The vast majority of Bradford Interchange bus services will return to the station when it reopens to passengers in the new year.
A total of 47 services will go back to the bus station when it reopens on Sunday 5th January. This represents more than 80 per cent of all services. Just eleven services will remain on-street while resurfacing works are expected to continue at the site until April 2025.
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has been working at pace to bring the bus station back into operation, with remedial works taking place in the last few months.
Buses to destinations including Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford’s hospitals are among those set to return to the Interchange.
This covers services across operators First Bus, TLC Travel Ltd, Arriva and Transdev (Keighley Bus Company and Yorkshire Coastliner).
Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said: “The return of bus services to the Interchange is really welcome news for passengers in Bradford.
“We know it’s been a tough year for bus users in the city and I’d like to thank them once again for their patience.
“Public safety will continue to be our number one priority as we work to bring all services back to the Interchange in the coming months.”
Real time information screens for returning services will be available at the bus station and on-street once it reopens.
Printed timetables will be available from mid-January. In the meantime, extra staff will be deployed at the bus station and then in the city centre for the first few days of reopening. Printed information will also be available at impacted bus stops to keep passengers informed.
Passengers are encouraged to check their journey before travelling via the Metro website, where there’ll be a full list of services and timetables.
The rest of the services will remain on-street until at least April 2025. They will continue to depart from Hall Ings and Nelson Street.
The bus stops on Bridge Street will be no longer be in use on Monday 6 January 2025 and taken out of service.
All coach services will continue to use temporary bus stops on Nelson Street. Once resurfacing works have completed and all bus services are back at the Interchange, coaches will move to using permanent bus shelters on the same road.
Bradford Council leader Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe said: “I’m pleased that the West Yorkshire Combined Authority are reopening the bus station and that the majority of services will be back operating from there from January. It will make life a lot easier for residents and businesses who have had to do without it for so long. Once reopened, buses will run on the bus loop, which connects key areas of the city centre, using the Interchange as their last stop, as was the original plan, prior to the bus station unexpectedly closing.”
A decision was made to close the Interchange bus station in January 2024 to protect the public after some concrete fell in the basement.
Following initial findings from structural surveys, the Combined Authority was reassured that the bus Interchange was able to safely reopen with mitigation measures in place.
Renovations to the rail station’s external access ramp – to provide better lighting and a new non-slip surface – are ongoing. Work to transform the former taxi rank into a new public plaza area is also underway.
