New £20 million Halifax Bus Station opened

All 19 stands are in play at Halifax Bus Station and the new Wade Street concourse is seen as an example of revitalising public transport with buildings fit for 21st century purpose.

The Halifax project has not been without snags and after partial re-opening last October is only fully online around a year later than originally envisaged, but Mayor Brabin says the quality of the finished article is worth it.

She and Calderdale Council’s Deputy Leader, Coun Scott Patient, say the new design better connects the town, is a hub for Calderdale, incorporates solar panels to make it energy efficient, a green roof covered in bee-friendly plants to benefit the environment, and a concourse layout making it easy for passengers to make service connections.

The bus station in Halifax is now complete 

Mayor Brabin said: “This is a great day for Halifax – it has been a six year project and I am so thrilled to walk around the bus station and see the ambition and the elegance.”

The bus station will be in daily use from around 4.10am to midnight.

“It’s an incredible offer and I hope it will encourage more people to use public transport,” she said.

Expense has not been spared in the quality of the design, including the eco roof and incorporation of some historic buildings – the former Sion School building which dates to 1846 – into the project, said Mayor Brabin.

It connects areas like the Dean Clough complex, is next to Halifax’s Sixth Form College, close to the town’s railway station and crucially the “light and airy” concourse feels like a safe space, said the Mayor and Coun Patient (Lab, Luddenden Foot).

The impressive Halifax bus station has been opened

Developments like this, and another ongoing project to revitalise Heckmondwike Bus Station in Kirklees, which is suffering delays but will eventually see a £10 million uplift with extra West Yorkshire Combined Authority funding approved this week, will dovetail with actions the Mayor is taking and councils may be able to take through measures which may be available to them under the new Government to improve public transport.

Mayor Brabin said her “Mayor’s Fares” initiative, which pegs single journey fares at £2, is expensive to support but it is  important to get people using their buses and looking ahead it was crucial services are reliable.

Improving stations and services had a purpose, she said: “You are investing in tackling inequalities and tackling the climate emergency, helping people access jobs and skills opportunities.

Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, centre, with Calderdale councillors, from the left, Joe Thompson, Sarah Courtney, Scott Patient and Kelly Thornham at the new Halifax Bus Station

“Transport is part of West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s (WYCA) growth plan – you can’t grow the economy if you can’t get people moving around,” she said.

Coun Patient said the bus station is a key part of regeneration being seen around Halifax – major road improvements are also under way – is next to the college and provides a link for people to be able to get to jobs.

“It will make a big difference to people,” he said.

He hoped opportunities the new Government might provide would see transport services better integrated including with neighbouring regions, rural access to them improved and, where services had been severed in places like Midgley, Cragg Vale, Barkisland and Siddal, restored.

Franchising – whereby WYCA will gain more control over bus services and timetabling – has been green-lit by the Mayor.

Coun Patient said: “A more coherent offer, the opportunity for local decision making – franchising becomes a big part of that journey and Labour policy is for that to lock into place.

“It’s not going to happen overnight, but this is a great start to that.”