks ago. Here is my photo.

 

[busestrains]

Lewes Bus Station finally closed in the late evening of Thursday the 15th with the 23:57 route 28 journey (22:45 Tunbridge Wells to Brighton 00:29) being the last journey. BF12 KXC (428) operated the last ever journey and was the final ever bus to serve Lewes Bus Station with no more buses permitted after this.

From yesterday Friday the 16th buses served new stops (most buses that served the bus station will use the new C and D stops) that have been set up:

• Stop A - This is the existing stop outside Waitrose opposite the bus station. It can only fit one vehicle so it is not ideal that it now has an increased service. Lots of traffic builds up when two buses are trying to use it as the second bus has to wait behind and ends up blocking traffic. There is also no bus shelter here but there is a very large leafy tree which gives good cover from the rain and there is a bench.

• Stop B - This is the existing stop on Friars Walk outside the Premier Inn hotel. It can only fit one vehicle so it is not ideal with an increased service either. When a second bus arrives it also ends up blocking traffic. This stop does at least have a bus shelter and a bench though.

• Stop C and Stop D - These are two brand new bus stops at the bottom of the hilly part of the High Street that have been created by removing a long row of on street parking. Combined these stops can fit about five or six buses. These stops are the main replacement for the bus station. About 90% of the bus services that previously served the bus station will use these two stops instead. However despite being the busiest these two bus stops are the worse. They are located on a busy shopping road with a very narrow pavement. There is no bus shelter or bench or seating or cover and there is no space to add these. So everyone has to stand up waiting for their bus while pedestrians struggle to squeeze past all the passengers. From my observations of the first day it was chaos. They have to find an alternative. This can not be a permanent solution. Going from a bus station to these stops on a narrow pavement with no seating or shelter is appalling.

Still at least the did not reinstate that East Street bus stop. That stop was withdrawn about ten years and was located on such narrow pavement that two people could not physically pass each other without one walking in the very busy road. That stop was terrible and very dangerous.

The buses are mainly laying over and having their breaks at Stops C and D mostly. Although sometimes that gets full up do some of them i observed were parking by the Tesco Car Park and Waitrose Car Park and the disused bus stop on the Phoenix Causeway so just wherever they could find.

East Sussex County Council have done a good job putting up new publicity. There are plenty of posters and signs everywhere telling people where to board their bus. But i still observed plenty of confused passengers being the first day.

It is such a shame to see the decline of bus stations in the country. I remember Salisbury Bus Station went and now Lewes Bus Station and who knows what next. Most remaining bus stations are appalling anyway with travel shops closing and poor maintenance.

Lewes Bus Station is still opened and not blocked off. You can still walk around it. It is just that buses are not allowed any more. The businesses that use the old bus depot next door for storage and the current cafe in the bus station still have about a month left until they have to go. So it is not gone left.

I understand the Generator Group were denied planning permission for the new flats a few days ago but yet they still plan to demolish the bus station and bus depot and submit a new revised application.

So it shall be interesting to see what happens next but it is a shame to lose another bus station.

I attach here a link to the East Sussex County Council (ESCC) website with a map:

Lewes bus station and where to catch your bus

Information on where to catch your bus in Lewes town centre.

www.eastsussex.gov.uk

This is the PDF bus stop poster version showing the bus stops:

https://images-brightonhove.passenger-website.com/downloads/Lewes%20Guide_2.pdf

This gives an idea of the area for people who are not familiar with it.

 

[Flying Snail]

It's almost as if all the talk about sustainability, de-carbonisation and green alternatives is just hollow virtue signalling backed up by zero substance.

 

[JonathanH]

It's almost as if all the talk about sustainability, de-carbonisation and green alternatives is just hollow virtue signalling backed up by zero substance.

Is it? Operating a bus station, rather than a bus stop on a suitable street requires power and land use and isn't necessarily the most hospitable place to wait for a bus. Lewes isn't a huge place and journeys I suspect are now relatively local.

To what extent does the lack of a formal bus station put off bus users?

 

[Glasgowbusguy]

Is it? Operating a bus station, rather than a bus stop on a suitable street requires power and land use and isn't necessarily the most hospitable place to wait for a bus. Lewes isn't a huge place and journeys I suspect are now relatively local.

