SPT seeking to award Partick Interchange contract

Work is due to begin on a major redevelopment to deliver better facilities and greater capacity at Partick Interchange as SPT (Strathclyde Partnership for Transport) prepares to award a contract for the project.The bus station will close for eight months to allow Glasgow City Council in conjunction with SPT to deliver the revamp.Plans drawn up by Austin:Smith-Lord will see the present bus station footprint extended over the neighbouring Morrisons car park to accommodate greater volumes of bus traffic necessitated by the new Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.Demand for travel is further expected to increase due to the expansion of local housing, including student accommodation, and proposed retail and leisure facilities.The improved interchange will separate bus movements from general traffic by creating a specific lane for general traffic between Vine Street and Merkland Street, allowing the full operational area to be restricted to buses and improving pedestrian safety.Access to shops, services and nearby developments by walking and cycling will also be improved, along with integration with rail and Subway.In addition, a ‘Drive In, Drive Out’ style arrangement will be created which can accommodate six stances in total – three along the southern side of the bus station and a further three stances on the central island.Additional features will include ‘high quality’ shelters, real time passenger information displays, high access kerbs, improved LED lighting and an improved public realm.To make way for the redeveloped bus station, two separate areas of land – including a strip from the Morrisons car park – will be required.A proposal has been put forward for Glasgow Harbour to lease a site adjacent to the car park in Anderson Street to Morrisons to accommodate the development.