Great Western Coffee Shop

Do you know when the new Bus Station in Bath opens.?
There was to be a link butI think that comes later..

Less of walk to the bus station.

This coming June.

 
     :-\ I asked a member of Bath station staff yesterday, he said probably 2010. Take into consideration the upside carpark has not yet been replaced with the stsation to station access  :-X  quite a large job one would imagine......

I was think that was well no station to station access built yet.

I predict that when the new Bath Bus Station does open, it'll close again within weeks on health and safety grounds. Every time I see those steel "monkey bars" on the street-facing wall which serve, I assume, as some form of decoration, I shiver to think of the drunken idiots climbing them and jumping off...

Is the new bus station located on Manvers Street in the same place as the old one? The journey from railway to current temporary bus station is about the only one I can manage on foot in the centre of Bath at the moment without getting irredeemably lost amongst building sites, roadworks and hoardings...

The new bus station will be alongside the railway station as part of a new transport interchange. Where the old bus station used to be is where the new shopping centre is being built. Believe me, as a Bath resident we've been waiting a very very long time for this new shopping area so are gladly putting up with the centre of Bath being a building site. The next phase will see major work going on at Bath Spa railway station as part of the new transport interchange.

Some Pictures of the new Bus Station Can be found here:
http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/galleries/New-Bath-bus-station-gallery-920030-detail/gallery.html

Like I said, it's not going to be long before some drunk climbs up that and jumps off into the oncoming traffic.

Stupid, short-sighted design. Ugly, too.

First Buses in Bath are now carrying posters saying that the new bus stationw ill open on 7 June 2009.

It will be next to the rail station which is good and although it isn't the prettiest building it is better than the old one and the passenger facilities will be better (automatic doors and electronic departure boards)

I was surprised to see that tarmac has been laid on the "bus apron".  Presumably this is cheaper than laying a concrete surface but I predict that it will wear out very quickly.

I'm on the First Bath Bus User Customer Panel - meeting every couple of months, providing feedback into the bus operation and receiving feedback in return. Although the bus station was only opened less than 10 years ago, there are a number of issues that arise making elements of its operation less that ideal. In no particular order, grumbles include:
* Mobile phone / WiFi dead zone
* Awkward to manoeuvre buses out at times
* Road network jams getting buses in and out
* High bus mileage in area due to one way systems
* Use of bus station as a though route for some buses (pass through do not call!)
* Lack of maps
* Lack of bays
* Lack of seating
* Lack of customer ambassadors
* Information area out of way
* Screens distant and show limited infomation (typically only destination)
* Screens do not include buses just outside

We should note it's not all negative ...
Solved ... pidgeons and their droppings
Good ... location for town and for railway connections

The bus station address is 10 Dorchester St. But buses stopping in front of it on Dorchester Street aren't show on the departure boards. "Bath bus station serves as part of an integrated transport interchange for the city of Bath, Somerset, England."

You have a glorious mixture of bus station landlord, bus operators and BaNES all with various responsibilities and a need to interface ... and with multiple bus operators the need to co-ordinate for use of facilities, yet not allowed to talk too much or they'll be accused of having a cartel. Co-ordination from BaNES is somewhat lacking as they're manpower short - they have a Strong team of one as I understand it with a job that really needs multiple people.

Teething troubles, growing pains, elements not fit for purpose, or unreasonable expectations?   Both passngers and operators are distinctly frustrated by some of the items I list above.