The new Exeter Bus Station will open to passengers on Sunday, 25 July, it has been revealed.
The new station – a striking glass-fronted building in the heart of the city centre – replaces the current bus station which was constructed in the 1960s.
This new, fit-for-purpose modern facility will promote green public transport in the city and rural communities for decades to come.
The new Bus Station will offer a massive improvement for passengers, with features such as glass-fronted covered waiting and boarding areas and high quality facilities.
Exeter City Council Leader Cllr Phil Bialyk said: “As a former bus driver this new station is obviously very close to my heart, and I am delighted that the City Council has been able to deliver it.
“It is right next door to the new leisure centre St Sidwell’s Point, which will open later this year, and I couldn’t be more pleased that we have been able to provide a brand new facility worthy of our great city.
“This station looks fantastic and is a great new gateway to Exeter. The old bus station did a job for many years but is well past its sell by date and to have a brand new facility is fantastic news for Exeter and the whole region.”
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales met transport workers and Exeter’s ‘Net Zero Heroes’ during a visit to the new Exeter Bus Station.
The new facility will be operated by Stagecoach South West.
Stagecoach South West Managing Director Mike Watson said: “We’re so excited to open our new Bus Station at the heart of Exeter city centre.
“It’s a great time to be welcoming more people back to bus as restrictions across the UK are lifted. We’re delighted to be able to offer our passengers a brand new modern facility packed with travel information. We’ve made a significant investment in the latest technology to display clear departure information. We hope that our passengers will find traveling with us is even easier than before.”
Doug Lloyd, operations director at Kier Regional Building Western & Wales, said: “We are delighted to have completed the new bus station in Exeter.
“As a vital transport link for the South West, connecting rural and urban communities, we are proud to have delivered these first class facilities that have been specifically designed to support ease of travel. The station is filled with natural light as a result of its glass front, the building is spacious and accessible and it has plenty of seating areas.
“We are proud to have worked with our local supply chain partners to deliver this important project which we hope will bring benefits to the Exeter community for years to come.”
The new station, built on the same site as the old station, was funded by Exeter City Council and a £800,000 grant from the Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP) ‘Getting Building Fund’.*
Karl Tucker, Chair of the Heart of the South West LEP, said: “We are delighted to have been able to support the Exeter Bus Station with £800,000 from the Heart of the SW LEP’s Getting Building Fund, which is aimed at ready-to-go projects that can deliver new jobs and contribute to our area’s post-COVID recovery.
“It’s great to see the new bus station complete and ready to welcome passengers in. This new modern facility offers a far better experience for people coming into the city and will hopefully encourage more people to leave their cars at home and travel more sustainably.”
The current bus station will close at midnight on Saturday, July 24. The first bus out of the new station will depart at 04.25 on Sunday, July 25.
Buses will arrive behind automatic glass doors at each stand, ensuring that people will be protected from the elements in all weathers.
There will also be an abundance of real time information throughout the concourse, with a dedicated digital display at each stand, plus departure screens throughout the station, alerting passengers to upcoming departures.
The provision of such high quality public transport facilities will promote the use of buses as a viable alternative to private car journeys into the city centre – helping reduce the traffic congestion on the arterial routes into the city centre.
Work has taken place with stakeholders to deliver audio announcements of departures at each stand, offering the latest information to passengers with visual impairment.
Stagecoach’s information point at the station will feature the latest area guides, plus a host of maps and ticket information.
