Surveys continue at Bradford Interchange bus station

The station - which is run by West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) - has been shut since early January following a collapse of concrete within the Interchange basement car park.

Since then, several surveys have been carried out.

WYCA this week confirmed survey work was ongoing at the station.

Earlier this month, the Telegraph & Argus reported that WYCA had allocated a budget of £300,000 for the surveys.

At the end of May, WYCA said the bus station would stay shut until at least September to allow for "more in-depth surveys" to be completed to "determine if it can ever be safely reopened".

A report will be brought to the September 19 meeting of WYCA to determine next steps - once outcomes from the more in-depth surveys are known.

Possible options on the table for the future of the Interchange bus station are expected to include permanent closure, a partial reopening or full reopening.

The station has been shut since early January following a collapse of concrete within the Interchange basement car park (Image: Newsquest)

In a recent report, WYCA said the station closure had led to additional costs to the authority of between £204,000 and £238,000 per month.

This includes lost income due to the closure and costs to ensure the building is properly secured.

WYCA also said it had invested more than £13 million into repairing and maintaining the facility in the last decade.

The authority itself admitted that the bus station - which was built in the mid-1970s - was "reaching the end of its expected 50-year lifespan" and "the structure is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain and operate safely".

More information is also expected to be released soon on plans to "enhance" the entrance to the rail station at the Interchange.

A WYCA spokesperson said: "We recognise that this is now a crucial time for Bradford and that while the rail station does remain open, it represents a sub-optimal experience for rail users.

"As a result, an investment plan is in place now to create a rail gateway from the Interchange train station to deliver essential improvements for rail passengers in the short-term, drawing on £22m of funding previously set aside for Bradford Interchange enhancements as part of the Transforming Cities programme."

WYCA previously said work was taking place to identify sites for a possible temporary bus station "fit for Bradford as UK City of Culture 2025". An update on that work is expected to be given at the September 12 meeting.