Monmouthshire County Council’s full council meeting on Thursday 16th December included an update on the plans to improve Abergavenny bus station, which was first constructed in the 1930s. Following a successful funding application to Welsh Government for £180,000 earlier in the year, it was confirmed that improvements will be completed before 31st March 2022. These include an increase in size of stand 1’s platform to allow a larger new shelter to be installed, with information boards and tactile paving. Stand 2 will be removed completely to allow a flow of traffic through the bus station. All platforms will have dropped kerbs and tactile paving, with clear marking between platforms.
In addition the island at the end of stand 5 will be removed to provide better access, but retaining the pavement and parking for taxis. Bays 2 and 3 of the coach parking area will be hatched out with no parking to ensure access for buses is maintained. Signage will be provided at the no entry and to the bus station entrance clearly marked with allowed vehicles, and signage will be the rear of the coach parking bays to state parking conditions and which vehicles are allowed and between what times. Dedicated motorcycle parking bays will be provided outside the café area, while relining work will reinstate clearly marked bays and no entry areas.
Monmouthshire County Council’s Councillor Jane Pratt, cabinet member for Infrastructure, said: “Works intended for Abergavenny Bus station have been planned – weather and circumstances permitting – for this financial year following a successful bid to improve bus facilities from Welsh Government. We plan to complete these works by 31st March 2022, but we also intend to carry out a Weltag 1 study of the whole bus station area to help us meet our long-term ambition of providing a new transport hub that will be sustainable in the future. Details of this will be shared once this study has been completed and assessed.”
“The importance of ensuring a future-proof and accessible bus station for Abergavenny is without question and the planned works will improve the experience of those travelling by bus to and from the bus station. Our climate emergency means that we need to do everything we can to encourage everyone to use public transport, in addition to walking and cycling. I am confident that these works will make a real difference for residents of the town.”
