AtkinsRéalis has been appointed to develop a ‘future-focused’ masterplan for Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow – Scotland’s biggest and busiest bus station.
The station, which is owned and operated by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), handles more than 500,000 bus departures a year.
The global professional services firm said it will undertake a full evaluation of the site and the potential for development while engaging with SPT, local communities and stakeholders to evaluate the best way forward for the city.
Chris Crombie, technical director for architecture at AtkinsRéalis said: ‘The Buchanan Bus Station has long been a central transport hub for the city of Glasgow.
‘But it needs to be fit for purpose for the future which requires a new vision for its role both as a bus station to enable transport links, and as a destination in itself.
‘The updated Buchanan Bus Station will play an important role in helping SPT to deliver its goals of improving service levels, sustainability, and safety of the transport system.’
Richard Robinson, SPT’s director of transport operations, said that with the area around the station undergoing change, ‘now is the perfect opportunity for SPT to consider how Buchanan Bus Station fits in with the regeneration of that part of the city’.
He said: ‘Buchanan Bus Station is a key strategic transport hub within the west of Scotland’s transport network, and while aspects of the bus station have been modernised in recent years, principally to improve the passenger experience and safety and efficiency of operations, BBS has remained largely unchanged over the last 45 years.’
AtkinsRéalis said the new facility is expected to deliver wider benefits to the city through improved access to services and that it will consider the necessary infrastructure to support a fleet of electric buses and other vehicles.