To what extent does the lack of a formal bus station put off bus users?

Bus stations often provide a fairly enclosed well lit safe area in city centres for people to wait. They also have toilets, disabled toilets and even occasionally changing places toilets (toilets with hoists and plinths for disabled people who require additional support). They also act as meeting points for friends and family. They also act as a central location for interchanging.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I notice that the publicity (linked above) states that new stops C and D are temporary. Are there any published suggestions for how long and where the permanent replacements might be?

 

[busestrains]

I notice that the publicity (linked above) states that new stops C and D are temporary. Are there any published suggestions for how long and where the permanent replacements might be?

They are supposed to be temporary as they are a very unsuitable location. However nobody knows how long temporary means as there is currently nowhere else available for these buses. From what i have read the council are looking at options to build a new bus station elsewhere in Lewes to replace the current one. However i personally find that very unlikely to happen. The only space to build a new bus station would be by getting rid of one of the car parks. But i can not see that happening as parking is already very limited in Lewes and all of the car parks get full up quickly. So in reality i think these new bus stops are probably permanent.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Bus stations often provide a fairly enclosed well lit safe area in city centres for people to wait. They also have toilets, disabled toilets and even occasionally changing places toilets (toilets with hoists and plinths for disabled people who require additional support). They also act as meeting points for friends and family. They also act as a central location for interchanging.

Not really the case in Lewes. It isn't really a hub - the only frequent corridor is the north-south Brighton to Uckfield/Tunbridge Wells. The rest are really quite infrequent routes. Been a while since I was there but think the toilets were closed.

I'm generally an advocate for decent bus stations but not certain that Lewes will be a huge loss.

 

[Man of Kent]

I notice that the publicity (linked above) states that new stops C and D are temporary. Are there any published suggestions for how long and where the permanent replacements might be?

There are extensive details in the planning application of alternatives that were considered; the favoured site is slightly north east of the bus station on Phoenix Causeway.

 

[busestrains]

Not really the case in Lewes. It isn't really a hub - the only frequent corridor is the north-south Brighton to Uckfield/Tunbridge Wells. The rest are really quite infrequent routes. Been a while since I was there but think the toilets were closed.

I'm generally an advocate for decent bus stations but not certain that Lewes will be a huge loss.

It is true there are few people changing buses in Lewes. Most people travel to or from Lewes as a destination rather than an interchange point. Yes the main 28 29 services you mention which runs every ten minutes in each direction on the main section are the only frequent services.

The other services are the Compass Bus 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 143 166 167 168 routes and Cuckmere Buses 25 route and CTLA 131 132 routes which are a mixture of Lewes Town Bus services serving the residential areas of Lewes and also the rural routes serving all of the surrounding villages and hamlets. Most of the people on these bus routes are just travelling in to Lewes to do their shopping and then back out of Lewes again.

The bus station has not had public toilets for over fifteen years. Nor has it had any indoor waiting facilities or any of the facilities it used to have.

Back when the Bus Station (and neighbouring Bus Depot too) were owned by Stagecoach until 2006 the facilities were brilliant. It used to have public toilets and an indoor waiting room and a travel shop and plenty of staff that were around to assist passengers with questions and a bus station cafe serving cheap tasty food. They used to do a good Full English Breakfast and Pie and Chips and other cheap traditional food.

But when it got sold to the Generator Group in 2006 everything when downhill. The public toilets were immediately closed. The indoor waiting room was immediately closed. The bus station suddenly became unstaffed. The neighbouring bus depot shut too. So since then the bus station has been quite poor.

The original bus station cafe also closed but has since opened and closed as about six different cafes and restaurants in the past fifteen years. But they have all been expensive fancy places aimed at local residents and not really aimed at pass travellers. It was a pizza restaurant then a bakery then another pizza restaurant and now is a cafe. The current cafe (and all the previous cafes and restaurants) in the bus station has toilets but they are only for customers.

