£10m Boost for Rochdale Transport Interchange
Rochdale is to receive
up to £10m for a state-of-the-art transport
interchange following a bid to the government by Greater Manchester Passenger
Transport Authority.
Further funding for the £11.5m interchange has
been provided by Rochdale Development Agency, through SRB funding, to prepare
the site for the work.
Cllr Allen Brett, Vice-chair and Rochdale spokesperson
for GMPTA said: “This
is fantastic news for all Rochdalians and for people who come and visit the
town. This is the news that we have all been waiting for – public transport
users in Rochdale will soon be getting a brand new Interchange that will
really improve travel.
“At a time when everyone is being encouraged to reduce their carbon
footprint it’s great that this new Interchange will help make public
transport much more attractive in Rochdale. And on top of that, it will be
the centre of a wider regeneration scheme.
“Our ultimate plan is for
Rochdale Interchange to include a Metrolink stop too, bringing trams right
to the heart of Rochdale town centre. This funding means we can get on with
building the interchange which will give us the opportunity to have a tram
stop here in the future.”
Andy Zuntz, Executive Director of Rochdale Council said: “This is
tremendous news for the whole area. A new interchange in Rochdale centre
will kick start the town centre re-development and make public transport
better and easier for everyone in the borough."
John Hudson, Chief Executive of Rochdale Development Agency added: “The
creation of the new bus station is a major catalyst in bringing to life plans
to modernise the town centre. We’ve listened to how local people would
like to use the centre and the proposals mean we can make the retail heart
bigger, better and much more accessible and also bring into use the riverside
area which the new station will look onto. It’s an exciting time for
Rochdale.”
Rochdale Interchange will be built on Smith Street, next
to the River Roch, and will replace the existing bus station in the town
centre.
The new interchange will feature CCTV, real time information, an enclosed
waiting area and toilets. It will also have space for retail outlets, and
its design will allow for much more natural light than the current bus station.
GMPTA
submitted a bid for funding to build the interchange to the Department for
Transport.
For more information about public transport services in Rochdale
visit www.gmpte.com, or call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 (calls cost 10p
per minute from landlines). Lines are open from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Friday,
and from 8am to 8pm at weekends.
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