Chester Bus Interchange and Surrounding Public RealmTransforming a city with sustainable transport

Nick Ovenell and John Ingram – Mott MacDonald

Chester Location

Chester Town Hall

Former Bus Interchange

Chester Cathedral

Chester Rows

NorthgateRe-development

Site

Chester Location

NorthgateRe-development

Site

Chester Context

Chester Town Hall

Former Bus Interchange

Chester Cathedral

Frodsham Street

New Bus Interchange

(Gorse Stacks)

Cow Lane Bridge

Chester Rows

Northgate Street

Chester Bus Interchange Site

After

Chester Bus Interchange Site

Before

Frodsham StreetAfter

Frodsham Street Before

Chester One City Plan -The ‘Epiphany Moment’

• Chester ‘One City Plan’ (2011) – a document to guide development in Chester for years to come

• Identified site of former bus interchange for major retail-led development

• Council pursuing super-stops around city centre

• Nothing identified for key gateway site – Gorse Stacks

Former Bus Interchange

• Congested and low capacity

• Poorly constructed and maintained

• Occupying key city centre site in heart of retail core

• Post 2008, Northgate scheme was not feasible unless bus interchange moved

• Study commissioned by Cheshire West and Chester Council

• 12 sites compared and appraised against:

• Accessibility

• Land Availability

• Opportunity Cost

• Proximity to transport hubs

• Gorse Stacks site identified as only feasible location deliverable in the timeframe

• Proximity to main attractors• Ownership• Archaeology etc…

Chester Bus Interchange Pre-Feasibility Study - 2012

Chester Transport Strategy - 2013

• Bus Interchange was top priority scheme

• Public Consultation undertaken in 2013

• As a result:• Shopper Hopper bus service

• Park & Ride to be integrated

• Surrounding public realm priority

• Need to integrate with surrounds

• Opportunity to improve this part of city centre

Chester Bus Interchange Feasibility Study and

Business Case 2014

• Architect engaged – Austin Smith Lord

• Heritage and archaeological surveys

• Concept designs produced

• Project Manager at Cheshire West and

Chester Council nominated

• Business Case formulated based largely

on Economic and Social benefits

Planning Application

October 2014

• Transport Assessment undertaken

• Junction modelling and bus flow impacts

• Air quality and noise modelling

• Further public consultation

• Consultation with bus operators

• Conceptual design followed previous similar schemes

• Passenger capacity analysis identified layout internally

• Bus company consultation provided required number of bus bays

• Located on main arterial route of Chester City Centre -high aspirations regarding form in relation to rest of Chester

Planning Application

Architectural Vision

Vision for wider area

• Wider area to be transformed by sustainable transport

• Reduction of highway dominance

• Promotion of walking and cycling

• Breathing new life into Frodsham Street

• Key Gateway to Chester from North East

Source: OS Mapping, Licence Number: 100049046

Frodsham Street

Frodsham Street within Transport

Strategy

• Replacement of highway dominated street with shared-use thoroughfare

• Stimulating increased footfall and improved trading environment

• Celebrating heritage – Cow Lane Bridge on route to former cattle market

Image Source: IBI

Frodsham Street Public Consultation

• Initial hostility from public

• Disbelief that shared-use could be safe

• Opposition from disability groups

• Bus operators supportive as long as bus access maintained

Frodsham Street Stakeholder Consultation

• Frodsham Street benefits from a large number of small businesses

• Their consultation was pivotal to the scheme as a poorly designed scheme would have adverse effects on trade

• Priority to increase dwell time, provide an environment where pedestrians were comfortable the cross the highway

• Stakeholders requested areas where people could sit and rest to provide a relaxed atmosphere

Removing concerns by sympathetic design

• Frodsham Street to carry ~ 1 bus per minute.

• Careful selection of materials and design

• Consideration of future maintenance liability

Engineering Requirements

• Highway design included flexible and rigid design

• Safety Audits carried out during development

• Tactile paving used to inform partially sighted pedestrians

• Feature bollards used to inform and protect

• Street Furniture installed to allow temporary removal during events

• Surfacing material - high contrast to aid clarity

• Due to high numbers of pedestrians with reduced mobility, design features incorporated to aid passage.

Equalities Act Inclusion

• Local disability groups consulted during the design process.

Finished Design

“I work on Frodsham Street and see near misses daily. It won’t be long

before there is a serious accident”

“The yellow brick road already has black tyre marks all over it. It will only

get worse over the years.”

“I don’t like the road surface it looks odd, it doesn’t fit in. I think Chester

needs to up their game and look at other cities like York.”

Some initial hostility from the public…

“…there has to be some form of eye contact and unfortunately if you have

a visual impairment or a guide dog it just doesn’t work for you.”

“This scheme in Chester, I am convinced, has a lot of positive benefits for

visually impaired people.”

“The really amazing thing, the area reserved for pedestrians has been

completely cleared of all obstacles … I found this incredibly liberating… I

found myself walking faster and faster up and down the street, not quite

believing it could be so clear.”

“I was very sceptical before we actually went out on the site visit…

However, having now experienced this, as I told the officials present,

“When are you going to do the same to all the other streets in Chester?”.

Honestly, it is really great. I can’t see any disadvantages to it.”

Was overtaken by positivity once the scheme was

established…

Awards

CIHT National Award – ‘Creating Better Places’

IStructE Medium Project Award

1 2 3 4 5 6

Long Term Benefits of Chester Bus Interchange

Improved interchange

between buses

Improved integration between modes

Bringing new activity

to area within

Chester

Facilitating major

development in city centre

Facilitating new

pedestrian movement

on Northgate Street

Improved bus

patronage in Chester

and surrounding

areas

1 2 3 4 5 6

Long Term Benefits of Frodsham Street

Local Authority is looking to

use the same design

methodology for other

towns

Increased pedestrian dwell time

All commercial

premises occupied

Existing businesses

have experienced an increase

in trade

Reduced vehicle

speeds along the highway

Excellent feedback for local groups

and businesses

Thanks for listening…Nick.Ovenell@mottmac.comJohn.Ingram@mottmac.com