Still despite this i still think Lewes needs a bus station to give people a centralised covered area with benches to wait for their buses. The current arrangements are not suitable. It is appalling the main bus stops in the county town of East Sussex are now just some stops on a busy narrow shopping street with no shelter or benches (or any room to install these) meaning passengers are just crowding on to the pavement blocking it for pedestrians. Many of the passengers who use these routes are elderly and need somewhere to sit while they wait. In the rain there is absolutely no cover while you wait.

Even if not many passengers change buses i still think that bus stations are important to have as they give one centralised location where everyone knows they can go to catch their bus rather than a bunch of scattered bus stops around the town. Plus they give a place to sit and some shelter from the rain. So i think having a bus station is ideal for towns.

There are extensive details in the planning application of alternatives that were considered; the favoured site is slightly north east of the bus station on Phoenix Causeway.

Do you have a link to the planning application that you are referring to? Where can i find a copy of this planning application?

Using the Phoenix Causeway is not ideal. It is not right in the town centre like the bus station is. Yes it is only a five minute walk over the river so easy for most people but for elderly passengers (who are the majority of bus passengers in the Lewes area) it might be difficult. It is also a very busy road here so i can see buses causing a lot of chaos with traffic. Although at least the road is quite wide here. Also there is not much space here for buses and the bus stops are on all different sides which means passengers would have to cross the very busy road a lot. I just fail to see how this could be a suitable alternative.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Still despite this i still think Lewes needs a bus station to give people a centralised covered area with benches to wait for their buses. The current arrangements are not suitable. It is appalling the main bus stops in the county town of East Sussex are now just some stops on a busy narrow shopping street with no shelter or benches (or any room to install these) meaning passengers are just crowding on to the pavement blocking it for pedestrians. Many of the passengers who use these routes are elderly and need somewhere to sit while they wait. In the rain there is absolutely no cover while you wait.

Even if not many passengers change buses i still think that bus stations are important to have as they give one centralised location where everyone knows they can go to catch their bus rather than a bunch of scattered bus stops around the town. Plus they give a place to sit and some shelter from the rain. So i think having a bus station is ideal for towns.

Appreciate that but Lewes is a very small town. We would like to have such facilities in every town but the capital cost and then the ongoing cost for utilities and maintenance means it's not likely to happen. I'm an advocate for bus stations and do recognise that some local authorities outside of the PTEs do pursue a policy of having flagship bus stations (e.g. Nottinghamshire and Lancashire). They're the exception and in smaller towns, there probably isn't the justification for bus stations nowadays.

 

[Hophead]

Having, by chance, been in Lewes yesterday, I was able to observe the new arrangements and, I have to say, I don't think that there's any big problem. Sure, the pavement on School Hill isn't quite as wide as you'd maybe like but, apart from the 28/29, the routes don't really generate enough passengers that there is much of an obstacle to passing pedestrians. The lack of seating and shelter is obviously not ideal but then the new stops have been set up at very short notice, so I don't know what else the County Council could have done? There are plenty of notices at stops and the former bus station detailing the new arrangements

To address some of the points raised in previous comments:

• The new stops C & D have notices attached stating that they are temporary until 4th November. I expect that this is mostly a legal thing relating to the duration of a temporary order. This being Lewes, the stops will be inaccessible anyway from the afternoon of the 5th until Sunday in any case. I would expect a new order to then come into effect
• The major problem with new stops C& D would seem to be illegal parking, as there were several cars parking for long or short periods (though the stops were also clear at other times as well).
• I didn't observe any traffic problems with buses blocking the road. Stop A (Waitrose) is unchanged in its usage (28/29 towards Ringmer/ Uckfield / Tunbridge Wells) though Compass are now setting down there in lieu of the Bus Station. Similarly, Stop B on Friars Walk also had a couple of buses briefly, but I can't imagine that's anything new.

While a bus station is nice to have, plenty of places manage without, including most London suburbs, which require passengers to navigate between various on-street stops. In Lewes, the stops really aren't that far apart, and the locals seemed to have coped perfectly fine.

 

[Man of Kent]

Do you have a link to the planning application that you are referring to? Where can i find a copy of this planning application?

On the Planning tab of the www.southdowns.gov.uk website, search for the application as "Bus Station".

