[katex]

Yes, I am pleased that the new Bus Station has now got funding, and not the only one, Lancsdave. Most people I talk to think it can only do the town a favour. I have expressed my opinion in other threads, and will not repeat myself as my thoughts are dismissed as slightly 'odd-ball'.

I would have thought that in these time of constrained funding, this represented a significant 'win' for both Accrington and Blackburn. I think these proposals need to be considered in the wider context.

Most modern day thinking on major public transport stops/stations is to ensure that they are developed into 'interchanges'; allowing people to change between modes and routes without huge walk/wait times. This increases the number of destinations that public transport users can access within an acceptable travel time without having to run/subsidise lots of different routes (especially the case with bus services). This is actually a logical place for the bus station and, although the central location of the existing bus station is very good, it prevents more appropriate development in the Town Centre. I assume that Accrington residents would like to see a good mix a shops, businesses etc that fuel a thriving Town Centre? Typically bus stations do not deliver high quality development in the surroundings.

I am a little bemused that Hyndburn Council would be pursuing the delivery of (another) car park on this site. This site is surely a key development opportunity for Accrington Town Centre. It is surrounding by old buildings, the market and has access points from all directions. A focal square with surrounding shops etc would be far more appropriate. I think if they go ahead and approve a car park then they will regret it in the long term. This is obviously being driven by money. Car parks are traditionally ugly, traffic generating and represent a low value use of land (in the medium/long term) because they generate no business rates for the council.

Terrible proposal and it should be resisted.