 

[pepperpot80]

I can only be thoroughly incensed by the race-to-the-bottom approach advocated here. Lewes has gone from having a practical, capacious covered bus station, with an excellent community café, to some exposed stretch of pavement that you can't easily get a powered wheelchair or twin buggy along. The traffic problems, both pedestrian and motorist, will be much more of a problem once the colder, wetter weather and school terms kick in. Any pretense that these new 'facilities' are adequate are laughable, and I don't look forward to waiting in the pouring rain and freezing cold later in the year.

Criticism of all parties - the council planning office and the developers, particularly - is well overdue and thoroughly appropriate. This is not a sudden problem, and has been brewing for a decade. The county council planning committee have now refused permission for the redevelopment, but frankly a week's notice is far too little, too late, and hasn't prevented the closure. The proposed alternatives arising in the most recent planning consultation were all poor and smack of being developed by non-bus users with little-to-no adequate input at the consultation stage, and a heavy emphasis on minimising impact on private motorists.

Operationally, the bus station probably is a nice-to-have - there are multiple alternatives for standing and as Roger French notes in his blog today, the impact of parked cars etc. could be managed, if the council put the resource and effort in. The operators have clearly risen to the challenge as best they can with four weeks' notice. However, for passengers, the bus station was necessary - if not perfect (I'd concur with the lack of facilities and the limited opening hours on the waiting room). The loss of a well loved café and venue which provided a welcome and genuine alternative to other similar businesses in town is also a huge shame. Councillors have been parading round like they've made some heroic intervention but I don't know who they think they're fooling.

I cannot be more scathing about the outcome here. The fight to increase ongoing funding and support for decent, high quality public transport services should be a no-brainer, and it's deeply concerning that some here would have bus users put up and shut up when the axe falls.

 

[busestrains]

I am really surprised they have not blocked off Lewes Bus Station and put some fence up. It looks like it is still open. You can still walk in and around the entire bus station and there is nothing stopping vehicles entering either. The only thing to tell you are the posters in the timetable case. So if you do not look at those (which you probably would not if you know what time your bus is at) then you have no way of knowing. They could at least put some large signs up or some tape or something to make it more clear.

I was there yesterday again and four people were sitting there waiting for a bus unaware that it was closed until i told them. Then when i walked back a few hours later there were two more people. So they really ought to put up some large signs or something more clear that is visible to everyone immediately.

The cafe finally closed last Saturday the 1st (or actually Sunday the 2nd as they had a leaving party going on until around 02:00 in the early hours of the morning) and from what i have heard the owners of the cafe (and the neighboring bus depot that is used as a storage yard) now have about another week or so to move everything out.

It is really ridiculous that buses were stopped a couple of weeks ago even though the bus station is still fully open. They could have at least allowed buses to keep using it until they actually block it off and start the work demolishing it. From what i have heard it may be many more months until they start demolishing it. So they could have allowed buses to continue using it for longer.

 

[Busaholic]

I am really surprised they have not blocked off Lewes Bus Station and put some fence up. It looks like it is still open. You can still walk in and around the entire bus station and there is nothing stopping vehicles entering either. The only thing to tell you are the posters in the timetable case. So if you do not look at those (which you probably would not if you know what time your bus is at) then you have no way of knowing. They could at least put some large signs up or some tape or something to make it more clear.

I was there yesterday again and four people were sitting there waiting for a bus unaware that it was closed until i told them. Then when i walked back a few hours later there were two more people. So they really ought to put up some large signs or something more clear that is visible to everyone immediately.

The cafe finally closed last Saturday the 1st (or actually Sunday the 2nd as they had a leaving party going on until around 02:00 in the early hours of the morning) and from what i have heard the owners of the cafe (and the neighboring bus depot that is used as a storage yard) now have about another week or so to move everything out.

It is really ridiculous that buses were stopped a couple of weeks ago even though the bus station is still fully open. They could have at least allowed buses to keep using it until they actually block it off and start the work demolishing it. From what i have heard it may be many more months until they start demolishing it. So they could have allowed buses to continue using it for longer.

Regrettably, this is par for the course by local government now - commonsense went out of the window decades ago.